The reason why the NBA expansion might be delayed
The league is considering postponing the start of operations for its new franchise in Las Vegas until the 2029-30 season, one year later than originally planned.
The NBA expansion could face a change in its schedule. The league is considering postponing the start of operations for its new franchise in Las Vegas until the 2029-30 season, a year later than initially planned.
The original plan envisioned that the new teams from Las Vegas and Seattle would debut in the 2028-29 season. However, the possibility of delaying the Las Vegas launch until 2029-30 is on the table, although for now it is merely a matter being discussed and not a definitive decision.
The expansion will be the first for the NBA since 2004 and will involve the entry of a new franchise into a league that currently has 30 teams.
Three groups compete for the Las Vegas franchise
Three groups are currently in the race to secure the first NBA expansion franchise in over two decades. One of them is led by Nancy Walton Laurie, heir to Walmart, and her husband, Bill Laurie.
Another proposal is led by Bill Foley, owner of the Vegas Golden Knights, along with Jerry Colangelo, Hall of Fame member, and David Levy, former president of Turner Broadcasting.
The third group is headed by Canadian businessman Steve Apostolopoulos and includes Marc Lasry, former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.
| Group | Main Members |
|---|---|
| Laurie Group | Nancy Walton Laurie and Bill Laurie |
| Foley Group | Bill Foley, Jerry Colangelo, and David Levy |
| Apostolopoulos Group | Steve Apostolopoulos and Marc Lasry |
The NBA must decide which of these proposals will secure the franchise. Commissioner Adam Silver has indicated that the league aims to make a decision before the end of the year.
An unofficial agreement could also be reached with one of the interested groups in Las Vegas by late November, although it does not seem likely that a decision will be made immediately.
Las Vegas could be the first step before Seattle
The league appears to be focused on solidifying the situation in Las Vegas before addressing the expansion to Seattle. In the case of Nevada, competition among the interested groups is greater, while the stadium-related issue adds another challenge to the process.
The construction of a new facility is seen as a primary possibility. The new venue would have an estimated cost of 2 billion dollars, which would be in addition to the fee that the chosen group would need to pay for the expansion.
Thus, the total cost of the operation could range between 11 and 12 billion dollars, or even exceed that amount.
The other alternative would be to use the T-Mobile Arena, the current home of the Vegas Golden Knights and recently the venue for the semifinals and finals of the NBA Cup.
Bill Foley has indicated that the venue would need a renovation costing around 400 million dollars if it were to host an NBA franchise.
Adam Silver discusses the stadium options
Adam Silver himself recently referred to the two options being considered for Las Vegas. The commissioner explained that there is interest in renovating the T-Mobile Arena, but he also highlighted projects that involve constructing a completely new facility.
"There is a great deal of enthusiasm about the possibility of renovating the T-Mobile Arena," Silver remarked. "I think everyone recognizes that if a team were to play there, significant improvements would be needed. But at the same time, there are groups that have submitted plans to build what I would call a modern entertainment palace in Las Vegas.
"It’s a unique market where you could really see activity practically 365 days a year."
The choice between both alternatives will be significant for the expansion timeline. If the franchise needs to construct a new stadium, the timelines could become one of the factors explaining the possible delay of the debut until the 2029-30 season.
Seattle awaits its opportunity
While the competition for Las Vegas continues, groups not selected could shift their efforts toward Seattle, the other city considered for the expansion.
The possibility of Seattle regaining an NBA franchise is linked to the project for the SuperSonics, who left the city in 2008. Among the names associated with the bid is Samantha Holloway, owner of the Seattle Kraken, considered the favorite to secure the return of the SuperSonics.
In this way, the expansion process may end up developing in two phases. Las Vegas currently holds much of the attention and could become the first new NBA franchise since 2004, while Seattle maintains its candidacy to bring back the SuperSonics.
The potential shift from 2028-29 to 2029-30 for the Las Vegas debut is not yet an official decision. For now, the league continues to evaluate the different proposals while Adam Silver aims to make a decision on expansion before the end of the year.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El motivo por el que la expansión de la NBA podría retrasarse