The NBA is contemplating expanding into Seattle and Las Vegas, possibly making an announcement as soon as 2023, as first noted by Oregon-based sports reporter John Canzano.
Seattle has long coveted a team since losing the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008. Multiple players, coaches and league executives have supported such a rally cry to “Bring back the Sonics” over the past decade or more.
Despite the move, Seattle retained the Sonics’ green-and-yellow color scheme and logo, featuring the Space Needle and a basketball.
Per Canzano, both Seattle and Las Vegas could be announced as expansion franchises after the current media rights deal expires in 2024.
Las Vegas has also been floated as a possible expansion or relocation city since at least the 1990s, though the league has rarely come close to moving a team there. But the the NFL’s Raiders and NHL’s Golden Knights, Vegas has become a hotbed for pro sports over the last several years.
Virginia Beach has also been mentioned as a possible NBA city — though it appears the league has been focused on expanding its presence in the Pacific time zone, with Seattle the priority if there is indeed expansion/relocation, sources said.
Hoops Wire will have more on this story as details become available.
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