Adam Silver walks back on NBA expansion this season: ‘We are not quite ready’

When we think about the future of the NBA, one of the most talked about possibilities is that of expanding the league to more franchises around North America. However, after years of pushing the subject away from the agenda, commissioner Adam Silver revealed that they are yet ready to accept new clubs into the competition. 

According to the executive, there was no conversation about the potential expansions during his most recent meeting with the NBA’s board of governors, but that the topic will eventually be addressed at some point this upcoming campaign.

“There was not a lot of discussion in this meeting about expansion, but only largely not for lack of interest, it was that we had said to them that we’re not quite ready,” Adam shared during his news conference on Tuesday at a Manhattan hotel.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday the league’s owners are not quite ready to commit to expansion, but that interest remains high in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/nfzMBL6KaJ

— KOMO News (@komonews) September 11, 2024

“It was something that we told our board we plan to address this season, and we’re not quite ready yet. But I think there’s certainly interest in the process, and I think that we’re not there yet in terms of having made any specific decisions about markets or even frankly to expand,” he continued.

The expectations over the league expanding to new basketball capitals has been going on strong in the past few years, with Seattle and Las Vegas being the most probable destinations. However, Silver always insisted that he first needed to take care of the new television deal and collective bargaining agreements before thinking about new teams.

“The answer is yes,” said the league executive. “We’re always paying attention to what’s happening in other arenas throughout the United States when we do play games there. We look very closely at the support we get in those markets.”

Silver was clear that they are still open to new proposals. “But incidentally, we look everywhere. I think we have a pretty good library now of arenas everywhere in the world, and in part because even if we’re not playing there on a regular basis, there’s things we can learn,” he explained.

The executive also addressed the fact that two league franchises are currently involved in sale processes, but the NBA has no business there

Other than expansions, a couple of teams are selling their ownership stakes and are enduring processes on their own. First we have Minnesota, who are leaving their longtime owner Glen Taylor to entrepreneur combo of Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, but currently involved in a legal battle for months.

In second comes in none other than the NBA champions, as the Celtics have also been selling to new owners. “The short answer is no,” Silver said. “That’s a process that exists independent of the league that was set out in the sales agreement, and because, depending on the outcome, only then would the league then continue a vetting process for ownership.

“So it’s sort of pencils down at the league office; we’re not really operating in any way right now on that situation, other than just waiting for the outcome of that arbitration.”

Even though his take on the Celtics’ situation is pretty mushy the same, the league commissioner explained that every case is different. “In terms of the composition of ownership and any potential step transaction, what we’ve said is present to us what you’re considering and we’ll look at it on a unique basis,” Silver concluded.