NBA GEARING UP FOR EXPANSION
It’s been just over 20 years since the NBA’s last expansion, when the league made its return to Charlotte after the team had relocated to New Orleans in 2002. The locations that are up for new teams are Seattle, and Las Vegas. There has been a push for years to bring basketball back to Seattle and if it all goes as planned, there very well may be a team suiting up in the green and gold once again. When the Seattle Supersonics were relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, it was asked that the team name remain on the off chance that there would be another franchise in Seattle.
Sin City has been attempting to be part of the NBA for several years, even going so far as to hosting NBA All-Star Weekend three times. Las Vegas is currently home to two professional sports teams, the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.
“This is a huge deal for the city,” said John Paulson. Paulson is a hedge fund manager and founder of Paulson & Co., and minority owner of Caesars Entertainment. “The other franchises are flourishing here and there is no doubt that the NBA will do the same.”
The league will vote this summer on whether or not these teams will be added. If both teams are approved, they will more than likely be part of the Western Conference, so there is a possibility that one team will move to the Eastern Conference in order to ensure there are 16 teams on each side.