The NBA’s expansion process is moving into a more advanced stage, with the next round of Las Vegas bids due Thursday and final proposals expected shortly afterward, according to Shams Charania.
Appearing on NBA Today, Charania said the league and commissioner Adam Silver are entering “deeper and deeper stages” of discussions regarding potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle.
“For Las Vegas, the next round of bids for an expansion team in Las Vegas are due on Thursday, and then final bids expected to be some point shortly thereafter,” Charania said.
The potential value of a Las Vegas expansion franchise could exceed the already significant figures previously associated with the process. Charania said proposals for the team are “reaching and potentially exceeding $10 billion.”
The Las Vegas process has also moved faster than the Seattle process so far. Silver said Tuesday that several groups remain active in Las Vegas and that another round of bids would be submitted soon, although he stressed those would not yet be final bids.
The NBA has also discussed multiple potential arena sites in Las Vegas. Silver said Patrick Dumont led a discussion about the various locations, while describing both a significantly renovated T-Mobile Arena and proposals for new, large-scale entertainment venues as potential options.
However, Silver cautioned against selecting a site prematurely because several locations could potentially work for an NBA team.
Seattle remains part of the league’s expansion plans, although its process has progressed at a slower pace. Silver said the NBA has sent operational groups to Climate Pledge Arena to evaluate its suitability and described the venue as state-of-the-art, with some modifications potentially required for NBA basketball.
The difference between the two markets is also reflected in their potential valuations. Charania said the Seattle proposals could be in the $7 billion range, compared with potentially $10 billion or more for Las Vegas.
“Over the next couple of months, we’re gonna get clarity on the final offers, potentially 10 billionish in Las Vegas, potentially 7 billion range in Seattle,” Charania said.
The league is targeting expansion to 32 teams, but the exact timing of a final Board of Governors vote remains unclear. Silver reiterated Tuesday that the NBA’s goal is to have decisions by the end of 2026, though he has not committed to approving expansion.
If the process moves forward, Seattle would represent the return of the SuperSonics, while Las Vegas would become an NBA market for the first time. The potential expansion teams are currently targeted for the 2028-29 season.
No expansion franchises have been formally approved, and the league has yet to finalize arenas, team names, expansion drafts or roster rules.
The next several months should provide greater clarity as the NBA receives more detailed proposals and evaluates the final financial and operational plans from the competing groups.
