Is Las Vegas Getting an NBA team? What the league has said so far

For a long while now, Las Vegas has been trying to establish its name in the NBA, with the city determined to get a dedicated team in the country’s top-flight basketball league.

Adam Silver has confirmed that Las Vegas is among the leading candidates for NBA expansion, with a final decision expected in 2026. This means an NBA team in Las Vegas could soon become a reality.

In this article, we will cover:

• Las Vegas is one of the leading candidates, along with Seattle
• Expansion is currently studied in economic terms
• A decision may indeed come in 2026

Is Las Vegas getting an NBA team?

Yes, in all likelihood,but the timeline is not clear. Silver indeed confirmed that Las Vegas, along with Seattle, and some other markets, are among the favored candidates for expanding the league from its current 30-franchise model to a 32-franchise model.

This, though, comes with a serious caveat, as the expansion has to do with economics, with Silver committed to the idea that a decision would be reached in 2026 and details would be shared accordingly:

"I think now we're in the process of working with our teams and gauging the level of interest and having a better understanding of what the economics would be on the ground for those particular teams and what a pro forma would look like for them, and then sometime in 2026 we'll make a determination."

For its part, Las Vegas officials have not hidden their ambition for a Sin City-based NBA franchise, which would be another way to diversify the local economy and push further afield into pro sports, with the city already hosting its first Super Bowl in 2024, and holding the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

A Las Vegas NBA team has long been dangled as a possibility by Silver himself, when he first mentioned that Las Vegas could indeed join the NBA back in 2021/2022, but failed to deliver on any follow-up details, that is, until December 2025.

Can Las Vegas pull off an NBA team logistically?

It is hard to talk about a new Las Vegas NBA franchise without acknowledging that for a team to thrive, it would need the facilities to go hand-in-hand with it.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix was hailed and welcomed at first, but associated construction work and disruptions to traffic quickly had local business owners up in arms, questioning the value of hosting the event if it ended up damaging their businesses for months.

A similar question now lies before Las Vegas - can Sin City cram another major facility in its confines and ensure that it operates smoothly, and is accessible to travelers and local fans?

Some developers have already been tentatively trying to secure building rights ahead of a rumored Las Vegas NBA team, with Oak View Group earmarking as much as $10bn for a new hotel, gaming, and entertainment district at the end of the Las Vegas Strip, which is built with hosting a Las Vegas NBA franchise in mind.

However, not everyone agrees. According to Golden Knights owner Bill Foley, the T-Mobile Arena is more than capable of playing the host venue to a future local NBA team.

What would be the name of a new NBA Las Vegas team?

Picking a name for a potential Las Vegas NBA team is still subject to speculation. There have been no public proposals for a name, especially without confirmed plans for a franchise.

Once the NBA confirms that it will be expanding with a Las Vegas team, however, it will be up to local officials and businesses to choose a fitting, non-conflicting name for their would-be franchise.

When is a Las Vegas NBA team coming?

As explained already, Las Vegas is a prime candidate for joining the NBA. In fact, it is a very likely event.

2026 should give us a meaningful estimate of when this could happen, although the NBA would undoubtedly lean heavily into the economic analysis of the issue, as it recently signed a record media rights deal that it would not risk jeopardizing.

More franchises also mean that the proceeds from the deal would have to be shared more widely between teams. Nothing personal. It’s just business.

Las Vegas’ NBA team - we will have to wait and see

While no official announcement has been made, Las Vegas remains one of the strongest candidates for NBA expansion as the league evaluates new markets.

A final decision is expected in 2026, with economic viability and long-term sustainability playing a decisive role. Until then, speculation around a Las Vegas NBA team is likely to continue as interest from developers, officials, and fans grows.

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