The NBA’s expansion plans are not only about bringing teams to Seattle and Las Vegas. They are also about what happens next. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, one current Western Conference franchise would likely have to move East if the league expands to 32 teams, and the Minnesota Timberwolves or Memphis Grizzlies are the teams most expected to be part of that conversation. Seattle and Las Vegas are the targeted expansion markets, with the league set to hold an initial Board of Governors vote on March 24-25 to begin formally exploring that process.
The logic is simple. If both Seattle and Las Vegas enter the league, they would land in the Western Conference, which would create an imbalance between the two sides of the league. Adding both cities in the West would require one existing franchise to shift from West to East in order to rebalance the conferences. That is why Minnesota and Memphis have emerged as the most discussed candidates in the reporting around expansion.
From a geographic standpoint, Minnesota has long looked like the cleanest fit. The Timberwolves are currently in the West despite being much closer to a cluster of Eastern Conference cities than to many of their present conference rivals, and that has made them a frequent mention in realignment discussions for years. Memphis also makes sense as a candidate, particularly because it sits farther east than several current Eastern Conference teams in practical travel terms. What matters here is that this is not yet a final decision on either franchise, but rather a sign of where the league’s thinking appears to be if expansion moves forward.
The expansion itself is still not complete. This first vote would only authorize the league to explore purchase processes for Seattle and Las Vegas, with a later vote potentially needed to finalize transactions and officially move the NBA to 32 teams. In both voting rounds, 23 of the league’s 30 governors would need to approve the plan.
What makes this worth watching is that realignment could end up being one of the most meaningful competitive side effects of expansion. For the franchise that moves East, the change would not just be cosmetic. It would alter travel, scheduling and conference pathways in a league where those details still matter. Seattle and Las Vegas may be the headline cities, but if the NBA follows this path, Minnesota or Memphis could become a major part of the story too.
