The NBA has no immediate plans for expansion, though it’s wildly assumed that Seattle will be getting a team should the league go that route, as Marc J. Spears of AndScape writes.
If and when the NBA does expand, it is expected that Seattle will land a team that can finally replace the SuperSonics, which were relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008
Las Vegas has also been rumored to be a location of interest for the league. Mexico City is also a possibility with NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum telling Spears that there’s “no doubt” that Mexico City would be in consideration if the league opts to increase its number of teams.
“Expansion is currently not on the docket, but at some point, if we were to turn to expansion, there’s no doubt that Mexico City would have to be one the cities that would be in consideration along with a host of other very big and relevant cities in North America,” Tatum told Andscape. “One of the biggest challenges around international expansion has always been the travel issues, the facility issues. But there is a world-class facility in Mexico City in Arena CDMX, which is where we’ve been playing our games and our global games in Mexico. And that’s actually the home of the G League team, the Capitanes. And so that’s not an issue.
NBA’s Connection To Seattle
Of the three destinations, Seattle is the only city that previously held an NBA franchise and Kevin Durant is one of two current players who has suited up for the Sonics (fellow 2007 rookie Jeff Green is the other).
Durant has long been a vocal advocate for basketball in the Seattle and he recently told FortyEightMinutes contributor Landon Buford that he has plans to get back up to the Emerald City at some point in the future.
LeBron, Jayson Tatum, and Trae Young made trips out to Seattle this summer for @thecrawsover.
I asked KD could we get him back out to Seattle before he retires.
“Yeah at some point I’ll be out there,” says @KDTrey5.#NetsWorld #Bringbackoursonics pic.twitter.com/5MVk89KVbk
— Landon Buford (@LandonBuford) November 8, 2022
The NBA held an exhibition game between the Clippers and Blazers in Seattle during this year’s preseason. Although if the city aims to watch professionals, such as Durant, play in Seattle in the near future, it’ll likely have to be a Pro-am or Non-NBA event next summer.
