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NBA Reportedly Plans To Announce Seattle & Las Vegas Expansion During Preseason Games In Seattle

Last year, when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was asked about a possible NBA expansion, he surprised everyone when he replied to the same question he’s been asked numerous times, by giving a different response than the usual ‘this is something the league isn’t really considering at this moment’:

“I think I’ve always said that it’s sort of the manifest destiny of the league that you expand at some point. 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.”

While Silver also stated that this wasn’t a top priority at this time, it does give hope to millions of people hoping their hometown might get an NBA franchise at some point in the next few years, most and foremost the people of Seattle and Las Vegas, who were always seen as the front-runners in a potential expansion.

But now, things are reportedly becoming more serious. According to some reports, the NBA plans to announce the Las Vegas and Seattle expansion during one of preseason games played in Seattle

Multiple sources have told me the NBA want to finally announce expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle during the Clippers’ two preseason games at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, on Sept. 30 and Oct. 3. The Lakers then play two preseason games in Vegas on Oct 5 and 6.

Multiple sources have told me the NBA want to finally announce expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle during the Clippers’ two preseason games at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, on Sept. 30 and Oct. 3.

The Lakers then play two preseason games in Vegas on Oct 5 and 6.

— WillieGRamirez (@WillieGRamirez) September 7, 2022

It seems the NBA has planned the expansion for a long time. With it looming, the correlation between the expansion, and the NBA implementing the Play-In Tournament for the foreseeable future, does not seem too far-fetched.

When I asked NBA Executive Vice President and Head of NBA Basketball Strategy & Analytics, Evan Wasch about a possible correlation during a Zoom Call before last season’s playoffs however, he revealed that it did not play a role.

NBA Executive Vice President and Head of NBA Basketball Strategy & Analytics Evan Wasch on if a possible NBA expansion also played a role in implementing the play-ins for the foreseeable future. pic.twitter.com/GxfLGp5Ct7

— Len Werle (@RealLennyCarlos) April 8, 2022