NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has announced that the league is poised to seriously explore expansion, a topic slated for significant discussion at the upcoming Board of Governors meeting in July in Las Vegas. Silver, speaking ahead of the NBA Finals, emphasized that the time is ripe for examining the creation of new franchises, especially given the number of "underserved" markets in North America and beyond. This renewed focus on expansion follows the establishment of a new collective bargaining agreement in 2023, lucrative 11-year media rights deals finalized in 2024, and a new valuation set by the Boston Celtics sale in March 2025.

Silver described expansion as akin to "selling equity in the league," acknowledging the dual perspective: while new partners might dilute existing ownership, the potential for growth and serving passionate fanbases in deserving markets presents a compelling case. The July owners' meeting is expected to "take the temperature of the room" and provide formal direction to the league office on how to proceed with these exploratory efforts.

Domestically, Seattle and Las Vegas are widely considered the frontrunners to receive new NBA teams. Seattle has a storied basketball history, having been the former home of the SuperSonics before their relocation to Oklahoma City in 2008. Las Vegas has increasingly become an NBA hub, hosting the Summer League and the inaugural NBA Cup, making it a strong contender. The league recognizes there are likely more deserving markets than can be accommodated even with expansion.

Beyond North American borders, the NBA's expansion ambitions extend globally. Silver highlighted ongoing discussions about potentially creating an NBA-affiliated league in Europe, viewing this as another form of expansion. This initiative, which has seen prior mentions of joint discussions with FIBA, aims to capitalize on the continent's passion for basketball. "We think there’s an opportunity to serve fans in Europe," Silver stated, acknowledging the existing high-level basketball talent emerging from the continent. This would build on the NBA's previous international efforts, such as the creation of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) approximately five years ago, a project spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and COO Mark Tatum.

In a related development aimed at enhancing fan engagement and reflecting the league's international makeup, Silver confirmed that the NBA is working on a revamped All-Star Game. The goal is to introduce an "international flavor" to the mid-season event, which has seen declining viewership. While ruling out a simple USA versus World format, Silver suggested exploring different team configurations, possibly on a regional basis, to better represent the league where international players now constitute 30% of the talent pool, with American players making up the remaining 70%.

The upcoming discussions and decisions in July will be pivotal in shaping the future landscape of the NBA, potentially leading to a significant broadening of its presence both within North America and across the globe.