It has seemed inevitable for quite some time that NBA expansion will happen and that two new teams will be added in Las Vegas and Seattle. This has been a primary topic of discussion at the league's Board of Governors meetings, and Commissioner Adam Silver has previously said that an official vote to reward these two cities with expansion franchises will happen by the end of 2026.

As a result, the earliest possible timeline for NBA expansion has long been the 2028-29 season.

However, a new expansion team starting in Las Vegas may debut later than many initially expected. Among the many topics being discussed internally by the league and those submitting bids for an expansion team in Sin City is the possibility of the new team debuting in 2029-30, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

One possible reason for a Las Vegas expansion team being delayed could be related to the infrastructure of the franchise and putting together a new arena proposal. At the most recent NBA Board of Governors meeting in September, Silver spoke about how a new team in Vegas could potentially utilize T-Mobile Arena, which has hosted the NBA Cup over the last several years.

“I think that there is real excitement around a renovated T-Mobile Arena. I think everyone acknowledges if a team were to stay there, it needs some significant improvements,” Silver acknowledged. “But at the same time, there are groups who have presented plans to build what I would call a modern entertainment palace in Las Vegas. It’s a unique market where you could truly see essentially 365-day-a-year activity.

“I think right now we’re at the point where there will be next-round bids coming in shortly, not final bids, but next-round bids coming in.”

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There are currently three bids that stand out regarding possible Las Vegas expansion, with the price for a new team and arena reaching the $12 billion to $13 billion range. Nancy Walton Laurie, the daughter of Walmart co-founder James “Bud” Walton, and Bill Laurie, former owner of the NHL's St. Louis Blues, headline the first group bidding for an expansion franchise in Las Vegas.

The second group consists of Steve Apostolopoulos and Marc Lasry. Apostolopoulos attempted to purchase the Charlotte Hornets from Michael Jordan in 2023 before attempting to purchase the Washington Commanders. Lasry was a former co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, and he sold his stake to Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam at a valuation of $3.5 billion in 2023.

Then there is the third group led by Bill Foley and Jerry Colangelo. These two decided to partner with one another due to Foley's ties to Las Vegas, as well as the Jacks' plans for a new arena and the group's ties to equity with league stakeholders. The Jacks group includes former Turner Sports president David Levy, former NBA player and coach Vinny Del Negro, ESPN basketball analyst Jay Williams, and Scott Colangelo.

Between Las Vegas and Seattle expansion, it appears as if the NBA is moving ahead with getting everything aligned for Las Vegas first. Compared to Seattle, which has a clear vision and ownership group emerging with Climate Pledge Arena as the home venue and arena, Las Vegas expansion is up for grabs among these three bidding groups.

A formal update on potential expansion timelines will be provided by the league once final bids are accepted and a winner is awarded.