Explained: Why NBA is exploring expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle and what happens next

The National Basketball Association Board of Governors voted on Wednesday in favour of the league exploring bids for expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle. “Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle — two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball,” Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.

“We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.” The vote does not guarantee Seattle and Las Vegas will receive expansion teams, but it allows the league to formally explore those opportunities, with bids expected to command between $7 billion and $10 billion per team.

Why the NBA is planning expansion teams

Seattle lost the SuperSonics in 2008 when ownership relocated the franchise to Oklahoma City after failing to secure a new arena deal.

Las Vegas has never had an NBA team but continues to grow as a major sports market, already home to NFL and NHL franchises, with Major League Baseball’s Athletics planning a move there as well.

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If the league moves forward, both teams are expected to begin play ahead of the 2028-29 season, marking the NBA’s most significant expansion step since the Charlotte Bobcats joined in 2004.

With both new franchises expected to land in the Western Conference, executives broadly expect either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies to shift to the East to balance the conferences at 16 teams each.