Yahoo: Las Vegas and Seattle are the frontrunners if the NBA expands to 32 teams

The NBA is planning to make a decision on national expansion next year, said commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday, giving the most specific time since the league began to explore the possibility of going from 30 to 32 teams. Expansion has been an issue for years in the NBA, and it is no secret that Seattle (which had a team until the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008) and Las Vegas have long sought the right to use the franchise.

Las Vegas and Seattle are the frontrunners if the NBA expands to 32 teams

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NBA plans to make a decision on domestic expansion in the coming year, commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday, offering the most definitive timeline since the league began exploring the possibility of moving from 30 to 32 teams.

And if there are long-awaited favorites, Las Vegas and Seattle are at the top of the list.

"It's no secret we're looking at this city of Las Vegas, we're looking at Seattle," Silver said before the NBA Finals between San Antonio and New York.

Expansion has been a hot topic for years in the NBA, and it's no secret that Seattle - who had a team until the Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 - and Las Vegas have always been in the Crychlefain of franchises.

"I think Seattle and Las Vegas are two amazing cities," silver said."Of course, we have a team in Seattle that was very successful. We have an WNBA team here in Las Vegas in the Aces. ...

"Right now we are in the process of working with our teams and gauging the level of interest and having a better understanding of what the on-field economics will be for those particular teams and what the pro forma will be for them, and then we will make a decision in 2026.

Speaking on Amazon Prime Video ahead of the NBA Cup Finals, Srebrni revealed that the tournament title game could take place far from Las Vegas.

Properties under consideration: "A lot of legendary college halls," Silver said."We're looking at other ways to do that."

The quarter-finals of the Cup will be played at the home of the first-placed team from next season, so the concept of the Final Four in Las Vegas changed anyway in 2026.

The number of spectators of the Cup is increasing

The switch to a streaming service hasn't stopped fans from watching the NBA Finals.

Saturday night's quarterfinals on Prime Video - in its first season as the league's broadcast partner - averaged 1.67 million viewers, up 14% from last season's quarterfinals.

And Saturday's matchups -- San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City and New York vs. Toronto -- saw a 126% year-over-year increase in social media views, the league said, with more than 400 million views across all platforms.

NBA Europe plans

Silver hinted that there could be some news next month regarding plans for the NBA's project with FIBA ​​to establish a league in Europe.

That makes sense, and the league will play regular season games in Berlin and London next month when Orlando and Memphis go for two games.

"I want to throw a very large gentle of a whole right now, and I am talking to our background, and let us know the right, and let us know that.Now I think of the end of January, or January, we can talk deep with those they are careful.

Chris Paul's future

Silver said he got the news that Chris Paul had been sent home by the Los Angeles Clippers the same way everyone else did: He checked his phone in the middle of the night.

"I just want to say I apologize to everyone involved," Silver said."As you know, he is very close to Chris, who has been the president of the players' union for many years....I want to see him finish the season with another team. It has been announced that this is his last season, so I want to see him fully healthy.

Silver said it was not his role to "screen participants" and added that he had not spoken to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer about what happened.

"It's a void," Silver said."So, I'm just focused and hoping for Chris now in the future."

Silver said WNBA talks are progressing

Silver said he and NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum are ready to help the WNBA and its players negotiate a new labor agreement if necessary.

Silver said he is "optimistic" the deal will go through.

"I'm following it closely," Silver said."We are integrated in the league office. I talk to the people at the negotiating table every day. As I said before, we, the NBA-WNBA collective, recognize that our players should be paid more than they are now based on the increasing success of the league.

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