NBA Commissioner David Stern knows his time is running short as he prepares to leave his current post in February. However, his impending exit did not cause him any reluctance in speculating about potential expansion.
Stern cited Seattle and Las Vegas as the two cities most likely to be targeted in any expansion scenarios. Seattle, which has already been home to the Supersonics (which moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder) and recently tried to purchase the Sacramento Kings, may be more plausible. He said the NBA should “embrace” Las Vegas.
However, Las Vegas may be more intriguing, and Stern seemed fully supportive of the idea:
“Given sort of all of the references that you see about Las Vegas andsin city, we have always believed that gambling is a very legalbusiness regulated carefully here in Nevada, that this is a hugeentertainment destination and this is a place that we should embrace. In addition to the USA Basketball and Las Vegas summer league andthe All‑Star Game, you didn’t include the fact that shortly after Ibecame Commissioner, Kareem broke the record for the most points righthere at the Thomas & Mack Center, and I was here for the celebrationbecause the Jazz were playing ten games here that season. So I think Las Vegas is in the NBA history books; and with thediscussions now, it seems that there is an arena that is getting closerto moving ahead after years and years of discussions. And that shouldmake it interesting as well.”