NBA: Vote Scheduled to Add Las Vegas and Seattle in 2028-2029

The NBA is taking a decisive step toward expansion. According to ESPN, the league’s board of governors will vote next week to explore adding expansion teams exclusively in Las Vegas and Seattle, with a target start date for the 2028-2029 season.

There is momentum within the board of governors and the league office to approve moving forward with the bidding process for franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle. Industry executives project bids in the range of 7 to 10 billion dollars for each team and estimate that both markets would rank among the top eight revenue generators in the NBA.

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NBA: Adam Silver Announces Expansion Decision in 2026

17 déc. 2025

Sylvain Sultat

Two-Step Voting Process to Reach 32 Teams

This vote marks the first of several critical steps toward NBA expansion. This first vote will allow the league to focus on Las Vegas and Seattle and establish a bidding process for the teams. There will then be a potential final vote later in the year to finalize the transactions to 32 teams. In both voting rounds, 23 of 30 governors must vote in favor.

A growing number of owners support expansion due to long-term revenue growth for the league from the Las Vegas and Seattle markets. Some owners remain hesitant to sell a portion of their shares and see their stake in the league decrease from 1/30 to 1/32.

This first vote will allow the league to explore purchase processes for Las Vegas and Seattle. There will then be a potential final vote later in the year to finalize transactions to 32 teams — if bids reach necessary threshold. In both voting rounds, 23 of 30 governors must… https://t.co/Xhmlbo48ZP

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 16, 2026

Conference Realignment with Minnesota and Memphis

Las Vegas has never had an NBA team, but has added NFL and NHL franchises over the past decade. Seattle has been without an NBA team since 2008, when the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City and changed their name to the Thunder. The Sonics played in the NBA from 1967 to 2008 before leaving due to a dispute over the KeyArena lease.

Executives across the NBA expect either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies to move to the East to realign the conferences with 16 teams each when Seattle and Las Vegas become Western Conference teams. The NBA last expanded in 2004 with Charlotte.

Commissioner Adam Silver stated on December 16 during the NBA Cup championship game in Las Vegas that the league would decide within the 2026 calendar year whether to proceed with expansion.

Potential NBA expansion draft rules

-Existing teams are allowed to protect up to eight (8) players

-Players eligible to be protected are players who are not on expiring contracts and Restricted Free Agents

– Teams must expose at least one (1) player

– Teams may not lose more…

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) March 16, 2026