SEATTLE — Seattle SuperSonics fans are on the edge of their seats: the NBA could be deciding on an expansion of the league soon.
According to the Dallas Morning News, the NBA Board of Governors is likely to vote this summer.
The two cities that are favored for franchises? Seattle and Las Vegas.
Last week, an event on Governor Bob Ferguson’s calendar caught the eye of KIRO 7 News. It was a meeting with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. It appeared out of nowhere, prompting our team to investigate.
The governor’s office confirmed it was about bringing the Sonics back. His office told KIRO 7 that it was an introductory ZOOM call at Ferguson’s request. The pair reportedly had a “good conversation” and Ferguson offered to “be helpful.”
Last summer, Silver shared that the league took a ‘significant step’ toward adding to its roster—announcing they’d be doing an in-depth analysis of all the factors that impact an expansion.
He said the next step is for the league to look at specific markets, understand what opportunities are in those cities, explore the facilities available for a team to play in, and gauge the level of interest from local businesses.
Then, in December, he said that a decision on possible expansion could come from the league at some point in 2026.
If a vote takes place and Seattle is chosen, it would be the first time the city has had an NBA team in nearly 20 years. The Sonics relocated to Oklahoma City after the 2007-2008 season and was renamed the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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