Since 2004, the National Basketball Association has consisted of thirty teams. Many have moved locations, rebranded, or stayed true to their roots. Teams like the Vancouver Grizzlies and New Jersey Nets have moved to Memphis and Brooklyn respectively. The Seattle SuperSonics rebranded their entire team to the current Oklahoma City Thunder.
As the NBA continues to grow into new markets (Las Vegas, Mexico City, and Europe), Commissioner Adam Silver and NBA Franchise Owners have voted on and accepted the expansion of the NBA in Seattle and Las Vegas to begin in the 2028-2029 season.
As mentioned previously, the last NBA expansion was in 2004. If the rules for expansion stay the same, an expansion draft will take place.
Every team in the league will protect up to eight players on their team with the same contracts. The two expansion teams will then each select one player from the League’s unprotected player list. Teams will likely protect their young cores and valuable vets, while leaving bad contracts and mediocre, older players to the expansion teams. Expansion teams will also get good draft odds.
As fans heavily anticipate the expansion, talks of future additions to the League include American locations like Louisville, San Diego, and St. Louis, while international options include Vancouver, Mexico City, and Montreal. The Association is also working on building an international league tied to FIBA in Europe.
