NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 22: Victor Wembanyama (R) poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (L) after being drafted first overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs during the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
All 30 NBA owners voted in favor of exploring an expansion of the league.
The NBA is looking into adding teams in Seattle and Las Vegas. The current goal is to have the new teams in the league by the 2028-29 season.
The last expansion draft was in 2004, when the Charlotte Bobcats were brought into the league.
The Seattle SuperSonics were the last NBA team in Seattle. They played from 1967 to 2008. After 2008, they moved to Oklahoma City to become the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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The SuperSonics won the 1979 NBA championship led by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Jack Sikma. Many notable players such as Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Ray Allen and Kevin Durant also played for the SuperSonics.
Las Vegas has never had an NBA team, but it’s been the host of the NBA Summer League since 2004. They’ve also had a WNBA team, the Las Vegas Aces, since 2018.
Although Las Vegas was initially known for gambling, it’s become a major sports market in recent seasons. The Las Vegas Golden Knights were brought into the NHL, The Las Vegas Raiders moved from Oakland to Las Vegas and the Athletics plan to move to Las Vegas after their stadium is finished in 2029.
Since Las Vegas and Seattle are both expected to be Western Conference teams, one team currently in the Western Conference will need to move to the Eastern Conference. The Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves are the teams most likely to switch conferences.
Finding arenas and owners will be key next steps for the future franchises. One Roof Sports and Entertainment, that own the Seattle Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena have been reported as possible owners for the Seattle team. Bill Foley, owner of the Golden Knights and the T-Mobile Arena has expressed interest in owning the Las Vegas team.
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