Sonics closer to return as NBA votes to formally consider expansion
Mar. 25—OLYMPIA — After nearly two decades of Seattle Sonics fans urging the NBA to "bring 'em back," the league's owners are ready to listen. The league's board of governors voted unanimously on Wednesday to explore expansion in both Las Vegas and Seattle, with the potential for both teams to take the court for the 2028-2029 season.
The league has retained an investment bank to evaluate the markets, arenas, potential ownership groups and other economic factors. "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 in a statement Wednesday. "We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.
" Should both Seattle and Las Vegas join the league, the NBA would expand from 30 to 32 teams. An expansion team is reportedly expected to pay between $7 and $10 billion to join the league. "The market will determine the value of this team, of these teams.
And then we will decide whether that makes sense to move forward," Silver said Wednesday. "And then we will decide if it makes sense to move forward. " Silver said Wednesday the league hopes to resolve the discussion around expansion by the end of the year.
Silver said there's "absolutely a chance" that expansion does not occur, or could only occur in one city. Formal expansion will require support from three quarters of the league's current owners. "I think because of our longtime history in Seattle, the fact that we have the Storm, and the great success in Seattle.
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