NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says the league will seriously explore expansion this summer, with international markets in focus.
During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, Silver stated that while expansion is not guaranteed, the NBA is entering a phase where it will be evaluated in detail.
Silver emphasized that the league’s global reach—connecting with over a billion people annually—means the benefits of adding another U.S. city aren’t as clear-cut.
“Adding another U.S. city… it’s unclear how much growth we’ll get as a result of that,” Silver told Patrick, citing the potential dilution of talent and television revenue as challenges, via HoopsHype.
Still, Silver acknowledged that certain locations could be “additive” to the league and said geographic diversity is part of the consideration.
He pointed specifically to the potential for expansion north and south of the border.
“Over time maybe there’s more we can do in Canada and Mexico City,” Silver said, keeping the door open to NBA growth beyond the U.S.
The Commissioner did not name any specific cities currently in contention but confirmed several have expressed interest in landing a franchise.
Silver said no formal meetings have been held yet, and the topic will be on the agenda during the league’s board of governors meeting at Summer League in Las Vegas this July.
Over the past decade, Mexico City continues hosting regular-season games and currently houses the Capitanes in the G League, establishing a growing NBA footprint in Latin America.
Canada already has a strong presence in the Toronto Raptors, but another franchise—potentially in Vancouver or Montreal—has been a subject of long-term speculation.
Silver cautioned that even if the NBA announces expansion soon, the actual arrival of new teams could take several years due to logistics and competitive balance concerns.
He noted that the league waited until collective bargaining and media rights negotiations were complete before revisiting expansion discussions.
“I don’t mean to tease people with this,” Silver added. “This is the summer we’re going to look at it seriously.”
The NBA last expanded in 2004 with the addition of the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets), and interest in further expansion has increased as the league’s revenue and global reach have grown.
