10 Favorite NBA Expansion Teams: Where Do the Supersonics Rank?

Who gets the next NBA expansion teams? You and I both agree that expansion is overdue. That’s why you’re here, right? The last time the NBA expanded was in 2004 when the Charlotte Bobcats joined the league. 

The Boston Red Sox had won their first World Series since 1918 and Facebook had just launched. It’s now time the NBA expands beyond 30 teams. The talent pool is deep enough and NBA viewership has gone up 16%. Here’s our ten favorites:

10. Anaheim

California has four NBA teams, the most of any state. A team in Anaheim would make it a fifth. The Honda Center is ready to go, and there’s precedent with Anaheim coming close to an NBA franchise in the past.  

The Sacramento Kings were odds-on to relocate to Anaheim and would have had it not been for the miraculous efforts of passionate local businesses owners and Kings fans preventing the move.   

9. Hampton Roads

Virginia hosting one of the next NBA expansion teams? It’s not as far-fetched as it may seem. Hampton Roads has a large metro population that exceeds 1.8 million and the region has also ranked first for percentage of TVs tuned in to NBA games. Past attempts were made to relocate the Astros, Expos and Marlins to Virginia.

A move to Arlington was likely had it not been for the untimely death of advocate and County Board chairman Charles P. Monroe in 2003. In 2001 relocating the Charlotte Hornets to Virginia was considered before settling on New Orleans. The closest Virginia may ever get to an NBA team is via the Washington Wizards moving base to Northern Virginia.

8. Pittsburgh

The big roadblock for an NBA expansion team in Pittsburgh is whether or not a shrinking population could support a team with the stranglehold of the Penguins and Steelers in the city. 

What is on Pittsburgh’s side is that there’s no need to build an arena with the NBA-ready PPG Paints Arena already hosting the Penguins, as well as March Madness games in 2022. Pittsburgh Ironmen anyone?

7. Montreal

One of North America’s biggest markets, Montreal is ripe for one of the next NBA expansion teams. With a well established Haitian and French-speaking African community in the city, Montreal fits right into the NBA’s global brand.

A metro population of over 4.3 million also makes a case for Canadian NBA expansion over the much more fancied Vancouver. In terms of a stadium, Bell Centre can host NBA games and is already home to the Montreal Canadiens. 

6. Kansas City

The fact that the OKC Thunder is 350 miles southwest of Kansas City, and the Memphis Grizzlies are 450 miles southeast means there are no nearby teams competing in the market. Kanas City Chiefs, Royals and Sporting KC have all pushed Kansas City into 14th place for best sports city in America. Here’s why Kansas City works:

• Strong college teams
• T-Mobile Center
• Home to college basketball Hall of Fame
• No nearby NBA teams 

5. Vancouver

We wouldn’t even be having this conversation if the Vancouver Grizzlies drafted Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Ray Allen or Dirk Nowitzki when they could have.

After being awarded an NBA expansion team in 1995 they lasted only six seasons before relocating to Memphis because they were losing games, money and fans.

Since then Vancouver has grown by more than 600,000 people, has a booming economy, and is the third-largest North American market with one major league sports team. And, the Raptors sellout all their preseason games in Vancouver. 

4. Mexico City

The San Antonio Spurs are 700 miles away from Mexico City. If the league can manage the logistical nightmare of travelling to the Mexican capital it would offer a financial windfall for the NBA. A hint the league could be heading toward an international expansion team is the New Mexico Capitanes making their G League debut in 2021, as well as the city hosting its 32nd NBA game in 2023. 

Remarkably Mexico City’s population of 9 million is more than New York City. Add that to the fact that the city sits at an altitude 2,000 feet greater than that of Denver’s and you’ve got the recipe for a successful franchise and one of the favorites for the next NBA expansion teams.

3. Louisville

Louisville is a small market team. That’s as bad as it gets though. If NBA expansion took place into Louisville they’d still be bigger than both New Orleans and Memphis.  There isn’t a pro sports team in Louisville so that means any team would have all the media attention and close to maximum attendances for games. 

Imagine a team called the Kentucky Buckets or the Kentucky Colonels playing at KFC Yum! Center, one of the best arenas that isn’t currently home to an NBA team. 

2. Las Vegas

Las Vegas had no major league teams. That was until the Golden Knights joined the NHL in 2017 followed by the relocation of the NFL’s Raiders from Oakland to Vegas in 2020. Is the NBA the next big league to join the party in Vegas? Let’s make a case. The NBA Summer League is currently hosted by Las Vegas and the 2023 edition coincided with the inaugural NBA Con.

Vegas was also chosen to host the semifinals and championship game of the NBA Cup. Further solidifying the case that Las Vegas deserves the next NBA expansion team is the back-to-back WNBA championships won by Aces in 2022 and 2023.

1. Seattle

Seattle are the favorites to host the next NBA expansion team with good reason. The Supersonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008 largely because Seattle couldn’t fund an upgrade to KeyArena. Now called “Climate Pledge Arena”, the former KeyArena underwent renovations completed in 2021 which exceeded $1 billion.

The state-of-the-art Climate Pledge Arena is one of the best in the NHL and is home to the Seattle Kraken. So now that the arena problem is solved what’s next? Seattle remains the largest metro area and media market without an NBA team so it’s seemingly a matter of when, and not if, the Seattle Supersonics will join the league.