> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # NBA Expansion: Exploration Has Begun, So What’s Next For Potential Sonics Return? - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/nba-expansion-exploration-has-begun-so-whats-next-for-potential-sonics-return/ - Published: 2026-03-25T22:40:18.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:56:07.000Z - Author: Connor Benintendi - Tags: News, Analysis, Sonics, Adam Silver, NBA, NBA Expansion \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3320"\] ![ Seattle Sonics fans stand between plays during the second quarter between the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder at ORACLE Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/usatsi_5132624-format-original.jpg) Seattle Sonics fans stand between plays during the second quarter between the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder at ORACLE Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images \[/caption\] It’s looking like it may only be a matter of time before the NBA is back in Seattle. The NBA’s board of governors approved a vote — which got a yes from all 30 league owners — for the league to begin exploring bids for potential franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas on Wednesday, [per ESPN’s Shams Charania](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/%5F/id/48304338/sources-nba-votes-explore-vegas-seattle-expansion-bids?ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com), formally beginning a process that would bring back the SuperSonics if completed. “We have long histories in both those markets, of course,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver [said in a press conference on Wednesday](https://www.king5.com/video/sports/local-sports/full-press-conference-adam-silver-on-seattle-nba-expansion-tanking-and-what-comes-next/281-5581eddf-8c53-4031-8fb5-ffa6be6a34fd?ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com). “We had a franchise in Seattle for over 40 years, we have a WNBA franchise in Seattle right now, and there’s an enormous amount of passion for NBA basketball — and WNBA basketball — in that market.” The first step is complete, and while the chances of the NBA’s return to the Emerald City are becoming more and more likely, it’s still not a certainty. However, for the first time since the Sonics left in 2008, there is hope. Twenty-three out of 30 of the league’s owners will eventually have to vote in favor of expansion, but a lot still needs to be ironed out before that can happen. In his press conference, Silver made it especially clear that Wednesday’s vote does not ensure expansion. “There’s absolutely a chance expansion may not happen, and that’s why we were careful to say ‘exploring the process,’” Silver said. “It’s also possible we could expand to one market and not two, or zero markets.” If the process is completed, the NBA’s goal is to have the expansion teams begin play in the 2028-29 season. Silver discussed multiple aspects of the process, including the timeline, concerns and potential franchise valuations, among other key items. ### **Expansion timeline** The timeline is simple: Silver and the NBA want to have a decision made by the end of 2026. “As I’ve said before, our goal was, in 2026, to resolve this issue one way or the other, Silver said. “We need to know by the end of this calendar year what it is we’re doing. It may not be that every ‘I’ is dotted, but that would be our goal — this year.” Silver expects there to be “multiple bidders” who will be interested in the potential expansion team in Seattle, specifically. He added that Seattle doesn’t need to prove itself as a basketball city, but rather the potential owner(s) need to prove they can build a sustainable franchise. “Part of the issues we’ll be looking at is ‘Will we be putting a team in position to be successful in Seattle?’ I see no reason, standing here today, why that shouldn’t be the case, but we’re going to work through this process.” That process starts now. The league is listening to interested parties, and the ownership candidates appear to be a massive factor in whether the franchise comes together. ### **Concerns around expansion** Silver was quick to squash the idea that there were legitimate concerns about expansion. It appears to be something the entire board is open to, with some being more skeptical than others. As Silver broke down in great detail, the primary “considerations” are dilution of talent across two more teams, how it affects competition for championships and economic implications, as each owner would have to accept a smaller share in the league. “I wouldn’t put \[economic considerations and dilution of talent per team\] in the category of concern; it more went in the category of considerations. But that’s also why, just to make that distinction, we didn’t announce today, ‘We are expanding.’ We announced that ‘We’re exploring expanding.’” That led directly to the conversation of whether there may be no expansion, which Silver maintained is a possibility. However, Silver’s concerns come from external factors rather than internal skepticism. “Where the uncertainty to me lies is in issues outside of the league,” Silver said. “There’s enormous instability in the world at the moment, and we may ultimately conclude, for reasons completely out of our control, that it’s not the right time to expand — that it’s something we should postpone and re-look at at some later time.” ### **Franchise valuations** The projected valuations for the Seattle and Las Vegas franchises are expected to be in the $7-10 billion range, per ESPN. That number was floated to Silver, who declined to divulge the exact figure the lead is expecting to field in bids. “The only discussion in the room was understanding the math around dilution, in terms of projections and what’s the direct reduction in existing revenues to teams if we were to begin expanding in 2028-29,” Silver said. “We did not discuss franchise valuation, per se, in these meetings. Of course, certainly with our bankers, we have a sense of where we think that value exists, but at the end of the day, the marketplace will determine that.” If Silver is expecting multiple bidders, the valuation likely isn’t an issue. However, with the Seattle Seahawks also up for sale with a possibly similar price tag, it could be hard to find two new owners in the same market. Only time will tell if that becomes an issue, but it’s worth wondering if it will be. A lot of money will be moving in the Seattle sports market in the next three to five years. Even with that, Silver doubled down on the reason Seattle and Las Vegas are the markets they are exploring. They present a strategic advantage for the NBA. “The real reason, ultimately, to expand is if you see a strategic benefit, and that’s why we’re particularly focused on Seattle and Las Vegas,” Silver added. “I see strong strategic reasons for both those markets.”