NBA Owners to Vote on Seattle Expansion Next Week

League reportedly targeting 2028 for new Sonics franchise in Seattle and Las Vegas team

Mar. 16, 2026 at 3:23pm

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The NBA's Board of Governors will vote next week on the process of adding expansion teams exclusively in Seattle and Las Vegas, with a targeted start date of the 2028-29 season. This marks the first time the league has set a date for a vote and named the specific cities under consideration, signaling significant progress in the long-awaited return of the Seattle SuperSonics.

Why it matters

The return of the Sonics to Seattle has been a major point of interest for the city and the Pacific Northwest since the franchise's controversial relocation to Oklahoma City in 2008. With the opening of the new Climate Pledge Arena in 2021, Seattle now has the necessary infrastructure to host an NBA team, and the league sees significant revenue potential in adding franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas, two of the fastest-growing markets in North America.

The details

According to reports, the NBA Board of Governors will vote during their meetings on March 24-25 to formally begin the expansion process, with the new Seattle and Las Vegas franchises targeted to start play in the 2028-29 season. The expansion fees for each new team could reach $7-10 billion, making it one of the most lucrative franchise sales in North American sports history. If 23 of the 30 team owners approve the expansion vote, the league will then set a minimum bid threshold, with a final vote on the new franchises potentially happening later this year.

  • The NBA Board of Governors will vote on the expansion process during meetings on March 24-25, 2026.
  • The new Seattle and Las Vegas franchises are targeted to begin play in the 2028-29 NBA season.

The players

Adam Silver

The commissioner of the National Basketball Association, who has mentioned expansion as a priority for the league over the past two years.

Clay Bennett

The former owner of the Seattle SuperSonics, who controversially relocated the franchise to Oklahoma City in 2008.

Shams Charania

An NBA insider reporter for ESPN who broke the news of the upcoming expansion vote.

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What they’re saying

“There is a growing majority of owners right now, I'm told, that are supportive of expansion. You think about Seattle and Las Vegas, those are two, big markets for the NHL (and) in the NFL. And could those two teams immediately emerge as top revenue generators, that's what we're going to see play out over 2026.”

— Shams Charania, ESPN NBA Insider (ESPN)

What’s next

If 23 of the 30 NBA team owners vote in favor of the expansion process next week, the league will then set a minimum bid threshold for the new franchises. A final vote on awarding the expansion teams could happen later this year.

The takeaway

The long-awaited return of the Seattle SuperSonics appears to be taking a major step forward, with the NBA poised to formally begin the expansion process and target a 2028 start date for new teams in Seattle and Las Vegas. This move represents a significant opportunity for the league to tap into two of the fastest-growing markets in North America and generate substantial revenue, while also righting a past wrong by restoring the Sonics franchise to Seattle.