NBA takes major step in adding teams to Las Vegas, city where championship team originally played: report

The roadworthy to 32 NBA teams is officially on.

The association's Board of Governors approved a ballot connected Wednesday to research bids and applicants for enlargement teams successful Las Vegas and Seattle, ESPN reported.

ESPN noted that the relation is eyeing the 2028-29 play for the teams to statesman playing, and it's a substance of "when, not if."

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A wide general presumption of the opening tipoff betwixt San Antonio Spurs halfway Luke Kornet and New York Knicks halfway Karl-Anthony Towns during the Emirates NBA Cup Final astatine T-Mobile Arena.  (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

A squad successful Seattle would people a instrumentality to a metropolis that had an NBA champion successful the SuperSonics successful 1979. They moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder successful 2008, little than a twelvemonth aft drafting Kevin Durant with the 2nd wide pick.

Seattle and Las Vegas are present acceptable to beryllium Big Four cities for the archetypal clip — aft decades of the Mariners and Seahawks, the NHL expanded to Seattle successful 2021 to bring successful the Kraken, 13 years aft the Sonics left. 

As for Las Vegas, aft decades of not having immoderate nonrecreational sports owed to concerns astir legalized gambling, it volition soon person a nonrecreational squad successful each of the 4 large sports leagues. The NHL expanded successful the metropolis successful 2017, bringing successful the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Oakland Raiders moved to confederate Nevada 3 years later. The Athletics of Major League Baseball volition beryllium determination successful 2028 — they are presently playing successful a minor-league stadium successful Sacramento arsenic their Vegas stadium is nether operation and their lease successful Oakland ran out.

Bids are expected to beryllium astatine slightest $7 cardinal and could emergence to adjacent $10 billion.

Seattle SuperSonics and Kevin Durant fans successful stands with signs during crippled vs. Phoenix Suns astatine Key Arena.  (John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

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LeBron James made quality past week erstwhile helium took himself retired of the Las Vegas bidding process aft erstwhile mounting a extremity to ain a squad there.

"It's a sports town. Hopefully I tin bring my franchise present someday," James said during the NBA Cup, successful which the semifinals and finals are played successful Las Vegas, successful 2023.

But erstwhile asked past week if he's inactive funny successful owning a team, James said bluntly, "No, I'm not. Not astatine all."

James has been a concern spouse with Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool of the Premier League, since 2011. 

However, earlier James' comments, The Athletic reported that due to the fact that bids could scope arsenic precocious arsenic $8 cardinal for the Vegas team, the radical is not funny successful participating successful the bidding.

The WNBA's Las Vegas Aces besides moved from San Antonio successful 2018 and person won 3 titles since then.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks during property league astatine the Emirates NBA Cup Final astatine T-Mobile Arena connected Dec. 16, 2025 successful Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

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The NBA has not expanded since 2004, erstwhile the relation returned to Charlotte for the Bobcats aft the archetypal Hornets moved to New Orleans. That squad is present the Pelicans, portion the Bobcats reacquired the archetypal Hornets moniker successful 2014.

Las Vegas hosted the 2007 NBA All-Star Game.

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