Seattle and Las Vegas are on the brink of joining the NBA family. The league's board of governors voted on Wednesday to greenlight a plan allowing NBA officials to formally explore expanding teams to these two cities. Both have long been top contenders for securing franchises.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated, "Today's vote reflects our board's interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle-two markets with a rich history of supporting NBA basketball. We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with stakeholders."
Silver plans to hold a press conference later on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming steps. The league has enlisted investment bank PJT Partners as a strategic advisor to evaluate potential markets, ownership groups, arena infrastructure, and the broader economic implications of expansion.
While expansion-and Seattle's potential return-isn't a done deal, it’s no longer just a dream.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson praised the vote, calling it "the right time."
"Bringing the Sonics back is a top priority, and the state will be a strong partner in this effort," Ferguson said. "I plan to be there at the tip-off with thousands of fans when the Sonics return."
New Orleans guard Dejounte Murray was just 11 when Seattle last had an NBA team. He grew up dreaming of following in the footsteps of Gary Payton, Ray Allen, and Shawn Kemp, and even remembers a rookie named Kevin Durant playing for the SuperSonics.
It's been nearly two decades since those days. Wednesday's vote should finally fuel real hope for a basketball revival in Seattle-and a new chapter in Las Vegas.
"It's a basketball city, a basketball culture, so it's a must, I think, to bring it back there," said Murray, a Seattle native.
"I think the city has been waiting for this for a long time. Everyone was pretty down when they left," added Magic forward Paolo Banchero, another Seattle native.
"Since then, it's just been waiting and hoping they’d come back someday. I'm sure with the news, everyone is excited.
I know I'm thrilled for all the kids growing up because Seattle is such a big basketball city."
Indeed, it is, as is Las Vegas, which has become an integral part of the NBA ecosystem even without a team.
The NBA Summer League takes place in Las Vegas every year and has become a must-attend event for league executives, coaches, media, agents, and even players not participating in the games. The championship round of the NBA Cup, the in-season tournament, has also been held in Las Vegas. The city has hosted occasional regular-season games, such as in 1984, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers broke the league's all-time scoring record in a game against the Utah Jazz, who at the time used Las Vegas for some home games.
The idea of placing a franchise there might have seemed unlikely a couple of decades ago. Not anymore, especially with the arrival of the NFL's Raiders, the NHL's Golden Knights, the WNBA's Aces, and Major League Baseball on the way.
"The NBA Board of Governors' vote today is a testament to the incredible growth we're seeing in southern Nevada and our state's business-friendly environment," said Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo. "Las Vegas residents have already shown unwavering support for our professional sports franchises, and a new NBA team will provide even more entertainment, more jobs, and more small business growth for the region."
"I think Seattle and Las Vegas are two incredible cities," Silver remarked in December, discussing expansion during the NBA Cup in Las Vegas.
Assuming the owners eventually decide to expand the NBA beyond its current 30-team structure, there will be much to decide. First, the expansion fee (expected to be at least $6 billion), the timeline for adding clubs (2028-29 would likely be the earliest this could happen), and how the Western Conference will realign (at least one team is likely to join the Eastern Conference).