NBA Expansion Looms: New Seattle, Las Vegas Franchises On Horizon - Report

Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 19:37 IST

The NBA is set to vote on beginning expansion talks for franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas, with the league potentially growing to 32 teams by the 2028–29 season.

The NBA could soon be heading toward its first expansion in more than two decades.

League owners are expected to vote next week at the Board of Governors meeting on whether to begin the formal process of adding two new franchises, with Las Vegas and Seattle emerging as the exclusive markets under consideration, according to reports from ESPN.

If approved, the vote would represent the first major step toward expanding the league to 32 teams, with the potential new franchises targeted to begin play in the 2028–29 season.

Expansion Process Begins

The upcoming vote would allow the NBA to formally explore bids from ownership groups interested in launching teams in both cities. A final decision would then come later in the year.

For expansion to pass, 23 of the NBA’s 30 governors must approve the move in each voting round.

Industry executives believe the bidding process could be massive, with proposals for each franchise expected to land in the $7–$10 billion range. Both markets are projected to become top-eight revenue generators for the league.

Why Las Vegas and Seattle?

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has repeatedly pointed to both cities as ideal candidates for expansion.

Las Vegas has quickly developed into a major professional sports hub and already hosts the Las Vegas Aces, who have won multiple WNBA championships since relocating to Nevada.

Seattle, meanwhile, has long been viewed as a natural destination for the NBA’s return. The city lost its beloved Seattle SuperSonics in 2008 when the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Oklahoma City Thunder.

A Historic Expansion

The NBA last expanded in 2004, when the Charlotte Bobcats joined the league.

If the current proposal moves forward, it would mark the NBA’s first expansion in over 20 years, and potentially bring professional basketball back to Seattle while introducing the league to Las Vegas for the first time.

News sports nba NBA Expansion Looms: New Seattle, Las Vegas Franchises On Horizon - Report

Read More