If the NBA expands, as Adam Silver has now indicated is on the table, Seattle and possibly Louisville should get teams. How do you realign divisions to make space?
I think they should consider ditching divisions altogether and just having 2, 16 team conferences. Minnesota heads East assuming the second expansion team is also in the west or southwest.
Seattle should definitely have a team, and I like Louisville as a spot for an Eastern team. I see less value in giving Vancouver a team at the same time Seattle returns, just due to proximity. I wasn't paying a lot of attention back when Vancouver lost their team, but my assumption is that the fan support wasn't what they hoped. I'd also not be surprised to learn that it was simple greed from the owner.
As you pointed out, any proposed Southern conference spanning from Phoenix to Miami, plus Mexico City would make for a real gauntlet of long travel for teams.
The larger issue is another watering down of NBA talent, not that it has ever been a reason for management or labor to be against expansion. I know the owners want the franchise fees, and players want to add jobs, but I think that until we're truly free and clear of Covid, any serious talk of expansion is very premature. Given what's transpired in the US, any assumption that things will be back to normal in 2022 or 2023 carries a lot of risk. Not that I really give a shit about billionaires, but asking for a nine-figure franchise fee, and (in all likelihood) needing to finance a new building, without a guarantee of butts being in the seats? It's a lot.
I don't expect that there is going to be any serious talk about expansion in the near future, but if the owners demand it, I'm not sure that Silver will be able to stop it.
No Las Vegas? Seattle is a no-brainer of course, no problem with that. With the success of the Summer League, along with the support of hockey/football in Vegas it seems like a logical choice. Arena already exists, fan base hungry, and a natural division with LA/LA/Phx.
I think they should consider ditching divisions altogether and just having 2, 16 team conferences. Minnesota heads East assuming the second expansion team is also in the west or southwest.
Seattle should definitely have a team, and I like Louisville as a spot for an Eastern team. I see less value in giving Vancouver a team at the same time Seattle returns, just due to proximity. I wasn't paying a lot of attention back when Vancouver lost their team, but my assumption is that the fan support wasn't what they hoped. I'd also not be surprised to learn that it was simple greed from the owner.
As you pointed out, any proposed Southern conference spanning from Phoenix to Miami, plus Mexico City would make for a real gauntlet of long travel for teams.
The larger issue is another watering down of NBA talent, not that it has ever been a reason for management or labor to be against expansion. I know the owners want the franchise fees, and players want to add jobs, but I think that until we're truly free and clear of Covid, any serious talk of expansion is very premature. Given what's transpired in the US, any assumption that things will be back to normal in 2022 or 2023 carries a lot of risk. Not that I really give a shit about billionaires, but asking for a nine-figure franchise fee, and (in all likelihood) needing to finance a new building, without a guarantee of butts being in the seats? It's a lot.
I don't expect that there is going to be any serious talk about expansion in the near future, but if the owners demand it, I'm not sure that Silver will be able to stop it.
No Las Vegas? Seattle is a no-brainer of course, no problem with that. With the success of the Summer League, along with the support of hockey/football in Vegas it seems like a logical choice. Arena already exists, fan base hungry, and a natural division with LA/LA/Phx.
Why did you pick Boston to leave the Atlantic? There are no good options, but I though Atlanta made a little more sense.
Thanks for the good read. Divisions sound like a good idea!