Could they wait for a new National Basketball Association team to arrive in Sin City? That’s what people are talking about all over the country, mainly after Adam Silver discussed that possibility earlier this month. That’s right, the NBA commissioner has given Las Vegas fans hope with his latest expansion update, as he didn’t mince words when talking about the league possibly making its way to Nevada sooner than later.
While speaking with ESPN on NBA Today, Silver gave people plenty of hope with his comments. People love basketball in Vegas and have been waiting for a new team to arrive. However, it looks like the league is waiting for its current TV deal to expire, which could open the door for two new expansion teams by 2024-25. If that happens. Vegas and Seattle are the favorites to land new teams.
“Las Vegas will make a great location for a franchise one day,” Silver said via the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We’ve been very public because we want to get through collective bargaining. We want to see where our media deals come out, but then we’ll return to expansion at some point.”
The fact that Silver said ‘one day’ really has people excited. With all of the excitement we’ve seen from the NBA Summer League in recent years, it’s only added to hoops supporters pushing and pushing for a pro team to arrive. There’s already an arena in the process of being structured, which would also be a major benefit for the city as a whole. So, when could a team come?
As noted in Silver’s comments, nothing will be getting done vis a vis an expansion team this year or next year. Fans hope the NBA can arrive in Las Vegas by 2024. This would be fantastic to see for everyone involved in this process, as it would bring yet another pro franchise to one of the most electric cities out there in the United States.
We’ve seen just how successful a pro team can be in Las Vegas, as the Golden Knights have been fantastic to watch in the NHL, and the Raiders are proving to be quite fun to watch in the NFL. Despite the season for the Raiders not getting off to the hot start everyone was hoping for, you know there’s a bright future with Derek Carr at quarterback, Josh McDaniels as the new head coach, and Davante Adams as a wide receiver.
Imagine if an NBA team were to arrive by 2024. So, you mean to tell us that an October evening could feature the Raiders, Golden Knights, and a new NBA team all in action for people in the city to enjoy? That not only would be great news for sports fans but also the sportsbooks as well. People would be checking the NBA odds with a passion due to a new team, and they’re already looking at NFL betting odds for the Raiders.
Every year, the sportsbooks see a huge amount of bets in the fall season thanks to the NFL, NBA and NHL being in action. It goes without saying, but now that there’s a pro-NFL team in the area, Super Bowl betting odds are checked more frequently, and more money is being laid down on wagers. Once the NBA gets to town, the same can be said for the NBA Finals.
With all this excitement from Silver, don’t forget that Vegas is also hoping for an MLB team soon. One squad to keep an eye on moving forward is the Oakland Athletics. Attendance has been brutal for the Bay Area squad, as most of the seats during games are empty. People in Vegas have noticed this, as a potential move for the Athletics to Sin City could go down before you know it.
The MLB won’t be expanding soon, but the door could be left open for the Oakland squad to move from California to Nevada. People have also been asking for this, as there’s no MLB team in the area. That could change significantly if Oakland decides that it no longer has a future at its current location, as the Oakland Coliseum is in major need of a makeover right now.
Before something goes down for the MLB in Vegas, though, it feels like the NBA is the No. 1 priority. Silver wouldn’t have made his comments if he didn’t think there was a legit chance of something going down soon enough. Vegas and Seattle are both ready for the NBA to arrive. We could see a major announcement come soon, and if it goes, there will be parties celebrating it all over Las Vegas, that’s for sure.
