The NBA has taken a more formal step toward potential expansion, commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday, though the process remains in its early stages with no timeline in place.
Speaking at his post–Board of Governors press conference, Silver emphasized that no decisions have been made and that extensive analysis still needs to take place before any next steps.
“A lot of analysis still needs to be done, and nothing’s been predetermined one way or another,” Silver said. “We’re going to be as thorough as possible and look at all the potential issues.”
The league’s advisory finance committee and audit and strategy committee will lead the review process. The focus will include financial modeling, market viability, regional broadcasting logistics, and the overall impact on the league’s product.
Seattle and Las Vegas Remain Strong Candidates
Silver did not name any preferred cities but acknowledged that multiple markets have expressed serious interest. Seattle and Las Vegas are widely viewed as top contenders, though the commissioner cautioned that expansion will only move forward if it is beneficial to the league overall.
“I wish, standing here as the commissioner, I had lots of teams to dispense to many markets who are interested in NBA basketball,” Silver said. “But we also have this greater obligation to expand, if we do so, in a very deliberate fashion.”
He added that while team owners expressed “curiosity,” no vote or straw poll was taken during the meetings.
Revenue Sharing and TV Deals Key Obstacles
Among the primary concerns is the division of national media revenue. The league’s new $76 billion media rights agreement takes effect in 2025–26, and expansion would reduce each team’s share of that deal.
“There’s the long-term effects of splitting our national television revenue an additional two ways,” Silver said. “It’s essentially selling equity in the league.”
Local media remains a hurdle as well. Silver said the uncertainty surrounding regional sports networks complicates the expansion outlook. The league, he said, needs a clearer view of how local television rights will evolve before adding new teams.
“We would be malpracticing if we didn’t figure out how local regional television is going to work before expanding,” Silver said. “The notion that we would hand over a team into a city where we’re not currently operating and say, ‘You’re going to have to figure out how you’re going to distribute your games to your local fans’ doesn’t make sense.”
Roster Depth Still a Basketball Concern
On the court, expansion would also require the addition of roughly 30 NBA-caliber players. Silver acknowledged that the league must weigh whether the current global talent pool is deep enough to support two new teams without significantly lowering the level of play.
No Vote, No Timeline, But Progress
Silver confirmed that there was no formal vote on expansion and declined to offer a specific timeline. While some industry observers have targeted the 2027–28 season for possible expansion, Silver called that speculation premature.
“This is day one of that analysis,” he said. “In terms of price, potential timeline — too early to say.”
Recent valuations suggest that expansion fees could exceed $5 billion per team. Those fees would be distributed among existing owners as compensation for dilution of revenue and competition.
Portland Future Still Unsettled
Silver also addressed the ongoing ownership situation in Portland. The Trail Blazers remain part of the Paul G. Allen estate, and while there is no public timeline for a sale, the commissioner reaffirmed the league’s desire to keep the franchise in the city.
“It is our preference that that team remains in Portland,” Silver said. “We’ve had great success in Portland over the years.”
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