Adam Silver: Vancouver, Montreal, Mexico City Among Cities on Expansion Radar

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has at least been willing to broach the topic of expansion recently, though the league has committed to nothing in that department.

Still, the rumors and possibilities aren’t about to go away, and per Keith Smith of Spotrac, Silver made it sound as if expansion will happen after the new TV rights deal is finalized in 2024-25. Silver was speaking Monday during the Knicks-Celtics broadcast, as Smith noted.

When it comes to expansion, Seattle and Las Vegas are the cities mentioned most. Seattle, of course, adored the SuperSonics before they took off for Oklahoma City and became the Thunder in 2008.

Frankly, given the outcry for a team, from fans, media and players alike, it’s hard to envision the NBA won’t expand to Seattle when the time is right. It would just be a bad p.r. move to avoid Seattle.

Anyway, Silver did admit during the broadcast that the NBA will consider a “couple of cities in the US,” per Smith. But he also mentioned Montreal, Vancouver and Mexico City as potential non-American locations.

Vancouver, of course, is the former home of the Memphis Grizzlies. And Mexico City currently has a G League squad that draws very well. It also hosted a game between the Hawks and Magic last week, and Silver sung its praises at the time.

Meanwhile, Montreal has recently reached out to the league, Silver said, via Smith.

What’s it all mean? Well, a lot of places have their hopes up. But I don’t see any way the league expands beyond to cities when it finally decides to make the move — and I don’t see any way the league picks anywhere but Seattle and Las Vegas. I’m not quite as sure about Vegas, but Seattle absolutely, positively is in line for a franchise.

Those non-American spots will likely have to wait for a current team to relocate, and that too may not be as far off as you think.