The National Basketball Association is preparing for a historic expansion that would increase the number of teams in the league from 30 to 32, in a project that is now close to becoming reality.
According to a report by ESPN, the league’s board of team owners is scheduled to vote next week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, on the proposed expansion plan. The measure is widely expected to pass unless an unexpected development occurs.
The proposal includes adding two new franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas, two cities that have long been considered the leading candidates to join the NBA.
Each new franchise would reportedly pay an expansion fee ranging between $7 billion and $10 billion, which would represent a record-breaking figure in the history of American professional sports.
For the expansion plan to be approved, at least 23 of the 30 current team owners must vote in favor of the proposal.
If the vote passes, the league will move forward with organizational details such as conference alignment and the process for building the rosters of the two new teams.
Under the preliminary timeline, the new franchises are expected to begin competing in the 2028–2029 season, increasing the total number of NBA teams to 32 and potentially reshaping the competitive landscape of the league.
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