Is it time for the NBA to expand?

[Miggs]

No. Not yet. Within a year or two, we'd complain the league is too watered down.

I do feel like we're starting to see more and more young, high-level talent coming into the league. I'd guess this is because the kids, for the most part, treat the sport at such a young age very professionally, and try to improve their craft. The AI era has passed. So it can definitely happen.

That said, with a likely lockout coming in the next half decade imo, the time is not now. I think in 5-7 years, once that lockout has passed, and certain populations in cities have grown and stabilized, making the product even more viable there, the time would be right. Seattle (14th largest tv market), Tampa/St. Pete (13th largest and far enough away from Orlando which in and of itself has a large enough market), St. Louis (21st largest market and just lost the Rams), and Pitt (23rd), and San Diego (28th and just lost the Chargers) each make a lot of sense to me. I'd probably go with Seattle (got jobbed) and St. Louis. Tampa would scare me because of how it could affect Orlando, Pitt would scare me because that's a football/hockey town and it could also affect Cleveland post-Lebron very badly, and San Diego isn't quite as large a market as the other two I selected and is just a very laid back, non-sports type of town to begin with.

 

[MVP]

Canada needs one more team, simple as that.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Only being able to protect 2 players is lunacy. Also, during past NBA expansion drafts, every time a team loses a player, they're allowed to remove a guy from the list. So even with that model, GSW loses one of those guys, but not both.

Yeah, either way, it would be a good mechanism for breaking up the Warriors.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

No. Not yet. Within a year or two, we'd complain the league is too watered down.

I do feel like we're starting to see more and more young, high-level talent coming into the league. I'd guess this is because the kids, for the most part, treat the sport at such a young age very professionally, and try to improve their craft. The AI era has passed. So it can definitely happen.

That said, with a likely lockout coming in the next half decade imo, the time is not now. I think in 5-7 years, once that lockout has passed, and certain populations in cities have grown and stabilized, making the product even more viable there, the time would be right. Seattle (14th largest tv market), Tampa/St. Pete (13th largest and far enough away from Orlando which in and of itself has a large enough market), St. Louis (21st largest market and just lost the Rams), and Pitt (23rd), and San Diego (28th and just lost the Chargers) each make a lot of sense to me. I'd probably go with Seattle (got jobbed) and St. Louis. Tampa would scare me because of how it could affect Orlando, Pitt would scare me because that's a football/hockey town and it could also affect Cleveland post-Lebron very badly, and San Diego isn't quite as large a market as the other two I selected and is just a very laid back, non-sports type of town to begin with.

Nah, I dont think so. Right now you are seeing pretty good solid free agents not even able to get much more than the minimum. The NBA could definitely add at least 1 more team (obviously Seattle, not even a question). The 2nd should be Mexico City.

 

[fishonjazz]

I'm slightly confused. You agree that expansion would further water down the product but you'd be in favor of it?

I'd love to see Seattle get a team (like you) but I worry about the league being watered down. It's an interesting discussion. Right now I'm leaning yay.

 

[7StraightIsGreat]

I'd love to see Seattle get a team (like you) but I worry about the league being watered down. It's an interesting discussion. Right now I'm leaning yay.

Definitely agree on Seattle but I'd rather see a current team relocate. The way I look at 2 team expansion is like this: Sure the 2 teams could add some pretty decent players via expansion draft, and they would obviously be major free agent players right outta the gate, as well as getting the top 2 picks in the first year. My concern is less for the expansion teams and more about the fact that overall, you're going to see 30 G-Leaguers get promoted to the NBA.

Obviously, you'll end up seeing a couple of those guys turn out to be really good players that are diamonds in the rough but IMO, you're probably putting 25-to-28 guys into the league that are going to struggle and/or live on the end of the bench.

 

[Miggs]

Nah, I dont think so. Right now you are seeing pretty good solid free agents not even able to get much more than the minimum. The NBA could definitely add at least 1 more team (obviously Seattle, not even a question). The 2nd should be Mexico City.

Because the cap barely moved. And the same will basically be happening next year.

As soon as you bring two new teams into the fold, some of these teams will become even less competitive.

 

[Miggs]

Nah, I dont think so. Right now you are seeing pretty good solid free agents not even able to get much more than the minimum. The NBA could definitely add at least 1 more team (obviously Seattle, not even a question). The 2nd should be Mexico City.

Because the cap barely moved. And the same will basically be happening next year.

As soon as you bring two new teams into the fold, some of these teams will become even less competitive.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Because the cap barely moved. And the same will basically be happening next year.

As soon as you bring two new teams into the fold, some of these teams will become even less competitive.

Maybe, or maybe the new teams who will be brought in will be smarter/better managed than some of the current teams and add to the competitive depth.

 

[Park Bites]

Dude you just barely complained about the local media regurgitating JF content and them not giving you any credit. Yes I read that same article about this on SLC dunk.

To the point no I don't think that they will. No American city makes long term financial sense for expansion. They would be splitting tv revenue 32 ways instead of 30. With the finals ratings being the highest ever this year and the NBA locked into a 10 year TV deal. It just doesn't make sense to expand.

Europe would make some sense longterm as it is opening up a huge new market but it would be a gamble and big change. They would probably need 6 teams to make it work (100+ new players), cut out of conference games to 1, increase the number of in division games, extend the length of the season, play many EC playoff games in the afternoon on the weekend, and hope that Europe starts supporting the NBA on a similar level to Americans. So that's probably not happening either.

Seattle may get the sonics back but it will be through relocation if it happens. My guess for the current Top candidates would be Hawks, Pellies, Nuggets.

I don't read slc dunk so if the did something like this before I am sorry I didn't know

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[Park Bites]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/fansided.com/2017/06/09/expansion-draft-seattle-nba/amp/

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I like it

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[Park Bites]

Oh add to the expansion the NBA adopt a new entry program. High school seniors have 3 options

Enter the NBA or go to college. If the go to college they have to stay there 2 years

Of the can go the gleague route and they play there for 1 year then they become draft elligable. This would also apply for undrafted high school seniors.

So a high school senior declares for the nba draft but isn't drafted they can go-to the gleague and become draft elligable the following year. After that they become ufa

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