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NBA Expansion – Here’s how it should go down in the near future

By Shawn P. O’Connor

TARRYTOWN, NY - JULY 27: Kevin Durant #35 and Jeff Green #22 of the Seattle SuperSonics, Taureen Green and Josh McRoberts of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Michael Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies pose for a portrait during the 2007 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 27, 2007 at the MSG Training Facility in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
TARRYTOWN, NY - JULY 27: Kevin Durant #35 and Jeff Green #22 of the Seattle SuperSonics, Taureen Green and Josh McRoberts of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Michael Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies pose for a portrait during the 2007 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 27, 2007 at the MSG Training Facility in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 08: The 2018 NBA Finals MVP trophy sits near the microphone before the press conference for Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 108-85 to win the 2018 NBA Finals. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 08: The 2018 NBA Finals MVP trophy sits near the microphone before the press conference for Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 108-85 to win the 2018 NBA Finals. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

NBA expansion has been in the news the last year or so. Here’s a potential scenario in how it could go down.

The date is June 21, 2021. The Seattle Pilots are hosting game six of the Stanley Cup Finals and lead the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 with less than a minute to play. A win would bring the Cup back to Seattle for the first time since 1917.

Key Arena is sold out and filled with the home team’s blue and green. It creates an atmosphere that rivals even the Moda Center. Seattle has a third major sports franchise for the first time since 2008, and the fan base couldn’t be more ecstatic.

How the NBA expansion starts

As the Pilots are protecting its lead in Game 6, members of the Oak View Group are in the NBA league offices in New York, finalizing an expansion deal with Commissioner Adam Silver.

With the rousing success of the Key Arena remodel (despite a terrible increase in traffic), the NBA has agreed to expand the NBA to 32 teams, returning the history of the Supersonics to Seattle and granting the city a team starting in the 2022-23 season.

To balance the league and attempt to curb Western Conference team’s need to travel cross country for conference games, the NBA’s second expansion franchise is granted to Kansas City. The team will be known as the Kansas City Knights and will play their home games in a remodeled Sprint Center.