The NBA is about to make history. According to ESPN and the Associated Press, the league's board of governors will vote next week - March 24-25 - to formally move forward with adding expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle. If approved, the two new franchises are targeting the 2028-29 season to start play.

What's Actually Happening

This isn't the final green light - it's the first official step. The vote would authorize the league to exclusively explore Las Vegas and Seattle as expansion cities, locking out any other markets from the conversation. A final approval vote would come later this year.

But make no mistake - this is massive. The NBA hasn't expanded since the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) joined in 2004. That's 22 years without a new team.

Why Las Vegas

Vegas has been on the NBA's radar for years, and the city has proven it can support major sports. The Raiders moved there in 2020, the Golden Knights became an instant NHL success, and the WNBA's Aces have dominated the league. An NBA franchise in Vegas feels less like a question and more like an inevitability. Stephen A. Smith himself said on First Take: "The 10 billion dollar price tag is not going to be a problem."

Why Seattle

Seattle lost the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008, and the wound has never healed. The city has been lobbying for an NBA return ever since, with a renovated Climate Pledge Arena already hosting the NHL's Kraken. The infrastructure is ready. The fanbase is starving. Bringing basketball back to Seattle isn't just expansion - it's redemption.

The Price Tag

Reports suggest each expansion franchise could cost upward of billion - a staggering number that reflects the NBA's explosive growth in media rights, global reach, and franchise valuations. For context, the most expensive NBA franchise sale to date was the Phoenix Suns at billion in 2023.

What This Means for the League

A 32-team NBA would reshape the entire competitive landscape. New divisions, adjusted scheduling, an expansion draft - everything changes. And with the 2028-29 target, both cities would have roughly two years to build front offices, hire coaching staffs, and draft rosters.

The vote happens March 24-25. The NBA is about to get bigger. Stay locked. ??