Commentary: Why the NBA’s possible return to Seattle is starting to feel closer
SEATTLE – When you look at the past six weeks on the Seattle sports scene, you’ll see a notable list of events and moments that have the locals chatting. There is the Seahawks nabbing two first-round picks in the draft, including their highest pick (Devon Witherspoon at No. 5) in the past 14 years.
There is the second-year Kraken reaching Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals despite entering the NHL playoffs as a wild card.
There is the Huskies softball team mounting an unprecedented postseason comeback by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in a regional final; there is Sue Bird getting her jersey retired at Climate Pledge Arena; and there is the Mariners sinking below .500 in a year that once felt destined for a playoff return.
But perhaps the most significant occurrence didn’t come in the form of a game or ceremony – but rather in a couple of sentences by NBA commissioner Adam Silver. When Shaquille O’Neal asked him about expansion – mentioning Seattle in the question – Silver gave his most hopeful response since taking the league’s top job.
“It’s a possibility,” Silver said.
He mentioned that the NBA’s most recent priority was signing a new collective bargaining agreement, which has taken place. The next major concern is securing new media rights deals, for which negotiations will begin next spring. But after that, in the commish’s words, the league “will turn to expansion.”
“We don’t have anything specific in mind right now, but I think it makes sense over time,” Silver said. “If you’re a successful organization that continues to grow, there’s no doubt there’s a lot of cities who are interested in having the NBA.”
This isn’t quite breaking news, as no cities or exact dates were mentioned. And before the season began, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the NBA was “seriously” examining the idea of expanding to cities such as Seattle and Las Vegas.
But this was perhaps the most substantive response Silver has given publicly as he hinted that discussion on adding teams No. 31 and 32 to the league could begin in 2024. And as this year’s NBA season just ended with the Nuggets winning the title, it’s fair for Seattleites to start dreaming about the league’s return since it moved the Sonics to Oklahoma City in 2008.
For one, the winter sports fan base has proved itself with the Kraken. Prices have been no obstacle for the die-hards, who consistently had Climate Pledge Arena sold out.
The interest clearly went beyond those stuffing the venue, too, with Kraken playoff stories on seattletimes.com supplanting other teams for the top-story spots, even with newly drafted Seahawks coming to town.
The hockey team has been a boon for this city – perhaps a bigger one than most around here expected. But the hype for the Sonics would dwarf that of the Kraken’s by a factor of five or 10.
Secondly, the NBA is thriving. The six-game Western Conference semifinals between the Lakers and Warriors, for example, averaged 7.8 million viewers. That was the most-watched semifinal since the Bulls-Knicks series in 1996.
Didn’t hurt that you had Steph Curry and LeBron James dueling, but playoff ratings overall were up 7% from last year. In other words, owners are likely less worried about splitting the revenue pool with two other teams than they were in 2020, when ratings were dwindling. This might be even more true with the pending arrival of Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, who is considered to be the most talented prospect since James.
Couple of things worth noting, of course. Just because the league might start talking about expansion in 2024 doesn’t mean there will be new teams in the next couple of years. A few years down the road seems to be the consensus, and we all know that a “few” could turn into 10 or 15 if there’s the slightest hangup.
It’s also important to note that sports are as unpredictable as anything. The recent PGA Tour-LIV merger proves that. Very few saw that coming. Most figured it was an impossibility. Seattle seems like a sure thing should the NBA add teams, but we really don’t know for sure.
All that said, it is starting to feel closer. The reasons for expansion not happening, and for a team not to come to the Emerald City are fading, too.
Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke, who oversaw the renovation of Climate Pledge Arena, has said the venue will be ready if the NBA expands to Seattle.
The NBA has been entertaining enough for fans of any city to enjoy. Doesn’t seem like it will long for fans in this city to enjoy it a whole lot more.