Las Vegas and Seattle Could End NBA Divisions

Merlin sees the NBA gearing up to add Las Vegas and Seattle, with the board of governors expected to vote on a 2028-29 start. Approval would trigger realignment, likely moving Memphis to the East, and force fresh thinking on travel, scheduling quirks, and why divisions still exist. Merlin notes the geography has long been messy. The piece even calls the "obvious next step" to "scrap divisions entirely." Removing rigid divisions could cut travel, simplify tiebreakers, and let schedules follow rivalry and sense instead of outdated maps. Tradition will bristle, but the league has been nudging toward change for years.