Commissioner Adam Silver hints at NBA expansion in near future

According to commissioner Adam Silver, NBA expansion to cities like Seattle and Las Vegas is a "possibility" in the not-too-distant future. 

Appearing with the "Inside the NBA" crew ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Denver, Silver didn't break any news but made expansion sound inevitable for the league. 

"We don't have anything specific in mind right now, but I think it makes sense over time," Silver said via NBA TV. "If you're a successful organization that continues to grow, there's no doubt there's a lot of cities who are interested in having the NBA."

While a lot has to happen, one box, a new collective bargaining agreement, is already checked off. Silver added that there won't be any movement on expansion until after the NBA secures its new media rights, with negotiations expected to begin next spring. 

There is a lot on Silver and the NBA's plate, and, for now, expansion is likely on the backburner. However, rumors of a Seattle/Las Vegas expansion began ahead of the 2022-23 season. Last October, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed that the NBA would "seriously" examine the possibility of adding teams, with Seattle and Las Vegas being frontrunners. 

Aside from recently hosting several NBA preseason games, Seattle has been basketball starved since the Supersonics left for Oklahoma City in 2008, and the city seems like a no-brainer for expansion. Meanwhile, "Sin City" has already seen the eruption in popularity of the NHL's Golden Knights, who are three wins from winning the Stanley Cup. The Vegas strip might also feature an MLB team soon, with rumors the Oakland A's could soon be tenants.