NBA expansion update: Where Las Vegas and Seattle stand ahead of 2026-27

As NBA training camps open for the league's 30 teams ahead of the 2026-27 season, attention is also turning to the long-running question of league expansion, with Las Vegas and Seattle widely viewed as the leading candidates for new franchises.

Both cities have been discussed for years as natural markets for NBA expansion. Las Vegas has built a reputation as a major sports and entertainment hub following the arrival of NHL and NFL franchises in recent years, while Seattle lost its original NBA team, the SuperSonics, in 2008 and has long been seen as a market the league would like to see return to the fold.

League expansion decisions involve numerous factors beyond market size, including arena readiness, local ownership groups, and the financial terms the league would set for expansion fees, which have climbed substantially in other major sports leagues' recent expansion rounds. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has previously indicated the league would eventually consider expansion but has not committed to a firm timeline.

Existing franchise owners also play a role in any expansion decision, as new teams dilute the league's existing revenue-sharing pool, which gives current owners a direct financial stake in how and when expansion proceeds and at what fee.

With no formal announcement yet made, speculation over the timing and ultimate destinations for any new franchises is expected to continue as the league works through its broader business priorities.