NBA commissioner Adam Silver made headlines at All-Star Weekend 2024 when he said Las Vegas was “definitely on our list” as an expansion candidate. Silver added the league would wait until the new media rights agreement before moving towards expansion, which means there is at least one more year before serious talks to add cities begin. That doesn’t mean we can’t take a look at some of the best markets for the NBA to get into when expansion does take place.
Las Vegas
Population: 667,282
NBA history: None
Other pro sports teams: Golden Knights (NHL), Raiders (NFL), MLB TBD
Market ranking: 40
There’s a ton of momentum behind adding a NBA team in Las Vegas from various interested parties. The city that has long been associated with gambling, debauchery and general wackiness has transformed into a budding metropolitan area with an emphasis on entertainment. The NHL and NFL have already joined the party, with the league even putting a Super Bowl in Las Vegas. F1 hosted a race with mixed results, but that doesn’t mean the appeal isn’t there. Vegas is also the site of several college basketball tournaments and has hosted the main edition of NBA Summer League regularly. Even baseball is trying to get into the market. There’s no reason to believe investors won’t line up to bring a new NBA team to Sin City.
The NBA hosted the knockout round of the inaugural In-Season Tournament in Las Vegas and the event was billed as a resounding success across the board. The league has been intentional about making this city a priority, and I think it’s safe to say Vegas will get a team once expansion talks officially get underway.
Seattle
Population: 784,754
NBA history: SuperSonics (1967-2008)
Other pro sports teams: Mariners (MLB), Kraken (NHL), Seahawks (NFL)
Market ranking: 12
This explanation will be relatively short. Seattle has seen amazing results with NHL expansion and already has a presence with the league prior to the team moving to Oklahoma City. The SuperSonics have been a prominent fixture for the NBA and the market statistics are tremendous. If Las Vegas is getting a team, Seattle should also be an automatic addition. There would need to be some juggling with conferences, with the Grizzlies and Pelicans most likely to shift to the East if the league adds two teams in the West. If there are only two markets getting a team, Seattle should be one of them.
Vancouver
Population: 600,000
NBA history: Grizzlies (1995-2001)
Other pro sports teams: Canucks (NHL)
Market ranking: 3rd in Canada
The NBA already had a presence in Western Canada, so why not go back there? Vancouver would offer the league another foothold in the country with Toronto being on the other side, although it’ll be interesting to see if there’s an overlap with Seattle. The tough reality for Vancouver is the city is unlikely to get a team if only two markets are being added. If there’s further expansion on the table, the largest city in British Columbia will be considered.
Montreal
Population: 1,600,000
NBA history: None
Other pro sports teams: Canadiens (NHL)
Market ranking: 2nd in Canada
If Vancouver gets consideration, so does Montreal. Being in Quebec might actually help the NBA’s overall goal of global expansion, with the city’s French population potentially relating to the sport due to France’s basketball success internationally. Montreal has the market size and sports culture to be a good fit, although it probably won’t get consideration over Las Vegas or Seattle if the league caps the expansion plans at two markets.
Baltimore
Population: 555,831
NBA history: Bullets (1963-73)
Other pro sports teams: Ravens (NFL), Orioles (MLB)
Market ranking: 28
If the league is going with one market in the West and one market in the East, Baltimore should be getting some love. Even though it would add to the number of teams in the East Coast megalopolis and potentially undercut the Wizards, there’s a strong sports history in this city. More importantly, there’s a history of success and a belief that success will continue. The Ravens have won a couple Super Bowls recently and are the talk of the NFL with Lamar Jackson at the quarterback spot. The Orioles look like they’re set to contend for a World Series crown for the next decade. The NBA could add an expansion franchise to the mix here to capitalize on this sports craze.
San Diego
Population: 1,394,518
NBA history: Rockets (1967-71), Clippers (1978-84)
Other pro sports teams: Padres (MLB)
Market ranking: 30
The positives are obvious with San Diego. It’s almost always highly ranked in places Americans wish they could live, meaning players and coaches would be interested in joining a franchise based here. The California market isn’t getting any smaller, and San Diego does rank in the top 10 in population. There’s only one other professional sports team in town who’s season doesn’t significantly overlap with the NBA, meaning there’s huge potential.
And yet, two failed stints for the league in this city likely leave it well behind other options. The Los Angeles Chargers left San Diego due to the lack of funding for a stadium, and the city knows its primary draw isn’t sports. The opportunity for a presence here does exist but the NBA has tried this before and is unlikely to do so again.
Kansas City
Population: 509,993
NBA history: Kings (1972-185)
Other pro sports teams: Royals (MLB), Chiefs (NFL)
Market ranking: 33
The NBA already has a strong Midwest presence, and it’s interesting to see if Kansas City can sustain another sports franchise. The city is a stronghold for two college sports programs, which means the NBA might not be interested in trying to carve out a niche. However, there’s a lot of passion for the city’s sports teams and it’s tempting to try to capitalize of the success of the Chiefs.
Mexico City
Population: 8,855,000
NBA history: N/A
Other pro sports teams: N/A
Market ranking: 1st in Mexico
Mexico City is the biggest market on the list, although Silver did confirm the city was not up for consideration in the current round of expansion. The NBA has played games in Mexico City, similar to what the NFL has done. However, it’s tough to envision a permanent franchise there for a while.
Nashville
Population: 694,598
NBA history: None
Other pro sports teams: Titans (NFL), Predators (NHL)
Market ranking: 27
Nashville has some of the same issues as Kansas City, and there’s already a NBA team in the state. Similar to Las Vegas, this city has undergone a nice transformation thanks to sports investment. There’s still a heavy presence of country music and bachelorette parties but Nashville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. The NBA might not get there in this round of expansion but it’s a strong option for future rounds.