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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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CHICAGO, IL – MAY 17: Sagaba Konte #62 and Bruno Fernando #86 go up for the opening tip off during the NBA Draft Combine Day 1 at the Quest Multisport Center on May 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – MAY 17: Sagaba Konte #62 and Bruno Fernando #86 go up for the opening tip off during the NBA Draft Combine Day 1 at the Quest Multisport Center on May 17, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Drafts

After the announcement of the addition of the Seattle Supersonics and the Kansas City Knights, Adam Silver announces an NBA expansion draft. Each team will be entitled to protect eight players, with the remaining players on a franchise’s roster being eligible for the draft.

Seattle and Kansas City will flip a coin to determine who will select first in the expansion draft, with the loser securing the first pick of the NBA Draft. The two expansion teams will then alternate selecting players from rosters, with each team making fifteen selections. Once a team has been selected, the remaining players on that roster will be protected and cannot be selected. The franchise that lost the Expansion Draft coin toss then selects first in the first and second rounds of the NBA Draft, with the other expansion program selecting second in each round.

Conference Realignment

Due to the addition of two NBA teams on the west coast, the NBA Conferences must be realigned. The Western Conference will include the two expansion franchises, while the Eastern Conference will pick up the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Both conferences will be made up of four four-team divisions, each aiming for the alignment that makes the most sense geographically. The Western Conference will include the Northwest, California, South, and Central divisions, while the Eastern Conference will contain the Midwest, Metropolitan, Northeast, and Southeast divisions.