NBA says goal still to have vote on expansion, Sonics return this year

NEW YORK — No one likes to be reduced to being secondary or a footnote in conversations or discussions.

In the case of the latest NBA owners meetings, sitting second on the agenda when it comes to expansion conversations seems like it could be a good thing for Seattle as it has fewer questions than Las Vegas and fewer answers needed.

The league wrapped up two days of meetings Tuesday, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver noting that the amount of answers still needed about bringing a team to Las Vegas meant Seattle ended up on the back burner.

There are more ownership groups vying for the Las Vegas franchise at what is expected to be a higher price. There is uncertainty about arena plans or solutions when it comes to a Vegas team.

Those lingering questions meant most of the discussion around the possibility of adding two teams to the league’s portfolio centered on Sin City and not the Emerald City.

“There was not as much discussion around Seattle as there was around Las Vegas, largely because per the prior question — Las Vegas, it’s not even clear what the site will be, let alone the arena yet, and therefore it’s a much longer timeline before we can throw the ball up for NBA basketball,” Silver said.

Silver reiterated the league’s goal is still to make a final decision by the end of the calendar year on whether to add zero, one or two teams. All three outcomes remain possible, although it’s becoming more difficult to see the league’s owners turning down the idea of an influx of cash that could be totaling $15 billion or more coming into their collective pockets.

There are three known potential ownership groups remaining in Las Vegas, with another round of bids for that potential franchise due later this week, Silver said. In Seattle, it remains One Roof Sports and Entertainment as the lead group, although the commissioner again said the league is looking at more than one bid for the city.

ESPN reported Tuesday that the Las Vegas franchise could fetch close to $10 billion in an expansion fee with Seattle closer to $7 billion. Hitting those marks would give each current owner more than $500 million plus in expansion fees.

“Just because we can only take on so much at once, more of the discussion was around Las Vegas. But as you said in your question, I’ve been saying it’s our goal to have decisions by the end of the year and that continues to be our goal,” Silver said.

After the formal news conference ended, Silver said most of the questions the Board of Governors still have about Seattle focus on the makeup of the ownership group outside of the principal owner and to what level of success the franchise could achieve. One Roof Sports and Entertainment already has billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy as part of its ownership portfolio with the Kraken.

“It’s not just the principal. I think they’re interested in the entire group,” Silver said. “And then beyond that, I think it’s what is the level of passion? What are they projecting they can do in the market? Again, because if you’re adding a team, then the question is how accretive is that?

“As we’re always pointing out, you’re selling equity in the league. You’re selling 1/30 of the future, 1/31 of the future, and so the extent you’re going to do that, then the question becomes beyond just the straight math of they’re paying you for your future revenue stream, (but) are these activities in this market going to be accretive to the entire league, and in some cases that’s because of the quality of the ownership group.”

One area that doesn’t seem to be a question is the arena situation. Silver praised Climate Pledge Arena as a top-tier venue that members of the league’s operations staff have visited and vetted. Silver noted that if Seattle was already in the league, the building would be ready for hosting games when the new season begins next month.

Unlike when the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City, the arena won’t be the reason expansion doesn’t happen.

“These arenas, from the point of permitting, to shovel-in-the-ground, to construction is a multiyear process,” Silver said. “Which is why, given that Seattle went through that process already, has a beautiful, relatively new arena — maybe that needs some modifications — we can afford to go slower there than we can Las Vegas.”

But there are still enough questions remaining and answers needed before Silver will take the possibility of adding teams to the full ownership for a vote. Silver would not give a formal timeline on when that could happen, other than reiterating before the end of 2026.

While much of Silver’s news conference was dominated by conversation around the Los Angeles Clippers and the punishment handed down to owner Steve Ballmer, there was one other nugget related to the Pacific Northwest.

Silver was asked about the ongoing negotiations between Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon and the city of Portland over a new lease agreement and improvements to Moda Center, which have become messy and contentious, and lefty uncertainty around the future of the franchise beyond the conclusion of the current lease in 2030.

Silver said that for the Trail Blazers and the return of the Portland Fire of the WNBA that a renovated Moda Center — which opened in 1995 — is a requirement. But he has no interest at the moment in seeing the team leave or ruining the potential excitement about the return of the Seattle-Portland rivalry if expansion is eventually approved.

“I want to be very direct about it. I would see it as a failure if we did not keep the team in Portland. I’ve spent a lot of time in that community over the years. They’ve shown amazing support for the Trail Blazers. They’re some of our best fans around the league,” Silver said.