NBA finally approves ‘potential’ team expansion in two US cities

The NBA has finally decided to consider expanding the league with owners voting Wednesday to start exploring the process of adding franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle . It was not a surprise move as expansion has been a consideration for years. And it's been clear for some time that those two cities, both with longstanding ties to the NBA, are the ones that are now a significant step closer toward joining the league.

Las Vegas, the league's summer home for years and site of the first NBA Cup championship games, has been clamoring for an NBA team since at least the late 1990s, if not even longer. And Seattle has been waiting for the SuperSonics to return for nearly two decades. The ball is essentially now in their courts.

Expansion is not guaranteed, Silver reiterated (AP) “Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle — two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties. ” What the league's board of governors voted to approve is being called an exploration of “potential team expansion.

” Prospective ownership groups will now be tasked with putting together their bids and plans in an effort to prove to the league that they're worthy of owning NBA franchises. The league said investment bank PJT Partners has been brought on “as a strategic adviser to evaluate prospective markets, ownership groups, arena infrastructure, and the broader economic implications of expansion. ” Governors react Washington Gov.