The National Basketball Association is set to meet later this month to discuss a potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle.
The NBA Board of Governors will vote on whether to proceed with the expansion and only focus on Las Vegas and Seattle. The expansion requires three-fourths of the governors to approve the measure. As there are 30 governors, 23 would have to vote in favor.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said previously the decision on the expansion would be made by the end of 2026. In December, he said, “Not a secret, we’re looking at this market in Las Vegas. We are looking at Seattle.”
Several factors are at play during the expansion effort, such as fees for new franchises and the impact of the two teams on the NBA.
Each team will also need access to a stadium. A potential option in Las Vegas is LVXP’s proposed mixed-use project at 2601 Las Vegas Blvd. South and 2737 Paradise Road in Winchester. (NVBEX; Nov. 18, 2024)
The meeting will likely provide a deeper analysis of what an expansion would look like and how players would be spread around. As both potential additions are located in the west, one of the current Western Conference teams would likely be transferred to the Eastern Conference. Likely candidates include Minnesota, Memphis and New Orleans.
Former player and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson stated he would like partial ownership of a team in Las Vegas. (Source)
