NBA Eyes Vote on Las Vegas and Seattle

Merlin sees the NBA governors poised to vote next week on whether to begin adding franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle. The league will first sort out rules on expansion drafts, player protections and two-way eligibility, early years’ salary caps, and draft pick restrictions. As the report put it, "The NBA is expected to take a close look at the entire process of expansion." A move would also require a Western team to shift to the East, with Minnesota the likeliest candidate. Merlin notes that growth would reshape travel, scheduling and the NBA Cup grouping while likely leaving the playoff and Play-In formats intact. New teams mean new business deals, timelines and bargaining points, so expect months of fine tuning after any approval. Change is coming, but not overnight.