The threat of a move to Seattle has been a technique used by NBA owners since the Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. While it has helped the Sacramento Kings and Milwaukee Bucks gain leverage with publicly funded arena deals, there is something more obvious sticking out about a potential move.
Seattle is undoubtedly ready to host an NBA team once again and while relocation has been the main talking point, there is reason to believe expansion might be the best choice for bringing an NBA team back to the city. Here is a look at the three main reasons why the NBA should expand and bring a team back to Seattle.
The Fans
The most obvious reason Seattle should have an NBA team is the sports fan base the city has including the 13th-largest television market in the United States. The Seahawks, Mariners and Sounders are proof for how loyal and dedicated Seattle sports fans are and if they bring basketball back to the city, there is no doubt that the fans would return and rank among the best in the league. Seattle is an incredible sports town and after watching the Seahawks 12th Man and Mariners Kings Court, it’s very clear that the support will be there if the NBA returns.
The Player Depth
Relocation has been the most talked about avenue for bringing an NBA team back to Seattle but the reality is there is enough player talent in the league for expansion. The biggest benefit of expansion would be to allow players either buried on the bench, playing in the D-League or playing overseas to have the chance to prove they belong at the NBA level. The addition of more NBA teams would provide more opportunities for young players to grow and develop without being rushed in to bad situations. Often times, those guys are then left for dead if they don’t deliver right away. Take a look at guys like Thomas Robinson and Nik Stauskas as high first-round picks that didn’t really get a fair shake in their rookie seasons.
Also, don’t forget about the international angle. A handful of first-round picks each year are stashed in Europe and teams rely on the overseas leagues to develop them. However, if there was playing time available in the NBA or even the D-League, they could keep those players far closer to home. That’s important because it would allow them assimilate to the North American society and game a lot quicker. That’s often a challenge for players, one that the Toronto Raptors are very familiar with right now with 2014 first-round pick Bruno Caboclo.
Revenue
The addition of more teams means more jobs and reach for the league, but the biggest positive is more money as another positive revenue stream would help both the league and the players. Expanding to Seattle would bring in a new demographic and raise the league’s profile and there is no shortage of billionaires looking to buy a team. We saw what happened when the Los Angeles Clippers were up for sale as a slew of people were tripping over themselves to make the purchase. The city deserves an NBA team and it would benefit the league from a financial standpoint if they return to Seattle.
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Who’s The Second City?
In order to keep the balance in the NBA any expansion to Seattle would require a second expansion team. Expansion has been talked about for years and with the fan bases in place, more than enough talent to fill out two more rosters and the potential to make even more revenue as a league there is no doubt that the NBA should go that route. The last remaining challenge figures to be where to put the second team?
There are those who point to the city of St. Louis because they already have major franchises in the NHL, NFL and MLB but it’s not exactly a basketball haven. Other cities that have been mentioned are Nashville, which is the second-largest city in Tennessee and is one of the biggest basketball cities in the country. Of course, there is chat of giving a team back to Vancouver to have a second Canadian team and people suggest that Las Vegas has potential. Regardless, there are options and the NBA should continue to grow the game.
