The NBA is reportedly placing greater emphasis on completing a Las Vegas expansion deal before moving forward with Seattle, largely because the league wants to establish a high franchise fee that could influence future expansion prices, via ESPN.
Competition for Las Vegas has been stronger, even after Bob Iger and Josh Kushner abandoned their pursuit to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5 billion. Reports have suggested a potential Las Vegas expansion fee could fall between $7.5 billion and $9 billion.
However, approval is far from guaranteed at the NBA’s next Board of Governors meeting.
“We’ll see what happens in September,” a league source said. “If they took a vote today, it wouldn’t pass. It’s all about the fee price.”
NBA Europe also reportedly remains a major priority for commissioner Adam Silver and several team owners. The planned 16-team competition is expected to launch in October 2027, although its participating cities have not yet been finalized.
The Lakers’ $12.5 billion sale could strengthen the NBA’s position when negotiating expansion fees.
“Any numbers like $12.5 billion for a team are good for owners of an NBA team,” an Eastern Conference executive told ESPN.
“Look, the NBA continues to grow in value as an asset. The teams continue to grow because the business is performing really well. It’s probably better with the new players that have come in and the parity in the league, it’s probably a better product than we’ve ever had. … So, there’s a ton of interest in the sport. I think that’s now reflected in the value.”
NBA Prioritizing Vegas, Europe Expansion Ahead Of Seattle https://t.co/5VKP9tOHgt
— RealGM (@RealGM) August 13, 2026
