Brian Windhorst reports that high-stakes negotiations are shaping the NBA as the season approaches, with expansion talks at the center. NBA commissioner Adam Silver appears to be raising the stakes on the possible return of the Seattle Super Sonics, according to multiple ownership sources. Owners were left with the impression at the last board of governors meeting that a Seattle team was no longer a lock. Silver also revived Mexico City as a possible destination, after a Mexico City-based group approached expansion partner PJT Partners with a plan for a team and a new arena district.
The league has said it is focused on Las Vegas and Seattle, but Silver has guaranteed nothing and has made clear the league may not add two teams at once, as it did in 1988, 1989 and 1995. Two facts appear firm: Silver is fully committed to expansion in Las Vegas, where a winning bid decision is expected within weeks, and the league is not satisfied with the Seattle bids so far. Bids for Las Vegas could exceed $10 billion, while the Seattle offers are substantially lower. The group led by Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena owner Samantha Holloway is considered the frontrunner in Seattle.
Windhorst argues that raising team values is Silver's central job, and that tactics such as separating Las Vegas from Seattle, hinting at no second team, and considering Mexico City are all aimed at pushing up the bids. Relocation is not currently on the table, according to Silver, though some observers privately see Seattle's pending status as useful leverage in arena negotiations, including with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Seattle, home of the Super Sonics from 1967 to 2008 before their move to Oklahoma City, remains a long-held league goal. Windhorst notes that skipping an established market with a strong fanbase and arena would defy common sense. The league staying at 31 teams also raises several unresolved issues.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing