As the NBA moves closer to adding two new franchises, New York Knicks owner James Dolan has emerged as a leading opponent behind the scenes.
According to reporting by Chris Mannix and Bill Simmons, Dolan is actively working to block expansion efforts by rallying a group of like-minded owners who oppose sharing additional media revenue.
Simmons said on his podcast, The Bill Simmons Podcast, that Dolan is organizing what he called a “cabal of anti-expansion owners” to vote against any proposal, primarily over concerns tied to national media rights.
Mannix, speaking alongside Simmons, noted that Dolan routinely votes “no” on major league initiatives, often sending a representative instead of appearing himself at Board of Governors meetings.
Despite Dolan’s opposition, momentum for expansion has grown significantly in recent months.
Veteran reporter Marc J. Spears said on ESPN’s NBA Today that a high-ranking league official told him expansion could come “as soon as this summer,” although the final decision remains pending.
The league’s rapidly rising franchise valuations have accelerated the discussion. The Los Angeles Lakers recently sold for a reported $10 billion, just months after the Boston Celtics’ $6.1 billion sale.
Owners are expected to review updated financial projections during the July Board of Governors meeting in Las Vegas. A key factor will be whether the projected one-time payout—potentially $400 million per team from expansion fees—is enough to offset the dilution of future media and sponsorship revenues.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has acknowledged public interest but maintained that no official steps have been taken. Still, he confirmed the topic remains active among league governors.
International growth also complicates the decision. The NBA and FIBA recently announced a new professional league in Europe, and NBA Africa and China operations continue to generate sizable revenue.
“There’s been no lack of interest,” Silver said. But expansion requires unanimous or near-unanimous ownership support, and Dolan’s resistance could slow the timeline.
For Dolan, whose team just reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in over two decades, the stakes are not just financial. According to Mannix, Dolan has opposed virtually every major revenue-sharing expansion over the years.
