New Headline: "Dreams Come True in Sin City: Watch Your Team Thrive!
If past precedent is any indication, the deck will be stacked against the NBA's expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle for the first few years of their existence.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 10: A Seattle Sonics fan holds a sign before the Rain City Showcase in a preseason NBA game between the LA Clippers and the Utah Jazz at Climate Pledge Arena on October 10, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) Getty Images The Golden State Valkyries just finished their inaugural season in the WNBA. They'll be a model for expansion teams moving forward.
In their debut campaign, the Valkyries finished above . 500 at 23-21 and made the playoffs. They're the first WNBA expansion team in history to make the playoffs in their first year of existence, according to ESPN's Kendra Andrews .
The NBA’s forthcoming expansion teams may struggle to replicate that instant success. According to ESPN's Shams Charania , the NBA plans to hold a vote at its board of governors meeting next week "to explore adding expansion teams exclusively in Las Vegas and Seattle. " The two teams would be expected to debut in the 2028-29 season.
If past precedent is any indication, those teams should brace themselves for a rocky start once they do begin play. How Have Past NBA Expansion Teams Fared? Over the past four decades, the NBA has added seven expansion teams.
Continue to the original source for the full article.