標籤: expansion

The NHL used to have 30 teams before expanding to 32 in the last decade. In 2017, the Vegas Golden Knights debuted and won their first Stanley Cup in 2023. Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken head into 2021 as they continue to work toward their second playoff berth. However, the NHL is looking to expand even further, and two destinations have emerged.

As Jeff Marek reports at The Sheet, Atlanta and Houston are considered top-2 NHL expansion destinations. Atlanta fielded two NHL teams, but they never lasted. The Flames were in Atlanta from 1972 to 1980 before moving to Calgary. Then, the Thrashers came to the city from 1999 to 2011 before becoming the Winnipeg Jets.

The city lost NHL teams twice due to poor performance on the ice, weak attendance, and ownership instability. They also faced financial losses, an inability to build a dedicated fan base, and management problems. However, could the third time be a charm?

Houston, meanwhile, has never had an NHL team, but has hosted minor league and World Hockey Association teams. Most notably, hockey legend Gordie Howe was a member of the Houston Eros during the 1970s. Despite not having an NHL team, Houston has always been mentioned as a potential expansion city.

The NHL won’t force an expansion to 34 teams, but it’s clearly something that could happen in the next few seasons. Thirty-two teams have been great for the game and hockey is growing even more in North America. If the league is to expand, it would make sense to bring in two new cities at the same time.

Houston and Atlanta have different hockey histories; However, both may find an NHL team in the next few years.

Read more: New rumor reveals NHL’s stance on play-in tournament for Stanley Cup Playoffs

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

Bam Adebayo hails Las Vegas as “second home” As NBA expansion discussions heated up this week, the NBA is moving forward with plans to add franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle.

According to ESPN, the NBA Board of Governors has approved a vote to formally begin exploring expansion in the two markets, an important step toward potential league growth. Shortly after the news, Adebayo spoke with reporters about the possibility of playing in Las Vegas.

“If I get a chance to play in Vegas, I get to go to my second home a little bit, so that will be nice.”

Adebayo’s ties to Las Vegas extend beyond basketball. He has been in a relationship with A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces for over a year, which has linked him to the city that has become a growing hub for professional sports.

When asked if Las Vegas could support an NBA team the same way fans support the Aces, Adebayo pointed to the unparalleled loyalty already established within the WNBA fanbase.

“I can see them supporting me like that. I don’t know about any other team. It’s a good thing because the Aces fans are really true to the Aces, so I don’t know how it’s going to happen. If they start winning like the Aces, maybe.”

Bam Adebayo on the opportunity to play in Las Vegas and whether Aces fans will support the NBA team 👀

“If I get a chance to play in Vegas and get a chance to visit my other home a little bit, that would be cool. I can see them supporting me like that. I don’t know about any other team. It’s a fine line… https://t.co/0ada2DmLdX pic.twitter.com/IheTXV2g0Q

– Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) 25 March 2026

Bam Adebayo’s arrival in Las Vegas leads to Heat’s climb up the East standings

Buoyed by the success of hosting the NBA Summer League and recent NBA Cup championship events, Las Vegas has emerged as a leading candidate for expansion along with Seattle. The city has also demonstrated strong support for other major franchises in the NFL, NHL and WNBA.

For now, Adebayo’s focus remains on the Miami Heat and their effort to build momentum heading into the season. Miami currently sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings at 38-34 after a five-game losing streak, including a 136-111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

The 28-year-old continues to power the Heat on both ends of the floor as the team tries to climb the Eastern Conference standings. Miami is 2.5 games behind the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors (40-31).

Miami begins a two-game road trip against the Cleveland Cavaliers (45-27) on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET and then face them on Friday night at 7:30 PM ET on NBA TV.

The NBA Board of Governors approved a vote Wednesday to explore the possibility of adding two new expansion franchises specifically in the Las Vegas and Seattle markets, the league announced.

As part of the standard process for exploring expansion, the NBA will evaluate all aspects of each potential market, including hearing proposals from potential ownership groups that want to start an expansion franchise.

As the vote was finalized with NBA governors and stakeholders in New York on Wednesday, Silver addressed the ongoing speculation about what the expansion means for the league as a whole. While Silver was clearly very optimistic about the expansion aspect in his press conference, he also made it clear that nothing is a given when it comes to this topic.

“There’s absolutely a possibility that we may not be able to expand. That’s why we were careful to say ‘explore the process.’ It’s also possible that we may expand into one market and not two. For two, or zero markets,” Silver said.

There is much more to a potential expansion than just the formation of a new franchise, and Silver acknowledged as much in his press conference in New York City on Wednesday afternoon.

In terms of why a level of skepticism still exists for the possibility of a Las Vegas and Seattle expansion, the NBA Commissioner explained that owners would still need to approve the final transaction, and real-world issues that arise could potentially push back the timing of the final expansion.

Silver said, “Why that might not happen, at least standing here today, I don’t see anything in the relatively short-term future of this league that would indicate that there wouldn’t be a lot of interest in those markets and the board would continue to be supportive going forward. I should say, at the right time, it would require three-quarters of the owners supporting it.” “But we will not be moving forward at this step, and in fairness to interested parties, that was one of the reasons we wanted to make this formal announcement, because wherever those prices land, it is a huge undertaking.

“Normally, it’s not just a single owner. It’s a group that requires financing, arena planning, etc. So, where the uncertainty for me lies in the issues outside the league. There is huge instability in the world at the moment, and we may ultimately conclude for reasons completely out of our control that it is not the right time to expand. That is something we should postpone and revisit at a later time.

“That’s really our warning.”

A potential final vote for expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle will be held later this year, which would officially take the league from 30 to 32 teams. In doing so, a team from the Western Conference would move into the Eastern Conference to balance the league at 16 teams on the opposite end.

It is expected that either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies will move east, with the Timberwolves seen as the likely favorite in this scenario.

As the formal expansion process officially begins, further updates on NBA expansion will be provided by Silver and the league office at a later date.

The NBA Board of Governors has approved a vote to explore the possibility of adding two new expansion franchises specifically in the Las Vegas and Seattle markets, as first reported by ESPN.

As a result of approving this vote, the bidding process to launch expansion franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle will officially begin, and is expected to generate offers in the $7 billion to $10 billion range for each new franchise.

The process will involve the NBA along with investment bank PJT Partners as a strategic advisor to evaluate potential markets, ownership groups, sector infrastructure and the macroeconomic implications of the expansion.

“Today’s vote reflects our board’s interest in exploring potential expansion in Las Vegas and Seattle – two markets with long histories of supporting NBA basketball,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in the league’s press release. “We look forward to taking the next steps and engaging with interested parties.”

The idea of ​​NBA expansion is no longer a consideration, as the board has officially begun the process of a 32-team league, with high-ranking executives telling ESPN that it’s a matter of “when, not if.”

At this time, there is no timeline for potential expansion bids to be evaluated or accepted, but given the amount of interest there is in these markets for NBA expansion, the process is expected to move quickly.

There was growing momentum among NBA board members, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and members of the league office to approve this notion of expansion, especially with the revenue generated by new teams in Las Vegas and Seattle.

A potential final vote for expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle will be held later this year, which would officially take the league from 30 to 32 teams.

If Seattle makes a bid and is accepted, the NBA would welcome the return of the Seattle SuperSonics, who were disbanded when the franchise moved to Oklahoma and became the Oklahoma City Thunder.

If the SuperSonics were to return, all of their records and team history would be handed over to them by the Thunder, who do not already recognize the previous team’s success as their own.

Along with Seattle, Las Vegas has long been viewed as the next stomping ground for a new NBA franchise, especially considering how long the league has been doing business with the city.

Not only has the NBA Summer League been held in Las Vegas during the offseason since 2004, but the NBA Cup has also held its semifinal and final rounds in Las Vegas since beginning in 2023.

The WNBA moved its San Antonio franchise to Las Vegas in 2018, becoming the Las Vegas Aces, and the NHL established the Las Vegas Knights as an expansion team in 2016.

MLB also officially announced the relocation of the Oakland Athletics to Las Vegas in 2023, and they are building a new $2 billion stadium that is expected to be ready for the 2028 season.

With the NBA officially taking the next step to add two new franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas, the conversation has now turned to which current Western Conference franchises will move to the Eastern Conference to balance the league at 16 teams per conference.

It is expected that either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies will move east, with the Timberwolves seen as the likely favorite in this scenario.

Fans will know the results of the NBA vote in the coming days employed Forming teams in Las Vegas and Seattle by the 2028–2029 season.

Expansion has always been on the NBA’s agenda, especially with its continued success and expanding reach. It has been at the forefront of globalization in sports, possibly including the introduction of NBA Europe.

It was recently reported that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver would be working with FIBA ​​to launch a league similar to soccer in Europe, specifically in major cities.

NBA insider Mark Stein, however, does not agree with the idea, expressing concern on the “All-NBA Podcast” that the league may be biting off more than it can chew.

“I’ve spent a lot of time watching soccer in England, and I’m just trying to imagine NBA Europe franchises in London and Manchester that would essentially be expansion teams. You know, start-up teams. It’s different when you’re talking about Real Madrid and Barcelona going from the EuroLeague to NBA Europe,” Steen said.

“Those teams have a history. Those teams already have a fan base. They’ll obviously bring immediate credibility to NBA Europe. But a large portion of NBA Europe is in cities that don’t currently have basketball. And how is that going to work if the talent level isn’t good?”

Some are already concerned that competition will weaken if the NBA expands to Las Vegas and Seattle. So what’s more if NBA Europe moves forward? Silver and FIBA ​​are reportedly planning to start with a 12-team or 16-team league.

Europe’s talented players may spurn the NBA to stay closer to home. At the start of the current season, 71 Europeans were part of the opening-night roster, the most in league history.

In January, the NBA held two games featuring the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic in Berlin and London. Meanwhile, Paris has hosted five Games since 2020.

Momentum continues around potential NBA expansion and Nevada lawmakers have made their stance clear in support of bringing a franchise to Las Vegas.

According to a report from FOX5 Vegas’ Rachel Zalucki, Nevada’s congressional delegation sent a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver urging the league to choose Las Vegas as an expansion destination. The letter, dated March 19, 2026, was signed by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, as well as Representatives Dina Titus, Mark Amodei, Susie Lee and Steven Horsford.

“The March 19, 2026 letter was signed by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, as well as Representatives Dina Titus, Mark Amodei, Susie Lee and Steven Horsford. The lawmakers urged Silver to consider Las Vegas’ 20-year partnership with the NBA through hosting Summer League and NBA Cup championships.”

The letter reads in part, “As you consider the future of the NBA, we urge you to build on the league’s local momentum by selecting Las Vegas as a site for a future league franchise.”

Las Vegas has emerged along with Seattle as one of the leading candidates for expansion as the NBA prepares for next week’s Board of Governors meeting, where an initial vote on expansion is expected.

Las Vegas’ sports success and NBA ties strengthen the case for expansion

In their letter, the lawmakers also pointed to the city’s success with other professional sports franchises as evidence of its readiness for an NBA team. He highlighted the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, a three-time championship-winning franchise, and the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, which won the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Las Vegas has also maintained a long-standing relationship with the NBA, hosting the Summer League each year and serving as a site for recent NBA Cup championship events.

As expansion discussions continue, the league is considering both market feasibility and long-term growth opportunities. The unified effort by Nevada lawmakers underscores growing support for Las Vegas as the NBA evaluates its next step.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James is not part of any group bidding for an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas. The rumors arose when James’s Fenway Sports Group was initially reported to be considering a bid for a Las Vegas expansion team. The city, along with Seattle, has emerged as a leading candidate for one of two new NBA franchises.

Although FSG has rejected an extension that is reportedly set to cost up to $8 billion per team, James has publicly stated that he is not part of any group bidding for a Las Vegas team, according to a post on X by ESPN’s Tim McMahon.

“No, I’m not. Not at all,” James said.

LeBron, who has a net worth of more than $1.4 billion, will undoubtedly need a team of investors to take charge of an NBA franchise. However, with FSG reportedly backing out, it is now considered “less likely” that LeBron will pursue franchise ownership.

Regardless, as things stand, the NBA Board of Governors is continuing discussions, with a formal decision expected in 2026 and a potential launch timeline of the 2028-29 season. Las Vegas has emerged as a primary expansion market due to its established presence in major professional sports.

The city currently hosts teams in the NFL, NHL and WNBA, with an MLB franchise set to relocate there. The NBA has also had a consistent presence in Las Vegas through its Summer League, which has drawn more than 136,000 fans over 11 days.

Of course, LeBron James and FSG are no strangers to owning major sports teams. James’s association with the group has given him partial ownership in several franchises such as the Boston Red Sox (MLB), Liverpool FC (Premier League), RFK Racing (NASCAR), and the New England Sports Network (NESN).

The Lakers superstar and his partner Maverick Carter previously became partners in the group in 2021. However, James’ ambitions of owning an NBA franchise currently appear to be on hold, due to FSG reportedly refusing to meet the asking price.

The NBA is set to vote during its Board of Governors meeting later this month to consider adding two expansion teams to the league in Las Vegas and Seattle. Both teams will begin play during the 2028–2029 season.

There’s a good chance the proposal is agreed to, meaning there will be a conference realignment when it comes to other teams. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, there are already two teams being mentioned as possible options to move to the Eastern Conference.

Charania wrote, “NBA officials expect that either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies will move East and realign the conferences with a 16-16 conference, when Seattle and Las Vegas become Western teams.”

It makes perfect sense to move the Grizzlies to the Eastern Conference, simply because they are already on this side of the field. They’re a team that belongs in the Western Conference, but is nowhere near the West. This would be a good sign for them to relocate to the East, as they would not have to travel far all the time, as they always have to do.

As far as the Timberwolves are concerned, this seems like another good option to head east, as they are more in the northeastern region of the US.

It will be interesting to see what the league agrees to, but first, the vote must be in favor of adding expansion teams. This could be a major win for the league, as industry executives have presented offers in the range of $7–10 billion for each team, and it is estimated that the Las Vegas and Seattle markets will be part of the NBA’s top eight revenue generators.

Following the first vote, there will be a possible final vote at the end of the year to finalize the transaction for the 32 teams. 23 out of 30 governors will have to vote in favor in both voting rounds.

After operating as a 30-team league for decades, the NBA is betting on adding two franchises by the 2028-2029 season, with Las Vegas and Seattle the clear leaders.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, a vote will be held next week on the possibility of expanding the league to 32 teams.

“The pace for stakeholders to approve the survey is based on what industry executives will bid in the range of $7 to $10 billion for each team,” Charania said.

“If the bids reach the required threshold the 32 teams will have a potential final vote at the end of the year to finalize the transaction. In both voting rounds, 23 of the 30 governors would have to vote in favor.”

There have been long-running discussions about starting a team in Las Vegas, with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James even rumored to be one of the owners, as it has rapidly emerged as one of the biggest sports cities in the country.

A return to Seattle, meanwhile, would restore the NBA to one of its hottest markets. The Seattle SuperSonics played in the league from 1967 to 2008 and won the title in 1979, before the franchise became the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Of course, there are logistical issues to discuss, including accommodating conferences and schedules. Some, including Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, have argued that the NBA needs to reduce its games, and adding two more teams could do the opposite.

As the league continues to grow in popularity and globalization, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has often stressed the need to innovate and adopt reforms, emphasizing that expansion has always been a consideration.

The next few days will be important for the future of the NBA.

As the NBA considers expansion ideas, the conversation in Seattle has naturally turned to which players will ultimately wear the green and gold. Although the league has not yet formally approved new franchises, the groundwork is being laid near the Space Needle. When the SuperSonics finally return, they’ll need cornerstone pieces, and a former Rainier Beach High standout is making a compelling case to be at the top of the wish list. Dejounte Murray makes perfect sense as a target and the New Orleans Pelicans may be willing to make a win-win deal.

Murray was very active on social media and cheering on the Seahawks during their Super Bowl run. The Sounders and Mariners have also gotten some love recently. Financially, his contract would be perfect for an expansion team over the next two seasons. If the NBA takes longer to make a decision, City’s connection could lead to an extension of the 29-year-old’s relatively cheap $30 million player option for 2027-28.

When asked about what caught special attention among the starting five introductions in his first game in 13 months, the former All-Star made sure to mention Seattle several times.

“I mean, save me for last. Call me first. It doesn’t matter. I’m in the NBA, you know, a kid from Seattle. So it’s, it’s a blessing,” Murray shared. “I have a lot of emotions, you know what I’m saying? I had my family here. So, yeah, I’m definitely grateful.”

“Man, (coming back from injury rehab) was great. Like I said, you know, I’m a kid from Seattle. I’m in the NBA, and what I’ve been through, like, I’ve been through a lot,” Murray said. “But I have no excuses. I keep my chest out, chin up, keep smiling and I’m just ready to see where it goes from here. I know God has some great things in store for me on and off the field.”

For a Seattle startup that will need to sell tickets, jerseys and hopes of opening day, there’s no better first target than that kid from Rainier Beach who has never stopped visiting his hometown.

With the NBA now regularly hosting regular season games in cities such as Paris, London, Mexico City and Berlin, conversations about potential European leagues or expansion franchises internationally are gaining momentum. In particular, the NBA’s ongoing effort to bring regular season basketball to international territories may rely on Dyson Daniels and the Atlanta Hawks for support. Australian and inventive head coach Quin Snyder fully agrees, lobbying for more European and Austrian-based regular season games around the NBA All-Star break.

For Snyder, the initiative comes handy in an industry that has become increasingly global. The NBA’s efforts to strengthen ties with international markets is a positive development for all.

“I think (the NBA Europe project) is great,” Snyder told ClutchPoints. “The league is global and has players from all over the world. So playing in Europe, whether it’s in London, Paris or Berlin, there are games everywhere right now. You hear a lot about European players watching the NBA before they come here, and I think more and more American kids are exposed to basketball internationally.”

Snyder pointed to the long pipeline of European talent entering the league as evidence of basketball’s growing international roots, while influence flows in both directions.

“You usually see an increase during the World Cup or the Olympics,” Snyder said. “The more the game expands internationally, the better it is for everyone in the NBA. So, there are a lot of benefits from teams and players going out there. Whether it’s cultural benefits or raising awareness about other parts of this world that we live in.”

As decision-makers look to take advantage of the game’s global momentum, the increase in support reflects a growing sentiment among coaches and players that the league’s future success depends largely on its ability to think beyond the boundaries. For Snyder, the strategy is straightforward; The more the NBA invests overseas, the stronger the league will be domestically.

It seems inevitable that the NBA will eventually grant an expansion franchise to Las Vegas. An announcement is expected later this year after the NBA completes its new media rights deals.

Due to the success of the Golden Knights, there may be a lot of unrealistic expectations for a new NBA team in Vegas. Taking a step back, the Golden Knights can arguably be considered the most successful expansion franchise in North American men’s professional sports history.

While the St. Louis Blues made the Stanley Cup Finals in the first three years of their existence, this was due to a unique setup where one of the “Expansion Six” of Oakland, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Minnesota or St. Louis had to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals as the Finals pitted the winner of the “Expansion Six” playoff versus the winner of the “Original Six” playoff. The Blues lost each of those three Stanley Cup Final series.

Of course, the Golden Knights made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in more traditional fashion in 2018, their first season of existence, losing to the Washington Capitals (4-1). They later defeated the Florida Panthers (4–2) in the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals to win the Stanley Cup in their sixth season of existence. They also reached the Western Conference Finals in their third season of existence and finished as division champions in four of their first eight seasons. Vegas has made the NHL playoffs in seven of its first eight seasons and is poised to make the post-season again in 2026.

How does all this success compare to other NHL expansion teams? Well, this is nothing more than a comparison. Since the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in their sixth season, we’ll look at the first six seasons of expansion teams since 1991. Since this is Vegas, we’ll give each team a ranking of a famous Las Vegas Strip property. Wynn (class of the bunch), Planet Hollywood (surprisingly good), Flamingo (good, but could be better), and Circus Circus (comically bad).

As you can see from the chart, Vegas has the best winning percentage and most playoff appearances of any franchise in its first six seasons. It was fitting that Vegas defeated Florida to capture their first Stanley Cup as, up to that point, Florida was the most successful expansion team of the modern era, having made the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals in just their third season of existence, but were swept by the Colorado Avalanche.

Additionally, if anyone watched the first few seasons of Atlanta, Tampa Bay, San Jose or Ottawa, you know that Circus Circus is an apt description as those teams were nothing short of clown shows.

So, it’s clear that the Golden Knights have been the most successful NHL expansion team in the modern era, but how do they stack up against expansion NFL, MLB, and NBA teams? Only five expansion teams in the Big Four history of North American men’s professional sports have captured titles in a shorter or longer period of time than the Golden Knights. However, there are some caveats. In 1996, the Baltimore Ravens were technically considered an expansion team because their history and records were left in Cleveland, but they were far from a typical expansion team. While the Browns still had only three players left when the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV, the base they started with in Baltimore was far better than a typical expansion team.

The same applies to the 1984 Edmonton Oilers championship team. The team came to the NHL from the World Hockey Association for the 1979–80 season with a roster of young stars that rivaled any established NHL team’s roster. The team included two of the greatest players in NHL history, a young Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, and gathered a wealth of talent around them.

The Marlins won the World Series in 1997, in only their fifth season of existence. However, they did not record a winning record in any of their first four seasons and then suddenly sold all of their stars shortly after purchasing the championship, losing 108 games the following season.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Arizona Diamondbacks were legitimate expansion teams that won championships faster than the Golden Knights. In fact, the Bucks only have a .672 winning percentage over a team’s first six seasons, which is better than Vegas. The Bucks also tallied five playoff appearances and two Finals appearances in Vegas’ first six seasons; After winning the championship in its third season in 1971, Milwaukee lost to the Boston Celtics (4–3) in the 1974 NBA Finals.

Another comparison is to look at the first six seasons of the most recent expansion teams in the NFL, NBA, and MLB. We’ll use the same hotel ranking system as above.

Arizona winning the 2001 World Series in only their fourth year of existence is certainly notable, but even compared to expansion teams from other leagues, the Golden Knights are still on top. Other than the Golden Knights, no expansion team since 1998 has made more than three playoff appearances in their first six seasons and no other expansion team since 1998 has had a higher win/point percentage in their first six seasons.

The Seattle Kraken were the NHL’s next expansion team after Vegas, so how did they stack up? Seattle is currently in its fifth season of play. His winning percentage is .483 with one playoff appearance in his first four seasons. Respectable, but incomparable to Vegas’ continued success.

Vegas remains the gold standard by which all other modern expansion teams are measured. Yes, they certainly took advantage of some favorable expansion draft rules and loopholes that previous expansion franchises were not afforded, but they remain a perennial Stanley Cup contender now approaching their tenth season in the NHL. They have been able to accomplish what many have not been able to do, consistently win on the Las Vegas Strip.