NBA Plans To Explore Expansion 'In Earnest' In Fall

[DoItALL9]

Talent has nothing to do with birthrate. 17% population growth doesn't mean a 17% talent growth.

Are there 17% more courts to play of for kids?
17% more playground?
17% more organized teams?
17% more coaches?
Also, international players make up a bigger and bigger portion of the league.

But to piggy-back off of the initial point, we also watering down the talent of the nation.

Expansion dilutes talent! The nba is already watered down. Why the hell it takes 7 years for a team to be decent?

It technically does, but let's keep population growth in mind. There were $294 million American citizens in 2004. There are now almost $343 million. Adding two new teams will increase the number of NBA roster spots by under 7%, when the population has grown by nearly 17% in that time.

If international players make up more of the league then ever before then there should more American players (of NBA caliber) than ever before ready to fill those roster spots

[Pickled Prunes]

I'd be just excited for a two team expansion draft! The landscape changed a lot in the last 20 years. There will be major drama with an expansion draft.

It would also be great if teams could only protect 5 players. Last time it was 8, but this would be for two teams. Still, only one player can be taken from each team, so each team would lose one player.It would be fun to see which key players protected. Five starters? Sixth man? Would players like Beal, Draymond and LaVine be left strategically unprotected? Would the expansion teams want these players if they were unprotected? So much drama!

[Pickled Prunes]

Talent has nothing to do with birthrate. 17% population growth doesn't mean a 17% talent growth.

Are there 17% more courts to play of for kids?
17% more playground?
17% more organized teams?
17% more coaches?
Also, international players make up a bigger and bigger portion of the league.

But to piggy-back off of the initial point, we also watering down the talent of the nation.

It technically does, but let's keep population growth in mind. There were $294 million American citizens in 2004. There are now almost $343 million. Adding two new teams will increase the number of NBA roster spots by under 7%, when the population has grown by nearly 17% in that time.

If international players make up more of the league then ever before then there should more American players (of NBA caliber) than ever before ready to fill those roster spots

There is so much more talent in the NBA to than ever before. That is how progression works. AI crossed over Jordan and it was a big deal. There are 9 guys on every team that could cross over Jordan because they all grew up watching that film. Talent isn't the problem, stars are the problem. Are there 32 players in the NBA that could be the face of a franchise? Does our attention span spread that far? I'd say yes to the first question, but most of them are on BOS. The answer to the 2nd is probably no, but I don't think the casual fan can keep up with 30 teams as it is. Honestly, I think the biggest difference is that players like Tyus Jones would probably be starting and have a long term deal in hand, rather than waiting to see where he'll play on a one-year minimum.

[HaydukesRedux]

Yep. watered down league.

Talent has nothing to do with birthrate. 17% population growth doesn't mean a 17% talent growth.

Are there 17% more courts to play of for kids?
17% more playground?
17% more organized teams?
17% more coaches?
Also, international players make up a bigger and bigger portion of the league.

But to piggy-back off of the initial point, we also watering down the talent of the nation.

It technically does, but let's keep population growth in mind. There were $294 million American citizens in 2004. There are now almost $343 million. Adding two new teams will increase the number of NBA roster spots by under 7%, when the population has grown by nearly 17% in that time.

If international players make up more of the league then ever before then there should more American players (of NBA caliber) than ever before ready to fill those roster spots

[mgomjrsurf]

Memphis is the logical choice to move East. They can slide right into that Southern conference with Atlanta and the Florida teams.

Memphis I closer to Chicago then a southeast team.
I agree Memphis is the logical choice.. BUT I wouldn’t be surprised if they moved Minnesota due to trying to make ANT one of the faces of the NBA. More games east coast times and in the garden, good for money.