NBA approves potential expansion into Seattle

By Griffin Beach on Thursday, March 26th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

SEATTLE – The National Basketball Association has voted to explore expansion into Seattle, nearly 18 years after the Supersonics left for Oklahoma City.

Las Vegas was also selected for potential expansion. Investment bank PJT Partners was named as a strategic adviser to evaluate prospective markets and potential ownership groups.

While the NBA stated it will provide updates throughout the process, a final approval vote could occur as early as this summer’s owners meetings. Even with a green light, a new Seattle franchise would likely not begin play until the 2028-2029 season.

“Today’s vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle – two markets with a long history of support for NBA basketball,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We look forward to taking this next step and engaging with interested parties.”

Seattle has been without an NBA team since the end of the 2007-2008 season. Under a previous legal settlement, the city retained the SuperSonics name, logo, and colors, clearing the way for a “rebirth” of the original brand.

“The time is right. The state-of-the-art Climate Pledge Arena already hosts professional basketball and hockey with the Storm, Kraken, and Torrent in front of a dedicated fanbase. And we know we have the best fans in the NBA,” said Washington Governor Bob Ferguson.

Climate Pledge Arena in downtown Seattle. The Supersonics played there in its previous iteration as KeyArena.