Sports
Seattle’s NBA expansion path faces fresh uncertainty as Las Vegas bids falter
Groups that lose the contest for an NBA franchise in Las Vegas may not pursue Seattle, adding to uncertainty over the SuperSonics’ possible return. The league is seeking at least $7 billion for an expansion team, while its timeline for decisions and a potential 2028-29 start may be slipping.
SEATTLE — The groups competing for an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas appear hesitant to turn their attention to Seattle if they lose the bidding, complicating hopes that the SuperSonics could return as part of the league’s next expansion round.
The NBA has reportedly seen unsuccessful Las Vegas bidders as potential candidates for Seattle. But a Friday report said the groups had reservations about entering the Seattle process.
One Las Vegas bid, led by Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos and former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, has effectively fallen away after the group declined to increase its offer amid rising costs, according to a separate report. The league’s target expansion fee for a Seattle franchise is at least $7 billion.
The latest developments follow a week of mixed signals about Seattle’s prospects. A report last Friday said the NBA’s owners no longer viewed Seattle as a sure thing. Commissioner Adam Silver then said in a Tuesday interview that expansion remained “a few” years away and mentioned Mexico City as a market the league wants to consider after decisions on Las Vegas and Seattle.
One Roof Sports and Entertainment has been viewed as the leading Seattle bidder. Another proposal, from BlackSun Private Equity in partnership with the Tulalip Tribes, would place a team’s games on tribal-owned land near Marysville. Questions have been raised about the bid’s viability.
The NBA may also be weighing when new teams could begin play. The league had previously targeted the 2028-29 season, but Silver’s comments have prompted questions about whether that schedule will hold. The winning Las Vegas group is expected to build a new arena that may not be ready until 2029; delaying expansion by a year could allow the team to open in its new home and help the league coordinate launches in both markets.
A later start would also give the NBA more time to decide whether to expand in Seattle and Las Vegas. The league has sought additional bidders in Seattle, a step that could increase competition and push up the expansion price. While Las Vegas appears closer to a decision, the remaining weeks of 2026 leave a narrowing window for the league to resolve both markets before year’s end.