I personally have longed for an NBA Expansion for a while now. Actually, one of my first posts here at Vendetta Sports Media was about an NBA Expansion idea. I just seem to be ahead of the game because now, it is being reported that this idea could be on the table. It becomes on the table because of the COVID-19 pandemic that drastically affected the NBA economically. Adam Silver hinted at an NBA Expansion and other possible changes that could be coming. Quote provided by NBC NBA:
“I think I’ve always said that it’s sort of the manifest destiny of the league that you expand at some point,” Silver said. “I’d say it’s caused us to maybe dust off some of the analyses on the economic and competitive impacts of expansion. We’ve been putting a little bit more time into it than we were pre-pandemic. But certainly not to the point that expansion is on the front burner.”
Unfortunately, Silver is just saying it is an option and not a foregone conclusion. He also mentions what could happen in the competitiveness of the NBA.
“One of our focuses as the league office is always on how do you create better competition. So that’s one of the things that we continue to think about as we consider expansion….” Silver said. “It’s an economic issue, and it’s a competitive issue for us. So it’s one that we’ll continue to study, but we’re spending a little bit more time on it than we were pre-pandemic.”
An NBA expansion seemingly would solve the economic issue, but Silver is right, can the NBA still be competitive if they added more teams? The Eastern Conference is finally becoming competitive after years of not. While the Western Conference has been competitive for years.
NBA Expansion Cities?
One has to wonder what cities would even be interested in adding an NBA team. Well, Seattle has to be the first one on the list for sure. Ever since the SuperSonics left for Oklahoma City, that has left a bad taste in NBA fans mouth. Sure, the Thunder might have a good franchise, but the Sonics were loved. The top 2 after that would have to be Las Vegas and Louisville. Las Vegas has been a hot spot for new teams as The NHL added the Golden Knights and now the NFL has relocated the Raiders to Vegas as well. It would make sense to add the NBA to have a formidable trio.
Adding two expansion teams to the Western Conference may bring competitiveness to the Eastern Conference as two teams from the West would have to go to the East. At least at first glance, it seems that way. However, the teams most likely that would move to the East are the Timberwolves and the Pelicans. While the Pelicans might be a budding playoff team this year, these teams aren’t exactly competitive.
At the end of the day, I still want expansion teams. Seattle deserves a team and I am finding a secret love for Las Vegas now that my beloved Raiders play there now. Time will tell what Adam Silver and the NBA decides to do, but we all know what I am hoping for.
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