NBA Swing: The Biggest Questions Surrounding Expansion

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With it being reported that the NBA is set to have its first vote on expansion on March 23rd, the possibility of expansion for the first time in over two decades is a reality. The two cities currently being discussed are Seattle, Washington, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Reports note bids for the teams are expected to be around the $7-10 billion range, while the expected starting play dates for the expansion teams would be the 2028-29 season. While it’s still a ways away, there are many questions to be asked surrounding potential expansion.

Would Las Vegas be a mistake?

When league expansion has been mentioned, Las Vegas has been one of the most talked-about cities behind Seattle. Over the last decade, there has been a sports influx in Las Vegas. In the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights would be established in 2017, while the WNBA’s San Antonio Stars would relocate to Vegas in 2018 and rebrand to the Las Vegas Aces. Both franchises would win championships. In 2020, the NFL’s Oakland Raiders would relocate to Vegas. The MLB’s Oakland Athletics are expected to be in Vegas by 2028.

Per Travel Pulse, Vegas would see a 7.5% drop in tourism in 2025, the largest decline in over 50 years (excluding the Covid-19 pandemic. With Vegas depending on tourism, a decline in tourism could be alarming for the city and its sports franchises. While the NBA has hosted several games from their NBA Cup in Vegas in recent years, as well as part of their annual Summer League, there is no telling what attendance 41 NBA games per season would bring in. While other cities have been occasionally mentioned for expansion, such as Vancouver, Montreal, Mexico City, and Louisville, Vegas appears to be the most appealing to the NBA.

Is Minnesota the perfect team to move to the East?

With the two expansion teams most likely to be centered in the Western Conference, the two conferences would immediately be imbalanced, with the West having 17 teams and the East having 15. With a team having to be moved to the Eastern Conference, three teams in particular have been named as the potential teams to move: the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, or New Orleans Pelicans.

Of the three teams, the Pelicans are technically the team furthest East, but in terms of travel, no team has it harder than the Timberwolves. Playing in Minneapolis,s Minnesota, the closest Western Conference team to the Timberwolves would be the Denver Nuggets, which play over 680 miles away. In that same distance, Eastern Conference teams include Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, and Indianapolis. Playing in the East would not only significantly reduce travel for Minnesota but would also give the East another championship contender. Not having to go through a Western Conference gauntlet that includes OKC, Denver, San Antonio, and more, Minnesota could immediately be seen as coming out of the East come June.

Could Kevin Durant retire a SuperSonic?

In the 2007-08 season, the Seattle Supersonics would play their last season in Seattle before moving to Oklahoma City. The summer before, the Sonics would land the second overall pick in the 2007 draft, selecting a young forward named Kevin Durant from the University of Texas. Durant would spend his rookie campaign in Seattle before the relocation and rebrand. Nearly 20 years later, Durant is in the final stretch of his career, but could he finish it where it all began?

In an interview in 2024, Durant was asked if he’d like to be a part of a Sonics return:

“Without a doubt, without a doubt,” He would answer. “I feel like that franchise, for one, is an iconic brand within the NBA. I feel like that market is a basketball market that needs the influence of an NBA team in that city.”

Durant would continue discussing the hopes of an NBA return to Seattle:

“I believe it will be part of expansion in the league and to help run the team and help guide the team as they come back into the league. I would absolutely love that. When I retire, obviously, that’s a dream come true.”

While Durant may be retired by the time the 2028-29 season comes around, Durant’s game has aged gracefully, and he could easily play 20+ seasons. In late February, Durant would say he plans to play in the 2028 Olympics, only a few months ahead of the 2028-29 NBA season. Durant would be 40 years old by the time the 2028-29 season starts, but with players like LeBron James playing beyond 40, Durant finishing his career in Seattle before hanging it up and moving into a front office role could be a possibility.