The NBA can handle expansion

Kelly Dwyer

05 Jan 2026 — 12 min read

In 1971-72, the NBA and ABA combined for 26 professional basketball teams and that is way too many pro basketball teams for 1972, even with all the Boomers finishing college. Way too many considering the scope of the sport's range: 48 American states. One guy from Hawaii, "Red," nobody from Alaska in the NBA or ABA. Certainly nary a single sniff at whatever's crackin' behind the Iron Curtain.

Only ex-NBA All-Star Tomislav Meshcheryakov, who retired in 1972. Born in (what wasn't even then) China to Russian parents and moved here when he was 8 and changed his name to "Tom Meschery," got a pass for writing poetry, people could tell Tom was working through something.

Mychal Thompson (entering the NBA in 1978), Hakeem Olajuwon (1984) and Detlef Schrempf (1985) each moved Stateside when they were 17, these are the real trail blazers.

(Two of them played for the Trail Blazers and you can tell which one did not because you do not remember a Portland Trail Blazer NBA title occurring during any moment with affordable home VCRs.)

When the prevailing four ABA clubs joined with the NBA in 1976, the league grew to 22 teams, 23 in 1980 with Dallas' emergence, yet the NBA was unwilling to dip into a by-now thwapping international pool (in spite of ten-round drafts). The expansion clubs themselves were international by the time the NBA added outfits No. 28 and 29 in 1995. Texans were ready for a team in Toronto as much as they were prepped to pronounce "Zan Tabak," he'd backed Hakeem up in Houston for a couple of years.

There was a home for 29 teams' worth of players by then, no rational basketball fan can ably argue Acie Earl did not deserve at least a chance to prove himself at the NBA level. The league stopped the Raptors and incoming Vancouver Grizzlies from using full cap space or winning draft lotteries, but Toronto was in the playoffs its fifth season, the Grizzlies only moved to Memphis because Vancouver's GM was terrible.

Memphis built a winner off a guy from Spain, Toronto won a championship off a guy from Spain. There are 29 NBA sons active at the moment, in spite of what some went through, plus a record-setting-every-year 131 international players from 43 different countries.

Humans dig this game, and the next Stephen Curry already walks among us. Trying just like the rest of us to avoid the immortal man, a weirdo also apparently walking among us.

The lure of the three-point shot, inequitable at 1.5 times the reward of its two-point counterpart, will only encourage children to literally follow-through on NBA dreams. And the dreams of their parents. Imagine how many families would encourage NFL placekickers out of their kids if the NFL suddenly awarded nine points for every field goal.

That's merely the craven stateside appeal, we've yet to tap into the brains from abroad.

NBA basketball could not be further from its international pro counterpart, but the overseas influence has only begun, sets won't look the same by 2036. We aren't only importing a grinning handful of players born outside the U.S. every summer, we import attitudes and plays and expectations and, shortest of all, we import the coaches.

Fantastic. International pro ball is enthralling, if somewhat musty and mature by comparison, but that's mostly the aftershave. This melting pot is delicious, hop on in.

Seattle is no worry upon re-entrance, I'd only shed a tear for the club's first GM. This is not an expansion city, SuperSonics fans know what good NBA basketball looks like and understand how great NBA rosters are created. Seattle had an NBA GM as recently as 2008, name of "Sam." You might know him, he's still in the league and he owns the rights to half its first-round picks.

SuperSonics brass must work to fill its building, not because novelty fades (Seattle hoops is no novelty), but because Seattle fans know which protests work, and which do not. Seattle told its billionaire owners to kick rocks two decades ago yet the NBA came crawling back and as soon as it could.

Las Vegas is a gamble and I realized the pun immediately and we're keeping it in. Don't avoid cliches in this town, the decks are stacked against a full house. I'm on a roll and I'm doubling down.

People live in Las Vegas: Greg Maddux, Mark Slaughter, FM deejays. Maybe your spouse has an old uncle that moved there after he divorced your aunt-in-law, and who could ever divorce Aunt Tracie? The town is No. 29 in the most recent list, ahead of NBA hubs in Indianapolis, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Memphis, Salt Lake City, and No. 59 New Orleans. Population rates rising, lotta ex-uncles out in Vegas these days.

But did any of them grow up rooting for the Las Vegas Rattlers? Or whatever the NBA calls its NBA team in Las Vegas? Recent movers to Las Vegas metro may be longtime NBA fans, generally or with a specific team, this doesn't ensure every-day diligence, dues to a current zip code. Ask any NBA fan, it is very hard to break up with your favorite NBA team, even tougher to move on. This isn't like Aunt Tracie back in 1994, doing what's best for herself and getting her own place.

(Looked it up and the 21st Century ABA collection had a 'Las Vegas Rattlers' entry in 2006-07, knew it sounded familiar.

I wish we could bet on the likelihood that the NBA goes out of its way to choose a Las Vegas team name which has nothing to do with gambling. If the NBA had any semblance of honesty it would outfit its Las Vegas team the "Props." I've no reason to conclude this isn't the way the league views its workforce.)

Boomer-aged Nassau Nets fans cheered the New Jersey Nets' move from East Rutherford to Newark to Brooklyn. Younger Nets fans show up because the Nets' arena is easily accessible via public transit, friends can meet outside the big Target (but not go in). New York has a lot of people who can either be persuaded to become Nets fans, or implants from other NBA cities who will show up to root against the teams the Nets host. That's New York's second team, doin' fine, I'm uneasy about Las Vegas supporting a single team.

Las Vegas is the NBA as holiday. A planned trip, driving in from Los Angeles or Arizona or flying in from elsewhere, like one would to see a classic rock band or pop star in residency. Or to accommodate the one friend in every group who harbors a crippling electronic video gaming addiction, itching to try their hand at the big screens.

That's a lot of jewelry to rattle, but not much to spur the visceral, immediate, involuntary urge to cheer.

Oh, it'll be a blast when the Las Vegas team pulls cherries. New Orleans is half the size and half an NBA team and it is still a loud and exhilarating television experience to watch a close Pelicans game in NOLA. And not just because Antonio Daniels is screaming at us.

Vegas is an experiment, as a town and now (likely) a major league city. The franchise will be fine, the NBA prints money, but I worry about the experience.

Seattle? When's the expansion draft? Let's start dealing. When do we hire Kevin Pelton to run this? I'm ready to flip over to SuperSonics games at 10:30.

THE BAD TEAMS

How – howwww – will the NBA add two more credible teams when Washington and Charlotte and Brooklyn and so many others stink so much?

They don't stink, the clowns in Congress stink. And I can talk all day about this Wizard group, driving to the hole, missing, giving it up on the other end, but trying.

The Wizards split their last ten, won twice by 20 points during this gallop, the Wizards are not the NBA's problem. The Wizards are simply a team digging out of a big hole (and without its best luck).

Sometimes these things take awhile, especially when the highest pick in the rebuild is a second selection in a so-so draft. Luckily, Washington nailed the No. 6 pick in the (tremendous) 2025 draft, this dude is 19:

Watch him play and wonder not what Tre Johnson looks like in an empty gym. This is someone who put some work into this jump shot. The feet, the hips, shoulders and fingertips.

Speaking of.

CHARLOTTE

Not surprised by Kon Kneuppel, only bowled over at how early his greatness rushed in. Coupla quirks defensively, but, again: Kon Kneuppel was born the same month Raptor fans tore me up at the RealGM board for not gushing over incoming rookie Jose Calderon during a Raptors bit I wrote for SI.com. They were right.

For the rest of the world: Kon Kneuppel was born August 2005. The young man is young, drops his age in points (19.4 a game on 48/43/88) effortlessly, does the other basketball stuff (rebounds, passes, tries to get back, attempts to square shoulders defensively) reflexively because, as it is with Tre, practice.

INDIANA

The Pacers (6-30, worst record in the NBA) boast relative health at the moment and could claw outta last place, a few wins amongst this lot and you've darned near cleared the race. Ask Washington, beat the Bucks and Nets and suddenly in danger of picking No. 6 again.

What's darned near guaranteed in a chance at an incoming star in the 2026 NBA draft. A Pacer pick in the top-five, something to make up for the rough-so-far stylings of Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker, partners on the two-tiered rebuild.

Nearing two years into Pascal Siakam's time as a Pacer – and Pascal Siakam doesn't miss any time – Mathurin and Walker's injuries and incomplete play kept them from collaborating ably with their 31-year old All-Star teammate.

Mathurin is always hurt because he plays hard, but the inattention to detail when healthy (in Year Four, 24 in June) remains difficult to look over, as do Walker's averages of 8.4 attempts per game and 9.1 points per game. Jarace, an ostensible scorer, averages nearly as many free throws as turnovers per contest. Pacer center Tony Bradley and since-Pacer Garrison Matthews (in significant, non-novelty minutes) earned far more free throws per 100 possessions.

Indiana abhors a tank, attempts avoiding rebuilds. The team wants players, not picks, in case something bad happens. It is why the team relied on homegrown Sheppards and Nembhards down the stretch last year, instead of emptying out the prospects and welcoming incoming trade deadline help.

Something bad happened, and unexpectedly Mathurin and Walker did not step up. This is not the sort of repeatable story – franchise player lost for next year's entire NBA season in the final game of entire NBA season – to avoid. Certainly not the impetus for increased "tanking" penalties!

The Pacers wanted to, expected to, make the playoffs this season. Even after using Tyrese Haliburton's absence as an excuse to go cheap, decline to compete for Myles Turner, replacing him with NBA blocks leader Jay Huff (41/29/81).

One tanker in 2025-26: Brooklyn doesn't have a pick in 2027 so it requires going crummy early. The rest are rebuilders: Washington wants to keep its pick within the top-eight, same with Utah.

These three combined for 32 wins so far, no flukes, the NBA is rich with talent and its lottery system (as imposed by this commissioner!) is tremendous. One player changes everything within five-to-a-side basketball, the NBA adapted well to this imbalance.

Portland plays it safe to just miss the playoffs and keep its pick. Dallas looks like it wants to shed weight and roll at some lottery luck again because they have an 18-year taking the most field goal attempts and the starting point guard is out for the year.

Everyone else in the muck – Pacers, Sacramento, Clippers, Pelicans, Bucks – wanted to win. Nobody knows what Memphis is up to but Memphis was up to a game below .500 last week. I cannot stress enough toward the NBA how normal and healthy this is. One NBA club tanks, a few more want to hedge first-round bets, the rest are trying. If we remove conditional pick additions to top-14 only, they'll only turn the tank toward that area.

NETS

Yes, I've something good to say about 2025-26's only tankie and yes I know that word has a different meaning in some collectives on the internet.

The Nets (8-6 in December/January) shoot so many threes, BKN never stops, and look what's starting to round up: Egor Demin's percentages. Nearing 40 from deep in December/January, doesn't turn 20 until NCAA conference tournaments spark up, and Egor is way taller than any of the good players featured in this list of bad teams.

SACRAMENTO

Not on this list, heartbreaking.

This is a special fanbase, and three people (two old co-owners, then the current owner) decimated the diehards. One in every ten Kings fans you know online decided not to watch the Kings this year, and if you're into the NBA and on the internet you know at least 34 Kings fans online. We've definitely lost at least 3.4 of them.

These are people who chose a basketball team to introduce themselves to other people. That isn't minor fandom, that's obsession. That's the second thing out of your mouth after giving yourself a handle. Losing a fan is one thing, losing an obsessive is another. The Kings are losing hearts, not minds.

Losing fans through ways even the minor followers would warn against.

Don't trade for Zach LaVine if DeMar DeRozan is already there. Don't fire the competent coach in favor of a yes-man novice. Don't give 37-year old Russell Westbrook extended minutes, the ball whenever he wants. These are barroom takes, spat between thoughts about the Cowboys and Chiefs, not posts from a fan with "#SacKings" in their bio, not columns from someone who just rewatched what to us is "the Sacramento loss."

The takes are correct and I'm little stressed. Need some Brad Miller but from the year Chris Webber was injured:

The Kings and the perpetual group of franchises like the Kings are why the NBA will never absolve tanking, and why it can add two more teams, maybe another two beyond that. Owners. Shyte owners.

When the Kings were great in the early 2000s, the Knicks were a laughingstock. When the Knicks rebounded in the 2010s, the Lakers were the joke. That numbnuts owner of the Pistons runs the best team in the East. I've used nothing but MS products for three and one-half decades and yet the trillionaire Clippers may not make it out of the Play-In.

There will always be an NBA team or two that stocks the lineup as if it were selecting through an expansion draft – old and overpaid plus young and not good – in spite of the boundless limits of the NBA's soft salary cap.

This doesn't ensure the next expansion team will slide succinctly into a 44-38 record by Year No. 2, but what it does guarantee are the availability of players, the possibility of tangential movement aiding your neophyte cause. Even the chance for a direct transaction with this decade's biggest bonehead: Dolan, Gores, Vivek, Ballmer, who's it gonna be?

THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

An NBA owner might sue me, but also I want to fix my car's heater so I can drive to Pacer games in person to write for my readers. Consider subscribing or tossing in a tip!

EXPANSION DRAFT

Not televised in 2004 and I would know, nobody watched more NBA TV than me.

That has to change the next time around, televise it.

We need packed arenas in Seattle and Las Vegas as Adam Silver's skittering AI avatar reads off the names "Jarrett Allen" or "Patrick Williams" incorrectly.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Nobody remembers that junk. Nobody can remember a single Player of the Month, with the possible exception of the absolute One Guy Freaks, fans who focus on a single player, those who can tell me each instance DeMar DeRozan or Elton Brand won Player of the Month.

Anything else is a guess. Pick a year, month, remember a great player, say their name: Dr. J, Bird, Jordan ... Shaq! Can anyone name a random Player of the Month? Anyone can say "Amar'e Stoudemire" out loud, but which month?

The lone holdout might be Jeremy Lin, presuming he won Player of the Month, did Jeremy Lin win Player of the Month? Was he better than LeBron, Wade, Derrick Rose ... Shaq?

If Jeremy Lin won one, was that 2012 or 2011? February, or January? It was neither, LeBron won each month.

Yet, the pushback on Jaylen Brown? Jokes, please, our internet needs jokes, but not serious scorn. Don't we want all our ballplayers thinking they're Michael Jordan? Scanning the road crowd and not seeing enough cellphone cameras clicking at them and deciding that this is a personal affront?

It is. If I'm not recording your every move, like I'm watching Mike while thumbing the dial on a disposable camera, then I am doubting.

We should want our superstars tilting at windmills, Players of the Month awards, annoyances over jerseys in the stands or how many times their Happy New Year message (filmed in September) was shown on the scoreboard during timeouts.

As NBA fans, we should want Celtics peaking in January.

OH ME OH MY