Adam Silver shuts down NBA expansion rumors despite massive interest from Las Vegas - "We are not engaged in that process now"
The NBA will stick to 30 teams for now, at least that is the case, based on Commissioner Adam Silver’s latest update about the league’s expansion plans.
There were rumors that a few cities, particularly Las Vegas and Seattle, will have their own teams sooner rather than later.
Here’s what Silver had to say to the media about those rumors, per ESPN:
"And just for the people who will hear or read about this interview, we are not engaged in that process now. I mean, we're not taking meetings right now with any potential groups.
"What we're saying to everyone privately is the same thing. I'm saying publicly that there'll be a very open process at the time we're ready to consider expansion. But that's not yet the -- that's not now."
Also important from Adam Silver: The NBA is NOT involved in any expansion meetings at this point.
The NBA and the NBPA have recently agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which should precede media deals. Silver is reportedly in discussions with networks for new contracts regarding the coverage of everything related to the league.
Adam Silver on expansion, including Las Vegas chances: "We will turn to expansion once those new media deals are done. It’s not a sure thing, but as I’ve said before, I think it’s natural that organizations grow over time. ... There’s enormous interest in this market."
Several players have urged the league’s office to expand to cities such as Las Vegas and Seattle. The latter once had a franchise but moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 to become the OKC Thunder, while the latter will be a brand-new option.
Notably, LeBron James advocated for a return of a Seattle franchise and directly informed Adam Silver that he was looking to own one in Las Vegas.
The NBA is becoming more popular than ever
The value of NBA teams has skyrocketed in recent years. Mat Ishbia’s group purchased the Phoenix Suns for $4 billion. Michael Jordan’s sale of the majority share of the Charlotte Hornets is reportedly around $3 billion.
Part of the reason for the spike in prices is the rising popularity of the league. It’s a trend that will likely go on for at least the next few years as well.
Furthermore, the arrival of French phenom Victor Wembanyama and other exciting rookies will only add to the allure and excitement of the NBA. “Wemby’s” debut already resulted in 1.39 million viewers on ESPN, the second-most in Summer League history.
Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs debut averaged 1.39M viewers on ESPN — the second-most in NBA Summer League history. https://t.co/GA1g17qM72
LeBron James and the LA Lakers are looking like a team that’s built to win a championship, and Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors recently added Chris Paul to make another run at the championship. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets aren’t going anyway.
The NBA is looking to improve the fun and excitement in games. It’ll likely only be a matter of time before a few more cities will become franchises.
Also read: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says there is a real chance to have a new franchise by 2024