NBA's Getting Ready to Vote on Bringing Basketball Back to Seattle — and Vegas Too
Here's the news Seattle's been waiting nearly two decades to hear: the NBA is about to take its first real step toward expansion, and we're on the shortlist. According to sources, the league will hold a vote at next week's board of governors meetings to explore adding expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle, with both franchises targeting a 2028-29 tip-off. This isn't just speculation anymore — there's actual momentum inside the league office and among ownership to make this happen.
The Money Talk and Market Potential
Let's be real: this is all about dollars. Industry executives are projecting bids in the $7-10 billion range per team, and both Las Vegas and Seattle are expected to rank among the NBA's top eight revenue generators. That kind of financial firepower, combined with the current collective bargaining agreement that promotes competitive balance, is attracting serious interest from potential ownership groups. The league sees a robust bidding war coming for both franchises.
The voting process has two stages. First, 23 of 30 governors need to approve moving forward with the bidding process — that's the vote happening next week. If that passes, there's a potential final vote later in 2026 to finalize the expansion to 32 teams. Same threshold both times: 23 out of 30.
Why Now? Why These Markets?
Seattle hasn't had an NBA team since 2008, when the SuperSonics packed up and moved to Oklahoma City over a KeyArena lease dispute. That arena is now Climate Pledge Arena after extensive renovations from 2018 to 2021, and it's proven it can host major sports — the Kraken play there now, along with the Storm. Las Vegas has already proven it can support professional sports: the Raiders moved there in 2020, the Kraken arrived in 2017, and the Aces have been a WNBA powerhouse since 2018, winning three championships (2022, 2023, 2025).
Some owners are hesitant about diluting their equity from 1/30 to 1/32, and they want to see final bid valuations before committing. But that hesitation is being drowned out by the long-term revenue growth potential. Commissioner Adam Silver said back in December that the league would make an expansion decision sometime in 2026. Well, it's happening.
The last NBA expansion happened in 2004 with Charlotte. We're overdue, and Seattle's ready.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.