NBA: Two Cities Named As Top Candidates For Expansion Teams

NBA: The talk of another city getting an expansion team has been growing each year.  Currently, there are 30 teams in the league.  15 in each conference (Western and Eastern).  Each team plays 82 games in the regular season and the top 16 teams make the playoffs.  The league’s most recent expansion took place back in 2004 when the Charlotte Bobcats were added as the NBA’s 30th team.  Now there could be two more cities added to the list.

NBA Commissioner David Silver Named Las Vegas And Seattle As The Two Prominent Cities To Land Expansion Team

At the Associated Press Sports Editors Conference in Las Vegas on Monday, Silver announced that the league will focus on expansion once it’s next set of television deals are finalized.  The NBA’s active deals with Warner Bros’ (TNT) and Disney (ESPN and ABC) are set to expire after the 2024-25 season.

Whilst in Vegas for the conference, Silver said that the league “will look at this [Las Vegas] market.”

He also shared there’s “no doubt” Seattle – home of the SuperSonics from 1968-2008 – also has received heavy interest as a potential expansion team.

Silver continued by doubling down on the notion that the league needs to secure its next TV deals before moving onto expansion.

“What we’re saying to everyone, privately is the same thing I’m saying publicly that there’ll be a very open process at the time already to consider expansion,” Silver shared. “But that’s not yet. That’s not yet now.”

What Is The History Of Seattle And Las Vegas With Professional Basketball?

The SuperSonics competed in the Western Conference Pacific and Northwest divisions from 1967 until 2008.  After the 2007–08 season ended, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, where they now play as Oklahoma City Thunder.  The Supersonic’s best regular season came during the 1995-1996 season when they went 64-18.  In fact, the 1990s were the best teams that Seattle ever put together.  Their top five winningest seasons ever came from 1993-1998.  Their lone Championship, however, came in 1967 when they beat the Washington Bullets 4-1 in a seven game series.

The Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA are the only professional basketball team to play in Vegas.  While the NBA has never had a team there, Lebron James has mentioned he would love to own a team in Las Vegas.  This could be the perfect opportunity.

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