Expansion of the NBA
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2017) |
Since beginning with 11 teams in 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA) expanded several times before reaching its current 30 teams. The most recent additions were the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat (1988), the Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic (1989), the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies (1995; the latter relocated to Memphis in 2001), and the New Orleans Hornets (2002; now called the Pelicans).
On March 25, 2026, the NBA Board of Governors authorized the league to explore potential expansion franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas, targeted to begin play in the 2028–29 season.[1]
| Progression of NBA expansion | |
|---|---|
| Years | No. of teams |
| 1946–1947 | 11 |
| 1947–1948 | 8 |
| 1948–1949 | 12 |
| 1949–1950 | 17 |
| 1950–1951 | 11 |
| 1951–1953 | 10 |
| 1953–1955 | 9 |
| 1955–1961 | 8 |
| 1961–1966 | 9 |
| 1966–1967 | 10 |
| 1967–1968 | 12 |
| 1968–1970 | 14 |
| 1970–1974 | 17 |
| 1974–1976 | 18 |
| 1976–1980 | 22 |
| 1980–1988 | 23 |
| 1988–1989 | 25 |
| 1989–1995 | 27 |
| 1995–2004 | 29 |
| 2004–present | 30 |
Early years (1946–1966)
[edit]There was a lot of expansion and moving of organizations in the early years of the NBA. During this 20-year time period is when notable franchises entered the NBA like the Syracuse Nationals (now the Philadelphia 76ers), the Philadelphia Warriors (now the Golden State Warriors), Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los Angeles Lakers), Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now the Atlanta Hawks), and Rochester Royals (now the Sacramento Kings).
The league experienced its first substantial growth, although short-lived, as the league was back down to eight teams by 1955 after peaking to 17 teams in 1949–50.
Expansion era (1966–1980)
[edit]During a span of 15 years, 14 of the 30 current teams were brought into the league, beginning with the Chicago Bulls in 1966. The San Diego Rockets (now Houston Rockets) and Seattle SuperSonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder) joined one year later, with the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks following them in 1968. After two more seasons, in 1970, the Buffalo Braves (later San Diego Clippers, now Los Angeles Clippers), Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trail Blazers all began play. The New Orleans Jazz (now Utah Jazz) became the league's 18th franchise in 1974.
Following the 1975–76 season, the NBA merged with the American Basketball Association, a competing league that had operated for nine seasons beginning in 1967. With the ABA–NBA merger, four ABA teams became members of the NBA: the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets (became New Jersey Nets, now Brooklyn Nets) and the San Antonio Spurs. In 1980, the Dallas Mavericks were created as the league's 23rd member.
Modern expansion (1988–2004)
[edit]The NBA has added seven more franchises from 1988 to present, the latest in 2004. Four teams were created in 1988 and 1989: the Charlotte Hornets, the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, both in Florida, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. In 1995 the NBA created two new teams in Canada: the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies (who have since moved to Tennessee and are now the Memphis Grizzlies). The Raptors and Grizzlies were the first two Canadian teams since the now-defunct Toronto Huskies in the inaugural 1946–47 season. The league expanded to 30 with the Charlotte Bobcats in 2004, following the 2002 relocation of the Charlotte Hornets to New Orleans. In 2014, the Bobcats rebranded to and acquired the history of the Charlotte Hornets, with the New Orleans Pelicans being retroactively recognized as a new franchise established in 2002.[2]
Future expansion (2028–2029)
[edit]On September 17, 2024, in the midst of rumors of the NBA potentially exploring expansion, ESPN reported on how the league had been exploring the idea of expanding once more since 2020 and that there had been many factors pointing to that idea of doing so in the upcoming future.[3]
On December 18, 2025, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that a decision would be made in 2026 on whether to proceed with expansion, with Seattle and Las Vegas being the top markets to be considered.[4]
During meetings on March 24 and 25, 2026, the league's Board of Governors unanimously voted to explore adding expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas. The approval paves the path for the possible revival of the Seattle SuperSonics, which would result in the Oklahoma City Thunder ceding the Sonics' history back to Seattle. The Thunder have retained the rights to the SuperSonics' banners, trophies, retired jerseys, nickname, logo, and color scheme since the Sonics' move to Oklahoma City in 2008, which would be made available to any subsequent NBA team that plays in Seattle, subject to NBA approval. The potential of adding a brand-new team in Las Vegas, long rumored to be a destination for a future NBA franchise, is due to the city hosting the annual NBA Summer League, where all teams have participated since 2018, and the NBA Cup semifinal and championship games. Both teams are targeted to begin play in the 2028–29 season.[5]
Seattle
[edit]
Seattle is both the most populous metropolitan area and the largest American media market without an NBA franchise. The city hosted the Seattle SuperSonics from the 1967–68 season until the 2007–08 season, after which the team was relocated to Oklahoma City, due to team and Seattle officials being unable to come to an agreement to build a new arena. With the potential expansion to Seattle, the history of the SuperSonics would be acquired by the revived team while the Oklahoma City Thunder would be retroactively recognized as a new franchise established in 2008.[6]
On December 3, 2018, the renovation of what was once KeyArena (now Climate Pledge Arena) began, bringing the arena to current NBA standards and in preparation for the then upcoming National Hockey League (NHL) expansion franchise, the Seattle Kraken, who began play in 2021.[7] Since the renovations, the NBA has hosted a preseason game known as the "Rain City Showcase" starting from 2022.[8] On March 23, 2026, Samantha Holloway, the leader of the Kraken ownership group, created One Roof Sports and Entertainment and purchased a majority stake in Climate Pledge Arena in anticipation of NBA expansion. On the same day, a video conference call between Washington governor Bob Ferguson and Adam Silver occurred regarding the return of the Sonics.[9][10]
In addition to the expansion Kraken, Seattle also hosts the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL), Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB), Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer (MLS), Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), Seattle Reign FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and Seattle Torrent of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
Las Vegas
[edit]Las Vegas hosts the annual NBA Summer League, in which all teams have participated since 2018, and the NBA Cup semifinal and championship games. In 2001, Las Vegas was included in the list of cities the Vancouver Grizzlies were considering relocating to, before the team ultimately chose to move to Memphis, Tennessee, to become the Memphis Grizzlies.[11]
The 2007 NBA All-Star Game took place in the city at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The arena is home to the UNLV Runnin' Rebels team of NCAA Division I's Mountain West Conference (MWC).[12]
T-Mobile Arena, opened in 2016 and home of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, has been suggested as a potential destination for a future franchise in the city. Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman was a vocal supporter of landing an NBA team for the city, including personally contacting NBA commissioner Adam Silver in early 2021.[13] The arena has hosted part of the NBA Cup in 2023, 2024, and 2025.[14]
In 2022, LeBron James expressed interest in owning an NBA team, specifically one located in Las Vegas; however, by 2026 he stated he was no longer interested in owning the Vegas team.[15][16] In March 2026, it was reported that Magic Johnson and the MAGI group met with Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo to discuss an expansion team in the city, including a possible new arena and resort to house the team.[17] Golden Knights owner Bill Foley has also expressed interest in joining the ownership group of the Vegas NBA team.[18]
In addition to the Golden Knights, who began play in 2017, Las Vegas also hosts the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders, who relocated from Oakland to the city in 2020, and the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces, who relocated from San Antonio to the city in 2018. MLB's Athletics are due to begin playing in a new stadium in Las Vegas in 2028.[19]
Timeline
[edit]Expansion drafts
[edit]There have been 11 expansion drafts in NBA history. An additional four of the league's current teams joined via the 1976 ABA–NBA merger. Assuming the league fully approves expansion in Seattle and Las Vegas in 2028, the league will host its 12th expansion draft ahead of the 2028 NBA draft, after which is when both teams will begin play in the subsequent 2028–29 season.
| Year | New teams | Team(s) | Total teams after draft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1 | Chicago Packers (now Washington Wizards) | 9 |
| 1966 | 1 | Chicago Bulls | 10 |
| 1967 | 2 | San Diego Rockets (now Houston Rockets), Seattle SuperSonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder) | 12 |
| 1968 | 2 | Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns | 14 |
| 1970 | 3 | Buffalo Braves (now Los Angeles Clippers), Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers | 17 |
| 1974 | 1 | New Orleans Jazz (now Utah Jazz) | 18 |
| 1976 merger with ABA | 4 | Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets (now Brooklyn Nets), San Antonio Spurs | 22 |
| 1980 | 1 | Dallas Mavericks | 23 |
| 1988 | 2 | Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat | 25 |
| 1989 | 2 | Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic | 27 |
| 1995 | 2 | Toronto Raptors, Vancouver Grizzlies (now Memphis Grizzlies) | 29 |
| 2004 | 1 | Charlotte Bobcats (now Charlotte Hornets) | 30 |
Teams
[edit]
The NBA originated in 1946 with 11 teams, and through a sequence of team expansions, contractions, and relocations consists of 30 teams. The United States is home to 29 teams and one is located in Canada.
The following table shows current NBA teams that are participating in the 2025–26 NBA season, in which city they are located, when the club was founded, joined the NBA, number of times relocated and times the franchise name has changed.
Current
[edit]Notes:
- The Charlotte Hornets are regarded as a continuation of the original Charlotte franchise. Because of this, the New Orleans Pelicans are no longer the same franchise as the original Charlotte Hornets. The New Orleans Pelicans were established in 2002. The Charlotte Hornets rejoined the league in 2004, and were known as the Bobcats from 2004 to 2014.
- Spent two seasons as Oklahoma City/New Orleans Hornets due to Hurricane Katrina.
- The Thunder market the team as being established in 2008 following the move of the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City and rebranding.
- Spent one season in Tampa Bay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20]
Former
[edit]| Team | Location | Founded | Entered NBA | Years active | Left NBA | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Packers | Anderson, Indiana | 1946 | 1949 | 1 | 1950 | Small market |
| Baltimore Bullets | Baltimore, Maryland | 1944 | 1947 | 8 | 1954 | — |
| Chicago Stags | Chicago, Illinois | 1946 | 1946 | 4 | 1950 | — |
| Cleveland Rebels | Cleveland, Ohio | 1946 | 1946 | 1 | 1947 | — |
| Denver Nuggets | Denver, Colorado | 1932 | 1949 | 1 | 1950 | — |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Charania, Shams (March 25, 2026). "NBA owners vote to explore Vegas, Seattle expansion bids". ESPN. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
- ^ "Charlotte Hornets Name Returns to Carolinas". Hornets. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. May 20, 2014. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014.
- ^ Tim Bontemps; Kevin Pelton; Brian Windhorst (September 17, 2024). "NBA expansion FAQ: Cities, draft, teams and the league's future". ESPN. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
- ^ Tim Bontemps (December 17, 2025). "Adam Silver: Decision on NBA expansion will be made in 2026". ESPN. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
- ^ Aschburner, Steve (March 25, 2026). "NBA commissioner Adam Silver on league's plan to explore expansion in Seattle and Las Vegas". NBA. Archived from the original on March 29, 2026. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
- ^ Bontemps, Tim; Pelton, Kevin; Windhorst, Brian (September 17, 2024). "NBA expansion FAQ: Cities, draft, teams and the league's future". ESPN. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Millman, Zosha (September 24, 2018). "$700 million in KeyArena renovations approved by Seattle City Council". SeattlePI. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
- ^ "Climate Pledge Arena Announces Return of Rain City Showcase NBA Preseason Game". NBA. June 22, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ Destin, Andrew (March 23, 2026). "Seattle Kraken assume majority ownership of Climate Pledge Arena". AP News. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
- ^ Daniels, Chris (March 23, 2026). "Kraken Owner purchases majority stake in arena, prior to NBA vote". KOMO News. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
- ^ Hoops, Andy (May 11, 2018). "How Vancouver Really Lost The Grizzlies To Memphis". ClutchPoints. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
- ^ Kantowski, Ron (July 31, 2018). "Las Vegas moves giant step closer to landing NBA team". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
- ^ Gordon, Sam; Shoro, Mike (December 22, 2020). "Mayor Goodman talks with NBA commissioner about expansion". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ^ Rapp, Timothy (September 14, 2023). "NBA Rumors: Execs Believe In-Season Tournament Is 'Test Run' for Las Vegas Expansion". Bleacher Report. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
- ^ McMenamin, Dave (June 10, 2022). "Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James says he wants to own NBA team in Las Vegas". ESPN. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
- ^ Vannoy, Jenelle (March 22, 2026). "LeBron James out of Las Vegas NBA ownership talks". KLAS. Archived from the original on March 22, 2026. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
- ^ Akers, Mick (March 10, 2026). "Magic Johnson pursues NBA expansion team in Las Vegas". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ Wimbish, Jasmyn (March 25, 2026). "NBA expansion: Team owners approve vote to take next steps in adding teams in Seattle, Las Vegas". CBS Sports. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
- ^ Feinsand, Mark (November 16, 2023). "Owners' vote approves A's relocation to Las Vegas for 2028". MLB. Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- ^ Reynolds, Tim (February 11, 2021). "Raptors to finish 2020-21 season in Tampa". NBA. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
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