NBA Expansion Candidates

The NBA's new TV contract is finally all but signed, sealed and delivered.  We've long known the basics.  ESPN/ABC will remain the league's primary TV partner, but have fewer games in the new package, which sees NBC return to the fold and Amazon Prime join as a third partner.  TNT has had the NBA for years, but will be out unless it exercises its option to match one of the other bids (which doesn't seem likely).

What we didn't know was the value and length of the deal.  Well, it's an 11-year, $76 billion contract that will begin with the 2025-26 season.  And, with that all locked in and the NBA's financial status for the next decade now clear, the salary cap should see healthy annual increases.  The NBA can now also move on to other priorities, the biggest of which is expansion.

Expansion has been on the NBA's radar for a while.  Adam Silver hasn't been shy about the league's desire to expand, but didn't want to do anything until the media rights deal was signed.  Now that it is, I wouldn't be surprised if we hear about NBA expansion being a go pretty soon.  Silver has even mentioned potential candidates, two of which are incredibly obvious.

Las Vegas.  For a long time, it looked like the NBA would be the first major league to put a team in Las Vegas.  That honor went to the NHL instead, and I think it's safe to say the Golden Knights have been a resounding success.  They've since been joined by the Raiders, with the A's heading there in 2028.  And let's not forget the Las Vegas Aces, the two-time defending WNBA champions.  It's the NBA on the outside looking in.

That initial hesitancy about placing a team in Las Vegas has long since faded.  And you know they played the semifinals and final of the NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena for a reason.  The NBA knows the golden opportunity staring them in the face.  It would be a shock if an NBA expansion team is placed anywhere but Las Vegas.

Seattle.  Likewise, it would be shocking if the other expansion team wasn't placed in Seattle.  It's still kind of raw for fans in the city that the Sonics, one of the NBA's first expansion teams in 1967, moved to Oklahoma City.  It's also crazy to think that was 16 years ago!  People have been waiting for the Sonics to return pretty much since they left, and this is the NBA's chance to follow through.

One of the main reasons the Sonics moved (arguably the main reason) was their arena.  They needed a new one, but couldn't get the funding for it.  That's no longer an issue.  Their old arena was torn down and completely rebuilt for the Kraken, and the Storm also play at Climate Pledge Arena.  Returning to Seattle would give the NBA a chance to right what many still perceive as a wrong.  And they know that the fanbase is there to support a revived Sonics franchise, as well.

Are Las Vegas and Seattle the obvious, safe options?  Yes.  But there's a reason for that.  And, yes, the NHL just expanded to both Las Vegas and Seattle within the last decade, so the NHL would essentially be "copying" them.  They're also the most logical choices, though, which is why they seem to be the most likely.  For argument's sake, though, let's assume they aren't locks.  What other cities could be under consideration?

Kansas City.  Kansas City built a downtown arena that opened in 2007, hoping to lure either an NBA or NHL team.  That obviously hasn't happened yet, but it does regularly host the Big 12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament.  Kansas City does have a history with the NBA, though.  The Kings played there for 14 years (splitting home games with Omaha for part of that time) before moving to Sacramento.

St. Louis.  If not Kansas City, why not go to the other side of Missouri in St. Louis?  St. Louis also has a history with the NBA as the former home of the Hawks, and the St. Louis Spirits were one of only two ABA teams still existing at the time of the merger that didn't join the NBA (although, their owners got a share of the TV revenue until 2014).  The Blues' arena, the Enterprise Center, hosts the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament every year.

Montreal.  I've seen some suggestions that the NBA might want to go to an international destination with an expansion team.  Why not place a second team in Canada, then, and place a team in Montreal?  They'd have a natural rival in Toronto, and you know they'd automatically dislike the Celtics, too.  The Bell Centre has the largest seating capacity in the NHL and can seat over 22,000 for basketball.

Vancouver.  Or, if you want a second Canadian team, how about trying again in Vancouver?  The Grizzlies didn't work there for a lot of reasons, but it could certainly be worth trying again.  Although, if you're bringing back the Sonics, would you want your other expansion team to be so close?  Especially since the Sonics would be reviving their rivalry with the Blazers, so it wouldn't exactly be Canucks-Kraken.

Mexico City.  Adam Silver has specifically mentioned Mexico City in the past.  It would definitely be bold.  It would make the NBA the first American pro league to establish a franchise South of the border, so this time they'd be the first league looking to establish a permanent hold in a vast, untapped market (the NFL and MLB have both played regular season games in Mexico City).  Would it be too bold of a move, though?

You could also make an argument for a city like Nashville or even a Louisville, but, really, the two obvious candidates are obvious for a reason.  The NBA could announce it's expanding tomorrow and Las Vegas and Seattle would be ready to welcome teams in 2025-26.  When/if the NBA expands, it would be shocking if it's to anywhere other than those two cities.