After years of whispers, rumors, and a whole lot of “when, not if” talk, it looks like the NBA is finally ready to pull the trigger on expansion. According to reports, the league’s Board of Governors is expected to vote this summer on adding two new franchises - and the frontrunners are exactly who you'd expect: Seattle and Las Vegas.
Let’s start with Seattle. This one feels personal for a lot of basketball fans, and for good reason.
The city had its heart ripped out in 2008 when the SuperSonics were relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. That move still stings, especially for a city with such a rich basketball history.
From the days of Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp to the iconic green and gold jerseys, Seattle has long deserved another shot at an NBA team. Bringing the league back to the Pacific Northwest isn’t just about righting a historical wrong - it’s about tapping into a market that’s been waiting (and loudly campaigning) for its team to return.
Las Vegas, on the other hand, has been steadily building its case. The city has become a central hub for the NBA in recent years, hosting Summer League, the inaugural NBA Cup semifinals and finals, and serving as a testing ground for new ideas.
The infrastructure is there, the fan interest is growing, and the league clearly sees Vegas as more than just a novelty market. This feels like a natural next step.
Now, if you’re a fan of an East Coast team - say, the Boston Celtics - this expansion might come with a side of sleep deprivation. Two more teams out West means more late-night tip-offs, more 10 p.m.
ET starts, and more groggy mornings after trying to keep up with your squad on a Pacific Time road trip. It’s a small price to pay for league growth, sure, but it’s a reality that fans (and media) on the East Coast will have to adjust to.
Still, there’s a silver lining for Celtics fans in particular. With no team going to St.
Louis - at least not in this round of expansion - there’s no immediate concern about hometown hero Jayson Tatum being lured away to lead a new franchise in his native city. That’s a bullet dodged, even if it means a few extra late nights watching the Celtics battle it out on the West Coast.
So while the expansion news is exciting for the league and a long-overdue win for Seattle, it’s also a reminder that growth comes with trade-offs. But if the end result is a stronger, more geographically diverse NBA - and the return of the Sonics - it’s a trade most fans will happily make.