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The NBA is expected to begin expansion plans in earnest at some point during the 24-25 season. Sources tell ESPN that the NBA is targeting the 27-28 season for when the expansion teams will begin playing games. While starting as early as the 26-27 season hasn't been ruled out, it is considered unrealistic to begin that quickly.

When the NBA added the Charlotte Bobcats in October 2024, the announcement came in 2002. During that round of expansion, the NBA didn't consider other cities and was replacing a relocated team with the Hornets moving to New Orleans that year.

The NBA will need to select cities and ownership groups in what is expected to be an expensive bidding process. 

Via ESPN

They gotta give LBJ the time to retire and lock down his ownership group first. Makes sense.

It's Seattle and Vegas. That much is "known." Seattle, I believe, already has an ownership group in place, and Vegas will have zero issues with getting multiple offers in.

The real question is now...how does the realignment pan out?

* added the Charlotte Bobcats in October 2004

We know the two cities.

LBJ will be given the time to retire and get his ownership group together.

We also know the league wants the Celtics sale to up the expansion fee.

I think we're looking at '28-29 or '29-30. But Seattle is pretty much ready to go I believe? Maybe it's just Seattle in '27-28 and then Vegas follows in '28-29? Back to back expansion drafts.

the_process wrote:We know the two cities.

LBJ will be given the time to retire and get his ownership group together.

We also know the league wants the Celtics sale to up the expansion fee.

I think we're looking at '28-29 or '29-30. But Seattle is pretty much ready to go I believe? Maybe it's just Seattle in '27-28 and then Vegas follows in '28-29? Back to back expansion drafts.

I hope the NBA surprises us... Vegas will be a tragic home court.

The NBA isn't working on Lebron's timeline... and he would have no trouble getting an ownership group together today if that's what it took.

The purchase price of BOS is irrelevant to the expansion fee. BOS is one of the most storied franchises in sports. 30 years from now, and with all the luck the town has to offer, the Las Vegas "Flops" will still be a joke. They will never be worth what BOS is worth. SEA is a bit different because of their market size and established fan base.

I think they will do them both at once, and three years is plenty of time to get it done.

I think it is all but done that it will be both Seattle and Las Vegas. They may allow other cities to throw in their names but in the end I think it will be those 2. Seattle has been begging to be let back in almost since they lost their team and the NBA has had ties with Las Vegas for years now with the Summer League happening there. Especially with betting being a thing now, it all makes sense. The Raiders' revenue has also jumped since moving to Vegas. The Golden Knights have also done well.

I also think 2027 is plenty of time for them to get it done.

TheCage4 wrote:It's Seattle and Vegas. That much is "known." Seattle, I believe, already has an ownership group in place, and Vegas will have zero issues with getting multiple offers in.

The real question is now...how does the realignment pan out?

Memphis and Minnesota to the east

32 teams, unless they make divisions of 5 & 6, it's 8 divisions of 4, but that would be weird. How do you break up the North-East?

Divisions of 4 feels weird to me. I'm guessing it'll be 2 5s and 1 6, per division, but maybe they'll do 4s.

NY/Boston/Brooklyn/Philly - NorthEast
Toronto/Detroit/Milwaukee/Minnesota - North
Washington/Cleveland/Indiana/Chicago - NorthCentral
Charlotte/Atlanta/Orlando/Miami - SouthEast

New Orleans/Houston/San Antonio/Dallas - SouthCentral
Memphis/OKC/Denver/Utah Midwest
Phoenix/Vegas/Clippers/Lakers - SouthWest
Kings/Warriors/Portland/Seattle NorthWest


I don't know if that works, but . . . maybe. The problem with divisions of 5/5/6 is that it's no longer fair or uniform, so 8 divisions of 4 might be the way to go.

That said, the symmetry breaks if they add 2 more at some point, 32 to 34.

Little Lupe wrote:

TheCage4 wrote:It's Seattle and Vegas. That much is "known." Seattle, I believe, already has an ownership group in place, and Vegas will have zero issues with getting multiple offers in.

The real question is now...how does the realignment pan out?

Memphis and Minnesota to the east

You'd only need to move one.

Luv those Knicks wrote:32 teams, unless they make divisions of 5 & 6, it's 8 divisions of 4, but that would be weird. How do you break up the North-East?

Divisions of 4 feels weird to me. I'm guessing it'll be 2 5s and 1 6, per division, but maybe they'll do 4s.

NY/Boston/Brooklyn/Philly - NorthEast
Toronto/Detroit/Milwaukee/Minnesota - North
Washington/Cleveland/Indiana/Chicago - NorthCentral
Charlotte/Atlanta/Orlando/Miami - SouthEast

New Orleans/Houston/San Antonio/Dallas - SouthCentral
Memphis/OKC/Denver/Utah Midwest
Phoenix/Vegas/Clippers/Lakers - SouthWest
Kings/Warriors/Portland/Seattle NorthWest


I don't know if that works, but . . . maybe. The problem with divisions of 5/5/6 is that it's no longer fair or uniform, so 8 divisions of 4 might be the way to go.

That said, the symmetry breaks if they add 2 more at some point, 32 to 34.

What a wierd post. This isn't baseball, who cares past east/west for basketball.

beefymajesto wrote:
What a wierd post. This isn't baseball, who cares past east/west for basketball.

Some people care. I wasn't the first person to bring it up and I think the re-setting of the divisions is interesting. I remember when the NFL went from 31 to 32 teams in 2002. 4 team divisions seemed weird at first, but it feels normal now. We get some weak division winners that way.

To each their own

Little Lupe wrote:

TheCage4 wrote:It's Seattle and Vegas. That much is "known." Seattle, I believe, already has an ownership group in place, and Vegas will have zero issues with getting multiple offers in.

The real question is now...how does the realignment pan out?

Memphis and Minnesota to the east

Just one team moves, Memphis makes sense but I wouldn’t be surprise if they move Minny, market Ant as the next face of the NBA

Forget expansion. Move Toronto to Seattle and move 'Charlotte or Memphis to Las Vegas.

fuller4379 wrote:Forget expansion. Move Toronto to Seattle and move 'Charlotte or Memphis to Las Vegas.

I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Toronto has been top 6 in attendance for all but two of the last 10 years:

2024 - When they blew the team up and still finished 7th
2021 - When they played the season in Tampa during COVID and still finished 16th

Luv those Knicks wrote:32 teams, unless they make divisions of 5 & 6, it's 8 divisions of 4, but that would be weird. How do you break up the North-East?

Divisions of 4 feels weird to me. I'm guessing it'll be 2 5s and 1 6, per division, but maybe they'll do 4s.

NY/Boston/Brooklyn/Philly - NorthEast
Toronto/Detroit/Milwaukee/Minnesota - North
Washington/Cleveland/Indiana/Chicago - NorthCentral
Charlotte/Atlanta/Orlando/Miami - SouthEast

New Orleans/Houston/San Antonio/Dallas - SouthCentral
Memphis/OKC/Denver/Utah Midwest
Phoenix/Vegas/Clippers/Lakers - SouthWest
Kings/Warriors/Portland/Seattle NorthWest


I don't know if that works, but . . . maybe. The problem with divisions of 5/5/6 is that it's no longer fair or uniform, so 8 divisions of 4 might be the way to go.

That said, the symmetry breaks if they add 2 more at some point, 32 to 34.

The NBA has had an odd number of teams from 1980-2004, with only 4 divisions, so probably not that big of a deal. The more I look at it, the more the divisions are kind of a waste of time. Just go with two conferences

Spida888 wrote:* added the Charlotte Bobcats in October 2004

Nice! Charlotte is going to have two teams. You can root for the Hornets or the 'cats

Cassius wrote:
The NBA has had an odd number of teams from 1980-2004, with only 4 divisions, so probably not that big of a deal. The more I look at it, the more the divisions are kind of a waste of time. Just go with two conferences

You're right. It's not a big deal. I'm still curious if they go with 8 4s or 2 sets of 5/6/5. But, my curiosity aside, it's not a big deal.

But going to 2 conferences will never happen. Wining a division is bragging rights and divisions create rivalries. The NBA likes those things.

fuller4379 wrote:Forget expansion. Move Toronto to Seattle and move 'Charlotte or Memphis to Las Vegas.

Stop letting fan bases orphans

Luv those Knicks wrote:

Cassius wrote:
The NBA has had an odd number of teams from 1980-2004, with only 4 divisions, so probably not that big of a deal. The more I look at it, the more the divisions are kind of a waste of time. Just go with two conferences

You're right. It's not a big deal. I'm still curious if they go with 8 4s or 2 sets of 5/6/5. But, my curiosity aside, it's not a big deal.

But going to 2 conferences will never happen. Wining a division is bragging rights and divisions create rivalries. The NBA likes those things.

I think the divisions are more a function of geography, and the geography is what creates the rivalry. That and competitiveness. The in-season tournament can replace the division championship.