-1600x900.webp)
LAS VEGAS — As the NBA’s board of governors gathers this week in Las Vegas for its annual summer meetings, league expansion will be among the key topics on the agenda — and oddsmakers are already placing bets on where new franchises could land.
Las Vegas and Seattle have emerged as the clear favorites to receive expansion teams, according to BetOnline.ag, which released odds on the next cities expected to join the league. Seattle tops the list at 1/1, followed by Las Vegas at 2/1.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that expansion will be discussed during the meetings, noting, “It will be on the agenda to take the temperature of the room.”
The league has long been rumored to be eyeing a return to Seattle, which lost its SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008. Las Vegas, meanwhile, has rapidly grown into a major sports market, now home to the NHL’s Golden Knights and the NFL’s Raiders, with an MLB team on the way.
Other potential destinations on the board include Mexico City (10/1), Kansas City (12/1), Vancouver (14/1), and San Diego (16/1). A total of 13 cities are listed, including long shots such as Montreal (66/1) and Austin (33/1).
Betting markets are also tracking the potential expansion fee, with the over/under set at a staggering $4.5 billion — a figure that reflects the skyrocketing valuations of professional sports franchises.
Silver has previously mentioned the possibility of international expansion, specifically citing Mexico City and additional Canadian cities, though the league has not committed to a timeline.
While expansion talks are still in the early stages, the latest odds signal that the NBA could soon grow beyond its current 30 teams — with Las Vegas and Seattle positioned at the front of the line.