The NBA continues to move toward expansion. The transition from 30 to 32 teams is becoming increasingly concrete, and for now, Seattle and Las Vegas remain the two cities at the center of the project. The goal is to complete the process by the end of 2026, with the new franchises taking the court starting in 2028-29.
The two bids, however, are following very different paths. In Las Vegas, the focus is primarily on the financial and infrastructure side, with several groups interested and valuations that could even exceed $10 billion. Seattle, meanwhile, has an obvious advantage: an NBA-ready home already exists.
According to Shams Charaniathe next round of bids for Las Vegas is expected soon, followed by the final proposals.
The NBA and Adam Silver are getting deeper and deeper into expansion discussions. The next round of bids for Las Vegas is imminent, while the final bids should come shortly after
Shams Charania
Charania also indicated the figures around which the market is currently moving: around $10 billion for Las Vegas and roughly $7 billion for Seattle. The numbers have yet to be finalized, but they illustrate just how much the cost of entering the NBA has changed.
Las Vegas is worth $10 billion, but an arena is still needed
Paradoxically, the city attracting the most attention is also the one with the most issues to resolve.
Adam Silver confirmed that several groups are actively competing for Las Vegasbut the NBA has yet to identify either a definitive site or the arena project that would house the future franchise.
One possibility would be to continue using T-Mobile Arenaalready home to the final stages of the NBA Cupwhile making significant upgrades to the facility. Completely new arena projects are also reportedly on the table.
There’s a lot of excitement around the possibility of renovating T-Mobile Arena, although everyone recognizes that it would need significant improvements. At the same time, some groups have presented plans to build what I would describe as a modern entertainment palace
Adam Silver
Las Vegas’ appeal to the NBA goes beyond basketball. Silver highlighted the possibility of creating a venue that could be used virtually 365 days a yearalso pointing to the impact the Sphere has had on the city as an example of the market’s potential.
That is why the league does not want to rush into a decision.
From my perspective, it’s premature to select a site at this point. There are several locations that could work very well for NBA basketball in Las Vegas
Adam Silver
Seattle could host a team almost immediately
The situation in Seattle is almost the opposite. The bidding process is reportedly moving more slowly than in Las Vegas, but from an operational standpoint, the city is much further along.
The Climate Pledge Arena already provides the NBA with a modern, fully operational facility, although some modifications could be required to meet all of the league’s needs.
Silver was very clear:
In Seattle, we’ve already sent operational groups to Climate Pledge Arena, and there’s clearly a state-of-the-art facility there. It might need some modifications for the NBA, but if we were to start five weeks from now, Seattle could be ready
Adam Silver
For that reason, the latest Board of Governors meetings reportedly focused more heavily on Las Vegas. Not because Seattle is behind, but for the opposite reason: there are simply fewer logistical issues to resolve.
When will the two new NBA teams arrive?
The decisive step will be a vote by the owners. The NBA had already approved the formal exploration of expansion in recent months, but there is still no final approval for the creation of the two franchises.
Silver continues to point to the end of 2026 as the target for reaching a decision.
I’ve said that our goal is to make decisions by the end of the year, and that continues to be our goal
Adam Silver
If the process moves forward without major delays, the timeline would then point toward the summer of 2028when the Expansion Draft could also be held to build the two new rosters.
Charania has identified the following season as the league’s real target:
The NBA is targeting the 2028-29 season for the debut of the new teams. Projections also indicate that both could rank among the league’s top 10 markets and revenue shares
Shams Charania
Final bids, ownership groups and, above all, the final vote are still pending. But after years of speculation, Seattle and Las Vegas are no longer simply two potential future destinations for the NBA. The path toward a 32-team league has entered the stage where valuations, arenas and investment groups are beginning to take concrete shape.
Meanwhile, NBA Europe continues to take shape
Seattle and Las Vegas are not the only projects on the league’s agenda. Alongside expansion in the United States, the NBA continues to work on NBA Europethe new competition that would bring the American league’s model to European basketball.
The initial goal remains to launch in 2027although Adam Silver has not ruled out the possibility that the process could take longer than expected. One of the key issues involves the relationship with EuroLeaguewith talks underway to determine whether a joint project can be built.
We believe this league would be stronger by joining forces with EuroLeague. It’s not essential that it happens, but I think we could all benefit from presenting a united front in Europe
Adam Silver
The initial plan calls for 16 teamswith 12 holding permanent spots and four entering through a qualification system tied to domestic leagues and the Basketball Champions League. Several aspects remain to be determined, from the salary cap to the distribution of television rights and the venues that will host the teams.
Silver nevertheless confirmed that more developments should come in the coming months:
We want to get started. There will be announcements in the coming months. For us, NBA Europe is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we want to do it the right way
Adam Silver
The NBA therefore finds itself facing two parallel expansion projects: on one side, the move to 32 franchises with Seattle and Las Vegas; on the other, the creation of a new permanent presence in Europe. Two different paths, but both set to significantly reshape the league’s geography in the years ahead.