The NBA is preparing to take a significant step toward expansion with a vote scheduled during the March 24–25 Board of Governors meeting to determine whether the league should formally explore adding teams in Las Vegas and Seattle.
According to ESPN reports, there is increasing momentum among NBA team owners to move the process forward.
If the vote passes, it would mark the beginning of a multi-step expansion process, with a final decision potentially coming later this year.
Any approval would require support from at least 23 of the league’s 30 team owners.
Cost of the New Teams
Should expansion ultimately be approved, the new franchises are expected to debut in the 2028–29 NBA season, with projected franchise fees ranging from $7 billion to $10 billion.
Those fees would go to the current 30 NBA ownerships groups.
Las Vegas, while never home to an NBA franchise, has built a strong relationship with the league.
The city regularly hosts NBA Summer League and major in-season tournament games, making it a natural fit for expansion. T-Mobile Arena provides a ready-made venue capable of hosting NBA games with a similar capacity.
Seattle has long been considered a prime candidate for an NBA return with numerous reports of a potential expansion team returning after losing the SuperSonics in 2008.
The city maintains a passionate basketball fan base and now boasts a state-of-the-art venue in Climate Pledge Arena, which recently underwent a major renovation and seats over 18,000 for basketball games.
Both Teams Expected To Be In Western Conference
Adding two teams in the Western time zone would likely require league realignment, with franchises such as the Minnesota Timberwolves or Memphis Grizzlies considered potential candidates to shift to the Eastern Conference.
While NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has previously suggested expansion was not an immediate priority, recent developments indicate the league is now actively revisiting the idea. This comes even as the NBA continues exploring the creation of a new professional league in Europe, signaling a broader global growth strategy.
