Is there an expansion in the works for the NBA – and could a team be coming to Seattle?
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver shared Tuesday that the league took a ‘significant step’ toward adding to its roster.
They will be doing an ‘in-depth’ analysis of all the factors that impact an expansion.
“We’re going to be as thorough as possible and look at all the potential issues,” Silver told reporters.
It’ll likely be several years before that becomes a reality.
“It’s really day one of that analysis, so in terms of price, potential timing, it’s too early to say,” Silver said.
So, what about Seattle?
“It’s an incredible market,” Silver shared. “I wish, standing here as the commissioner, I had lots of teams to dispense to many different markets who are interested in NBA basketball. I just think we also have this greater obligation to expand if we do so in a very deliberate fashion, in a way that makes sense holistically for the league. So that’s really the best I can do.”
SuperSonics fans will have to wait a while longer, it seems, for any concrete answer about whether we will see an NBA team again in the Emerald City.
“We are honored at the amount of interest and pleased to see that from several markets,” Silver said, “but ultimately what we are looking at first and foremost is how will this impact the existing operation of the NBA?”
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.
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