NBA Expansion and Relocation

[LB#16]

We all know about Seattle and the storied events of their SuperSonics being taken to OKC by Clay Bennett and Howard Schultz resulting in the birth of the Thunder. If you haven't, the documentary Sonicsgate is worth a look.

Fresh rumours popped up recently on the chances of them returning.

Sonics Rising published that expansion is "on the table" in CBA negotiations and that Seattle, provided it could approve an arena plan, would be at the front of the line.

We've heard it for years, will it come true? Who would join them to make 32?

 

[FreoRicci]

Would rather 30 teams and relocate a team. Sacremento Kings deserve to be in the spotlight, a few teams in California, not a rich city and could work in Seattle's favour.
Perhaps Las Vegas, Hawaii (Honolulu) and San Diego (again..) as other options?

 

[LB#16]

Would rather 30 teams and relocate a team. Sacremento Kings deserve to be in the spotlight, a few teams in California, not a rich city and could work in Seattle's favour.
Perhaps Las Vegas, Hawaii (Honolulu) and San Diego (again..) as other options?

New arena will debut in downtown Sac in less than two weeks. They are safe for at least 20-25 years now.

 

[Gak Attack]

It's a hard time relocate anyone. A lot of the small market teams are doing well on the court and have decent support, it's the big market teams struggling like Lakers and Knicks who aren't going anywhere. As mentioned Sac's new arena means they're safe, New Orleans could probably be moved but they won't anytime soon.

 

[nahnah]

New Orleans or Miami

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...es-past-point-no-return-new-study-claims.html

 

[LB#16]

It's a hard time relocate anyone. A lot of the small market teams are doing well on the court and have decent support, it's the big market teams struggling like Lakers and Knicks who aren't going anywhere. As mentioned Sac's new arena means they're safe, New Orleans could probably be moved but they won't anytime soon.

Big market team who can go somewhere would be the Clippers. I'd like to see them go back to San Diego where they belong. Unfortunately that city is as stubborn as Seattle when it comes to getting stadiums built.

 

[PP34]

Expansion wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Probably 4-5 years ago the league looked like needing to contract a few teams, but I think the NBA has grown significantly since then, and we're seeing that it isn't just the big market teams being on top of the league anymore.

More and more international players are entering the game, so the talent pool shouldn't really shrink. The problem is there's always going to be one or two teams that just don't have enough talent to compete for years, and expansion isn't going to help with that at all.

 

[Bostonian]

Perhaps Las Vegas, Hawaii (Honolulu) and San Diego (again..) as other options?

Kansas City, Missouri.

 

[PP34]

Kansas, Louisville and Seattle could easily have franchises.

 

[Son of Skeletor]

Much as I hate to say it, Gak Attack is right insofar as we're now the No. 1 suspect if it came down to moving a team.

It's pretty clear that the NBA got burned pretty badly leaving Seattle, which ironically makes it harder for them to ever regain the Sonics. The league is loathe to move teams at the moment.

It's also very possible to have a 31 team league, the NBA had an odd number for the entirety of the 80s and 90s.

 

[PP34]

Much as I hate to say it, Gak Attack is right insofar as we're now the No. 1 suspect if it came down to moving a team.

It's pretty clear that the NBA got burned pretty badly leaving Seattle, which ironically makes it harder for them to ever regain the Sonics. The league is loathe to move teams at the moment.

It's also very possible to have a 31 team league, the NBA had an odd number for the entirety of the 80s and 90s.

Can't see them moving a team again, even if New Orleans has been a pretty mediocre team. A few years back, possibly, but teams are being valued at ridiculous prices these days, and hard to see that changing. The game continues to get bigger and bigger.

 

[Son of Skeletor]

Can't see them moving a team again, even if New Orleans has been a pretty mediocre team. A few years back, possibly, but teams are being valued at ridiculous prices these days, and hard to see that changing. The game continues to get bigger and bigger.

We have a messy ownership situation though, and a stopgap owner on death's door.

Unlike Seattle and Sacramento we don't have a history of fan support either. I don't see the NBA moving a team in the short term either, but if they do it'll be us.

 

[LB#16]

We have a messy ownership situation though, and a stopgap owner on death's door.

Unlike Seattle and Sacramento we don't have a history of fan support either. I don't see the NBA moving a team in the short term either, but if they do it'll be us.

Sacramento had a successful run in the early 2000's. New Orleans need something similar and the strong fan base will come.

 

[Son of Skeletor]

Sacramento had a successful run in the early 2000's. New Orleans need something similar and the strong fan base will come.

The Kings always sold out games though, for years on end even when they sucked. That's part of the benefit of being a one-team town.

New Orleans is in love with the Saints, the Hornet-Pelicans are a far distant second. Between the Jazz leaving, the Katrina hiatus and the re-branding our identity has become diluted, unsurprisingly.

If we had stable ownership it might be different, but even our owner is an NFL guy - and now he's fighting with his kids over inheritance. Add in Louisiana's current issues and it adds up to a pretty tenuous situation.

 

[Warsaw]

Would say the situation in Milwaukee was probably even more dire than Nola but they've just broken ground on a new arena. They are consistently among the worst attended games, and the new arena's basically just up the road from the BMO so I don't know how it would help them in that regard, but still they should be okay for now.

Low-Key, could see the Sixers (i.e ownership) being taken out of Philadelphia and across the Delaware River to a new arena in Camden, New Jersey. They'd still be the 'Philadelphia 76ers' though of course.

Wonder if the NFL get their London team in the next decade, if that might make Silver or whoever's running the show open to the idea.

 

[LB#16]

Billionaire Chris Hansen is reportedly willing to privately fund a new arena in Seattle.
http://www.sbnation.com/2016/10/25/13407914/nba-expansion-seattle-chris-hansen-arena-adam-silver

 

[FreoRicci]

Seattle will certainty get a team now, just a matter of time. Question is will NBA rush a 32nd team in the league, perhaps in Las Vegas? But that's 2 extra west teams- if they're going by geographically. Perhaps push Memphis into East conference, and add the 2 new teams into West. 16-16 even spread.

 

[LB#16]

Louisville just need to put their hand up and they should have one in their hands. Their arena is brilliant and more than capable of housing an NBA team.

 

[FreoRicci]

Louisville just need to put their hand up and they should have one in their hands. Their arena is brilliant and more than capable of housing an NBA team.

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Some of these college teams have better stadiums/arenas then actual pro teams. Ridiculous money. Would be perfect for any of Louisville, Kansas or even Kentucky to make a bid. Then they can draft their own college players.

 

[Team DJ]

Seattle will certainty get a team now, just a matter of time. Question is will NBA rush a 32nd team in the league, perhaps in Las Vegas? But that's 2 extra west teams- if they're going by geographically. Perhaps push Memphis into East conference, and add the 2 new teams into West. 16-16 even spread.

NHL confirmed in Vegas, NFL going that way to. Youd think that the NBA go before the end of the decade.

 

[LB#16]

NHL confirmed in Vegas, NFL going that way to. Youd think that the NBA go before the end of the decade.

Of all the sports, basketball would work best IMO. It's a casual sport that works well in places where there's a lot else to do. I thought a hockey team was a terrible decision by the NHL where hot weather markets like Arizona are already struggling.

 

[Team DJ]

Of all the sports, basketball would work best IMO. It's a casual sport that works well in places where there's a lot else to do. I thought a hockey team was a terrible decision by the NHL where hot weather markets like Arizona are already struggling.

I think NHL have tried to get in first and attract a lot of that casual interest, which would be a NBA gold mine.

 

[LB#16]

I think NHL have tried to get in first and attract a lot of that casual interest, which would be a NBA gold mine.

Absolutely. Seattle and Las Vegas would be an interesting expansion. There's plenty of markets to relocate the Vegas team to if it doesn't work out.

 

[LB#16]

http://nba.nbcsports.com/2017/01/14...ver-its-something-that-were-going-to-look-at/

“… In terms of a franchise in Mexico, most likely Mexico City, it’s something that we’re going to look at,” Silver said. “This is an incredible market, well over 20 million people, the largest market in North America. While we have no immediate plans to expand in the NBA, one of the things that we look at is whether expanding would be additive to the league as a whole. Clearly coming to Mexico City, not just because of the huge population here in Mexico but in essence as a gateway to the rest of Latin America, could potentially be very important to the league.”

 

[scaryness]

Seattle and Las Vegas are almost certainly the go for the new TV deal.

I'm curious how much adding these two will change divisions/conferences.
Two very much Western teams, which would mean you're either going with a 15/17 East-West split or one West team will be moving to the Eastern conference to even it out.

The closest West teams to the East are Minnesota, Memphis and New Orleans. Minnesota would be Central while Memphis or New Orleans would be Southeast, could maybe even move the Wizards to Atlantic as well since that makes more geographical sense.

Seattle would be Northwest as it stands but maybe the Blazers and Seattle become Pacific, with Vegas as Northwest and Phoenix joining either Northwest or Southwest.

Or just drop Seattle in Northwest and Vegas in Pacific and call it a job done.