The Brief
• NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says potential expansion decisions will be made in 2026, with Seattle and Las Vegas as top candidates
• Washington Governor Bob Ferguson recently spoke with Silver about bringing the SuperSonics back to Seattle
• The SuperSonics left Seattle in 2008 and became the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving the city without an NBA team for the past 18 years
SEATTLE, Wash — The NBA is moving closer to expanding its 30-team league, and Seattle has been mentioned as a leading candidate to land a new franchise that could revive the beloved SuperSonics brand.
Commissioner Adam Silver announced during NBA All-Star Weekend that the league will make expansion decisions in 2026, specifically mentioning Seattle and Las Vegas as potential destinations. The announcement comes after Governor Bob Ferguson held a phone call with Silver in early February to discuss bringing professional basketball back to Seattle.
“We will make decisions in 2026, I think in fairness to the cities, Seattle and Las Vegas in particular,” Silver told media during All-Star Weekend. “I’ve been very clear, I don’t want to tease teams, tease cities, or mislead anyone. We wanted to get through collective bargaining, national television deals, we’ve done that, and now we’ve turned to it.”
The Seattle SuperSonics played in the NBA from 1967 to 2008 before relocating to Oklahoma City, where they rebranded as the Thunder. Seattle has remained without an NBA team since the departure, despite maintaining a passionate basketball fanbase.
Silver indicated that formal discussions about expansion will begin in March at the NBA Board of Governors meeting. While no voting on league expansion will take place during that March meeting, it represents a significant step forward in the process that could eventually restore professional basketball to Seattle.
The NBA has not expanded since adding the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) in 2004. League expansion would likely involve substantial franchise fees and require approval from existing team owners, who would vote on any proposed additions to the league.
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