Adam Silver and the NBA are officially in “deeper stages” of expansion talks, and while the league actually took a look at our very own Climate Pledge Arena, Las Vegas is already throwing around proposals that could hit *over $10 billion* for a new team. That’s a staggering number, and it makes you wonder how serious the league is about our Emerald City right now.
The NBA Checked Out Climate Pledge, But Vegas Is Dropping Cash
The Board of Governors just had a meeting where expansion was definitely on the table, and honestly, Las Vegas got way more attention than Seattle. Why? Because of questions around where a new arena would even go in Vegas. Silver’s goal is to have decisions by the end of the year, which is coming up fast! Now, here’s the kicker for us: the NBA *did* visit Climate Pledge Arena to study its visibility. Silver even said there’s a “much longer timeline” for starting play in Las Vegas compared to Seattle. That sounds promising, right? But then you hear Shams Charania report that the next round of bids for a Vegas team are due on Thursday, and final bids are expected shortly after, potentially “exceeding $10 billion.” The Vegas process has moved with more pace, for sure, but our Seattle conversations are still happening. We’re not out of it yet, but man, those numbers out of Nevada are wild.
Ballmer’s Bench Time: What Silver Said About the Clippers’ Penalty
Beyond expansion, Silver also opened up about the whole mess with the Los Angeles Clippers. Turns out, the team got investigated for violating salary cap circumvention rules with Kawhi Leonard’s endorsement deals. Silver was clear: the league has a responsibility to enforce its rules, and if those rules are broken, “there then will be appropriate consequences.” He noted how tough it is to dish out those penalties, because while you need competitive consequences, you don’t want to lose a 30-team league or unfairly punish the fans. Clippers governor Steve Ballmer is actually suspended for a year because of all this, and he wasn’t even at the Board of Governors meeting. Ballmer did apologize and accept responsibility, and Silver expects him to return as an owner in good standing. The Clippers first rejected the league’s decision but then complied on Sunday. Good to know the league is holding owners accountable.
Portland’s Arena Is A Disaster, Says Silver
And just a quick regional check-in, Silver didn’t pull any punches about the Portland Trail Blazers’ Moda Center. He said, flat out, “We need a state-of-the-art arena.” According to Silver, the current building there is “in the bottom measure of any arena in the league.” Yikes! He hopes they can “lower the temperature in these negotiations” for renovations. Sounds like a mess north of us.
So yeah, the NBA has its eyes on the future, but right now, it feels like we’re still waiting in line while Vegas speeds ahead. Keep your eyes peeled for those end-of-year decisions, because our Emerald City is still in the conversation, even if the bids across the desert are already hitting insane numbers. Let’s get our team, Seattle!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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