NBA Has Significant Interest For Las Vegas Franchise

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NBA Has Significant Interest For Las Vegas Franchise

Originally posted on Lindy's Sports | By Adam Martin | Last updated Sep 17, 2026 5:03 PM ET

The NBA has significant interest among investors for an expansion franchise in Las Vegas, according to NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

Though nothing is official just yet, the NBA seems destined to expand to a 32-team league, with franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas at the top of the list.

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Seattle seems like basically a done deal, as the league owes the city a team after robbing the Emerald City of the Seattle SuperSonics, who later became the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Plus, the new Seattle team (which will likely be the SuperSonics) already has a home ready to go in Climate Pledge Arena — the same place where the old SuperSonics used to play when it was called KeyArena — as the arena was renovated when the Seattle Kraken entered the NHL in 2021.

Las Vegas, however, is the one that has a few more issues to solve, especially in terms of an arena, but it appears likely that something is going to give and there will be an NBA team in Nevada sooner rather than later.

Las Vegas is already home to NBA Summer League action.ALFSnaiper / Getty Images

Adam Silver Bullish on Las Vegas Expansion, But Questions Remain

Speaking to reporters this week, Silver admitted that while he is bullish about an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas, there are still major questions remaining before it can happen, including where the team will play.

While the T-Mobile Arena — the home of the UFC, boxing, and the Vegas Golden Knights NHL team — is an option, the city could also build a brand-new building for the Las Vegas NBA team to play at.

“I think that there is real excitement around either a renovated T-Mobile Arena (or a new arena). I think everyone acknowledges that T-Mobile’s there and still needs some significant improvements. But at the same time, there are groups who have presented plans to build what I would call a modern entertainment palace in Las Vegas. And it’s a unique market where you can truly see essentially 365-day-a-year activity,” Silver said.

Based on these comments, it’s easy to see why Silver is excited about an opportunity to expand to a city as lucrative as Las Vegas, where the money flows like water.

The NHL and NFL have welcomed teams to Sin City within the last decade, and the MLB will soon, too, when the Athletics move to Las Vegas in 2028.

Now, it looks like Las Vegas may also get an NBA team, giving basketball fans there a team of their own to cheer for after years of the NBA Summer League taking place in the city.

This article first appeared on Lindy's Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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