NBA expansion moves forward: Seattle and Las Vegas emerge as favorites for new franchises

The NBA’s long‑anticipated expansion finally feels within reach — not just a distant horizon the league keeps riding toward, but a destination that now appears genuinely imminent. According to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, the league has taken a major step toward growing from 30 to 32 teams. This summer, the NBA’s Board of Governors is expected to vote on formally launching the expansion process.

Last week, commissioner Adam Silver met with Washington governor Bob Ferguson — a key figure in the push, given that it’s an open secret one of the new franchises would almost certainly land in Seattle, marking the return of the beloved SuperSonics. The other frontrunner is Las Vegas.

During the NBA Cup’s final stage — held, fittingly, in Las Vegas — Silver reopened a conversation that had cooled in recent months. “We’re at the stage where we’re evaluating the level of interest from our teams and what the economic terms would look like,” he said. “At some point in 2026, we’ll make a decision.”

He didn’t hide the favorites either: “It’s no secret we place a lot of value on Las Vegas as a market. And we’re also very interested in Seattle.”

A long‑planned sequence finally coming together

Silver has always maintained a clear order for the league’s long‑term roadmap:

The first two boxes are now checked, and in spectacular fashion. Meanwhile, the NBA has also begun exploring a new Europe‑based competition in partnership with FIBA, adding another strategic layer to the league’s global ambitions.

A labor landscape transformed

The new CBA was negotiated without public drama — a hallmark of Silver’s tenure since 2014, during which the NBA has enjoyed unprecedented labor peace. Economic prosperity has helped, as has Silver’s ability to keep both owners and players feeling empowered. The latest agreement introduces genuinely transformative changes that will reshape the league for years, and we’re only beginning to understand the full impact.

Record‑shattering TV deals fuel the boom

The NBA’s new media rights contracts didn’t just break records — they obliterated expectations. The previous deal, signed with Disney (ESPN/ABC) and Turner (TNT), was worth $24 billion over nine years (2016–2025). At the time, it tripled the league’s TV revenue.

The new agreement, which takes effect for the 2025–26 season, is worth $76 billion over 11 years — even higher than the $75 billion figure that once seemed outrageous when first reported in 2021. The league is now entering an era of more than $6.9 billion per year in media revenue, nearly tripling the previous deal once again.

This ensures the salary cap will rise at or near the maximum 10% annual increase allowed under the CBA, preventing the kind of market shock seen in 2016, when the cap jumped from $70 million to $94 million in a single offseason. To avoid repeating that distortion, the NBA will now smooth revenue gains over multiple years — a move that will still lead to unprecedented player salaries, with the league’s top stars expected to reach $100 million per year within the next decade.

Franchise values skyrocket

These massive deals have directly influenced franchise sales. In 2021, the Minnesota Timberwolves were valued at $1.5 billion in a phased sale. Since then, every team sold has commanded far higher numbers — the Suns and Mavericks both landed in the $4 billion range.

Then came the Boston Celtics, who changed ownership while holding the NBA title. Forbes had valued the team at $4.7 billion before the championship; the final sale price exceeded $5 billion.

And the market reset yet again with the historic sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to a group led by Mark Walter — the architect behind the Dodgers’ resurgence — at a valuation north of $10 billion.

The NBA’s Growth, Step by Step

From 1980 to 1988, the NBA held steady at 23 teams. Then came another wave:

And that’s the key phrase: most recent… for now.

With expansion back on the table, the league appears ready to write its next chapter — one that could bring the SuperSonics back to Seattle and plant a new franchise in Las Vegas.

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