The expansion of the National Basketball Association (NBA) beyond the current 30 teams has been a topic of discussion in basketball circles for a long time. This development was discussed during a meeting of the NBA’s Board of Governors.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed in a press conference that the league discussed a possible expansion and will now study the issue more formally as part of an in-depth analysis that will include extensive research.
“A lot of analysis still needs to be done, and nothing’s been predetermined one way or another—without any specific timeline. We are going to be as thorough as possible and look at all the potential issues,” Silver said.
Silver added that the NBA will start two committees to study the financial aspects of expansion, and that several team owners are curious about the league’s possible growth.
“A consensus quickly formed that the league office should do the work, collaborate with these particular committees and the board, and present that analysis. We are now engaging in this in-depth analysis—something we weren’t prepared to do before. But beyond that, as I said, it’s really day one of that analysis. In terms of price or potential timeline—too early to say. And again, I think that also assumes the outcome of this analysis. It is truly a complicated issue,” he added.
Notably, the last time the NBA expanded was in 2004, when Charlotte moved to New Orleans. Prior to that, the league added six teams between 1988 and 1995 in a seven-year span. However, there have been several instances of teams rebranding and relocating—for example, the Seattle SuperSonics moving to Oklahoma City in 2008—although the NBA has consisted of only 30 teams for the past two decades.
Cities like Las Vegas and Seattle, in particular, have long championed their cause to host an NBA franchise. Seattle has especially clamored for a team since the Sonics left.
“It’s an incredible market. I wish, standing here as the commissioner, I had lots of teams to dispense to many different markets that are interested in NBA basketball. I just think that we also have this greater obligation to expand—if we do so—in a very deliberate fashion and in a way that makes sense holistically for the league. So, that’s really the best I can do,” Silver concluded.
The new media rights deal, reportedly worth $76 billion, is set to kick off in the 2025–26 NBA season, and many believe this could be the right time to expand the league.
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