As expansion chatter intensifies across the NBA, league officials are increasingly focused on how conference realignment could reshape the competitive landscape if two new franchises are added.
Appearing Thursday on NBA Today, ESPN insider Shams Charania said expansion discussions are “top of mind” for the league’s Board of Governors, with a March meeting expected to provide further financial clarity.
“This is top of mind for the Board of Governors and the NBA owners because this is big business potentially,” Charania said. “And I’m told there is a Board of Governors meeting in March where the expectation is there’s going to be some more information, financials on what it looks like when you go get a couple more expansion teams potentially. What it means for the rest of the league? How much are the valuations for those two teams going to be? What does the league layout look like? And then potentially in the summer as 2026 goes on, have a potential determination.”
Seattle, Las Vegas expansion push could force NBA realignment decision
Charania added that Seattle and Las Vegas are widely viewed as the frontrunners for expansion franchises. Should both cities land teams, the league would likely need to shift one current Western Conference franchise to the Eastern Conference to maintain balance.
“My understanding is Seattle and Las Vegas are the frontrunners for expansions teams and from there a Western Conference team moving to the Eastern Conference,” Charania said. “So, you think about teams in that region, right? Memphis, Minnesota, New Orleans. Could one of those teams potentially move to the Eastern Conference? These are conversations that will be picking up as 2026 goes on. This is still a few years away from actually taking place as far as these expansion teams being put forth for the public.”
“Seattle and Las Vegas are the frontrunners for expansion teams. From there, a Western Conference team moving to the Eastern Conference… Memphis, Minnesota, New Orleans,?”
— Shams Charania on the potential expansion around the NBA in the upcoming years 👀pic.twitter.com/oTIsvvNz0E
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 12, 2026
Among the candidates, the Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Pelicans are frequently mentioned due to geography. Memphis enters the weekend’s All-Star festivities at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles with a 20-33 record, sitting 11th in the Western Conference after trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz at the deadline in what signaled the beginning of a rebuild.
New Orleans is 15-41 and 14th in the West, also navigating a transitional period. Minnesota, meanwhile, stands at 34-22 as the fifth seed and is coming off consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances, positioning itself as a contender that could benefit competitively from an Eastern Conference alignment.
While expansion remains years away from implementation, the NBA’s long-term structure is clearly under evaluation as financial projections and competitive considerations take center stage.
