NBA To Vote On Exploring Expansion Teams In Las Vegas, Seattle
The NBA will vote later this month on whether to explore adding expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The vote will take place at the Board of Governors meeting from March 24-25, and if approved, the two new franchises are expected to begin playing during the 2028/29 season. Charania cites “momentum” for the league’s stakeholders to approve examining expansion, with bids expected to fall in the $7-10 billion range for each new team.
The upcoming vote is the first step in the expansion process, Charania adds, with a final vote to officially add the new teams potentially taking place later this year. Both rounds will require approval from at least 23 of the 30 governors.
In an appearance this morning on ESPN’s Get Up (Twitter video link), Charania states that there’s a “growing majority of owners” who are in favor of expanding.
Seattle has been viewed as a possible expansion market ever since the SuperSonics were moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. Seattle was part of the NBA for more than four decades and has a large group of loyal fans who still identify with the team.
The city already has a facility in place in Climate Pledge Arena, which was formerly known as Key Arena and serves as home to the NHL’s Kraken. It recently underwent a $1.15 billion renovation and can hold 18,300 fans for basketball.
Las Vegas has never had an NBA team, but it has formed a strong partnership with the league by hosting Summer League games every July, as well as the semifinals and finals of the NBA Cup. T-Mobile Arena is the home of the NHL’s Golden Knights and hosts basketball games as well with a capacity of 18,000 people.
Adding two new teams in the Pacific time zone will likely force a realignment to balance out the conferences. The Timberwolves or Grizzlies are viewed as the most likely candidate to move from the West to the East, Charania writes in a full story.
Expansion has been an on-and-off issue for the NBA over the past few years, with commissioner Adam Silver sometimes making encouraging remarks but also stating that other priorities had to be addressed first. He brought up the topic at his All-Star Weekend press conference, indicating that the league didn’t have a set number of teams in mind and that would be decided after exploring the marketplace.
There was speculation that the NBA’s focus on developing a new professional league in Europe might delay the expansion process, but it now appears to be on the front burner as the Board of Governors prepares to gather. The NBA continues to move forward on the European project, and final bids for prospective teams are due by the end of March, sources tell Charania.
Al Horford, Seth Curry To Be Reevaluated In One Week
Warriors big man Al Horford and guard Seth Curry will be reevaluated in a week after undergoing MRIs on their respective injuries, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Horford was diagnosed with a calf strain after leaving Friday’s game against Minnesota in the first quarter with what was initially referred to as right calf tightness. Kerr said after the final whistle that he expected Horford to miss multiple games.
Curry exited the Wolves game early as well, heading to the locker room in the second quarter with what is now being called a left adductor strain.
Horford has made 43 appearances for the Warriors, who are 32-35 after dropping Sunday’s matchup with the Knicks. He has averaged 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per game this season. Curry has struggled to stay on the floor at all, missing a significant chunk of the season due to sciatica and playing just four times since signing with the club at the start of December.
Golden State was also without Draymond Green (back injury management), Kristaps Porzingis (illness management), De’Anthony Melton (knee injury management), and Stephen Curry (knee) on Sunday.
Kings’ Drew Eubanks To Undergo Thumb Surgery
Kings center Drew Eubanks has been diagnosed with a torn UCL in his left thumb and will undergo surgery to repair it, the team announced today, per Locked On Kings’ James Ham (Twitter link).
Eubanks has appeared in 42 games for Sacramento this season, including 11 starts. He is averaging 5.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 13.1 minutes per contest.
Eubanks sustained the injury in Wednesday’s loss to the Hornets, according to the team press release. He played just under 15 minutes in that game, contributing four points, six rebounds, and two assists.
The surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18. While the Kings have yet to provide a formal timeline for his recovery, it seems unlikely that Eubanks will play again in 2025/26, with just four weeks left in the regular season. For what it’s worth, Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe received a similar diagnosis this week and was ruled out for the season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Injures Knee, Will Not Seek Imaging
Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared to hyperextend his knee during the Bucks‘ win over the Pacers on Sunday, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Late in the third quarter of the 134-123 victory, Antetokounmpo came down awkwardly on a dunk following a spin move. He stayed in the game for a little over a minute before exiting for the rest of the night.
Antetokounmpo attempted to warm up for a possible return, riding the stationary bike and doing knee exercises, according to Alex Molina of Eurohoops, but ultimately remained out for the remainder of the contest.
Following the game, Bucks coach Doc Rivers told reporters that while he believed the injury occurred on the aforementioned play, the team had yet to issue an official diagnosis, and he wasn’t sure if his star forward would undergo an MRI on the injury.
“My guess is he hyperextended his knee, but I’m guessing,” Rivers said, per ESPN.
Antetokounmpo later said that he isn’t planning on undergoing imaging, according to Nehm (Twitter link).
“I’m just going to go back home, sleep, see how I feel tomorrow, try to lift some weights,” the two-time MVP said. “And if I have a little bit of discomfort, then I’ll go from there. But as of right now, I’m not really bothered by it.”
Antetokounmpo has only played in 36 of the Bucks’ 67 games so far this season, having battled knee, groin, and repeated calf ailments. Entering Sunday’s matchup with Indiana, he had registered averages of 27.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per night.
Santi Aldama Undergoing Arthroscopic Procedure On Knee, Out Indefinitely
Santi Aldama is undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, the Grizzlies announced today (Twitter link). As part of the procedure, he’ll receive an orthobiologic injection meant to reduce discomfort in the trochlear compartment of his knee, according to the team.
Aldama hasn’t played since February 4 due to ongoing knee pain. The veteran power forward has averaged a career-high 14.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game in 43 appearances for Memphis this season after signing a three-year, $52.5MM contract in restricted free agency last summer. He has shot 47.9% from the floor and 35.0% from beyond the three-point line, both above his career rates.
According to the Grizzlies’ press release, Aldama is expected to make a full recovery. A more specific timeline will be provided after he undergoes the procedure.
Aldama joins a long list of injured Grizzlies, as Ja Morant, Scotty Pippen Jr., Walter Clayton, Zach Edey, Brandon Clarke, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are all listed as out for Monday’s game.
No Timetable For Isaiah Stewart’s Calf Strain
Isaiah Stewart is out indefinitely for the Pistons due to a left calf strain, per Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
“It’s something he’s been dealing with. It just had been getting worse,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He gutted it out last game and I think you could see he was favoring it late… it’s something we’re going to take time with.”
Stewart has been an important part of Detroit’s rotation this season. He has averaged 10.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in just 23.1 minutes per game, putting together a case for All-Defensive recognition. However, this calf injury will scuttle his chances of reaching the 65-game minimum to qualify for end-of-season awards.
The 6’8″ center had played seven games since returning from a seven-game suspension due to a fight against the Hornets on February 9.
Stewart’s absence will likely result in an increased rotation role for reserve center Paul Reed. Reed has been productive in limited minutes this season and has stepped up when called upon, averaging 13.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in his eight games as a starter.
And-Ones: G. Davis, Francisco, Lacob, Vegas
Former NBA big man Glen Davis, who was sentenced in 2024 to 40 months in prison for his involvement in a scheme to defraud the league’s health and welfare benefit plan, was released on Thursday after serving 17 months, per Matt Moret of The Athletic.
Davis was one of 18 former NBA players originally charged back in 2021 over the fraud scheme, which involved submitting false claims for millions of dollars in dental and medical expenses that were never incurred. The forward/center, who played for the Celtics, Magic, and Clippers from 2007-15, was found guilty of multiple fraud charges, as well as conspiring to make false statements, and was ordered to pay $80K in restitution.
According to Moret, Davis will now enter a halfway house as he transitions from his imprisonment. As mandated by his sentence, the 40-year-old will take financial management classes and receive drug treatment. His stay at the halfway house is expected to end on July 9, at which point he’ll be subject to three years of supervised release.
“He used his time productively while serving his sentence and took many programs during that time,” Davis’ attorney, Brendan White, told The Athletic. “He’s ready to become a productive member of society again.”
We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- French guard Sylvain Francisco, who is in the midst of the best season of his career for Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague, intends to explore the possibility of securing an NBA contract this summer, reports Aris Barkas of Eurohoops. Francisco, 28, has a “manageable” buyout clause in his deal with the Lithuanian team, Barkas tweets. He has averaged 17.0 points, 6.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per game across 31 EuroLeague outings in 2025/26, with a .460/.410/.791 shooting line.
- The groups bidding for control of MLB’s San Diego Padres have been narrowed from five to four, per Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune (subscription required), with the second and final round of bids expected to happen in early- to mid-April, according to Dennis Lin and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Warriors owner Joe Lacob was reported to be among the original group of prospective owners in the mix for the Padres, though it’s unclear whether his group is one of the four advancing to the final round of bidding.
- Hall-of-Famer Magic Johnson met with Nevada governor Joe Lombardo and other local leaders last month to explore a possible arena-resort development on the Las Vegas Strip and to discuss the possibility of becoming involved in an NBA expansion franchise, writes Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The NBA is expected to seriously consider moving forward with expansion in the near future, and Vegas and Seattle are viewed as the top candidates for teams. “Las Vegas is my favorite home away from home, and I can’t think of a better place to expand my MJE (Magic Johnson Enterprises),” Johnson said in a statement.
Checking In On Celtics’ Cap Management
The Celtics completed a pair of signings on Sunday, adding center Charles Bassey on a 10-day deal and promoting Max Shulga from his two-way contract to the standard roster.
The moves get Boston back to the NBA-mandated minimum of 14 players on standard contracts. Teams are only permitted to carry fewer than 14 for up to 14 days at a time and up to 28 days over the course of the season. The Celtics had reached both of those limits, having carried 12 players since March 1 following a separate 14-day stretch with just 12 players in February.
The Celtics are carefully managing their cap situation in order to avoid going back into luxury tax territory after shedding significant salary ahead of the trade deadline in order to duck below the tax line. Since the deadline, Boston has made the following four signings, along with their accompanying cap hits:
- Dalano Banton (10-day contract): $131,970
- John Tonje (10-day contract): $73,153
- Max Shulga (two-year contract): $212,145
- Charles Bassey (10-day contract): $131,970
Total: $549,238
The Tonje and Shulga signings were the keys to the Celtics’ plan, since both players were 2025 second-round picks being promoted as draft-rights players from two-way contracts to their first standard deals. That means their rookie salaries weren’t subject to “tax variance” like a rookie free agent’s would have been.
Although the minimum salary for a rookie comes in well below that of a veteran, the NBA doesn’t want teams prioritizing rookie free agents over vets solely to reduce or avoid tax penalties. So if the Celtics had signed a rookie free agent in place of Tonje, that player would’ve earned the same salary on a 10-day deal ($73,153), but for tax and apron purposes, he would’ve counted as if he were a veteran ($131,970). The same goes for Shulga, another drafted rookie — signing a rookie free agent in his place would’ve cost the Celtics $382,712 for tax and apron purposes.
Having used their full allotment of 28 days below 14 players, the Celtics will have to remain at 14 for the rest of the season, which means that as soon as Bassey’s 10-day contract expires, they’ll need to either re-sign him or add a new 14th man. That will happen on March 25, with 19 days left in the season.
As of March 25, a rest-of-season contract for a veteran would carry a cap hit of $250,743. As Yossi Gozlan of CapSheets.com notes, Boston is currently $293,054 below the tax line, so the team will have enough breathing room to keep that 14th spot filled without going into the tax.
Whether the Celtics actually sign a player to a rest-of-season contract on March 25 or opt for another 10-day deal remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if they take the latter route. Going 10 days at a time results in the same daily cap hit as a full-season contract while giving Boston additional roster flexibility late in the season. Bassey is a logical 14th man for now, with center Nikola Vucevic sidelined due to a finger injury, but if Vucevic looks ready to return late in the season, the Celtics may prefer to use that 14th roster spot on a guard or forward.
Meanwhile, another Celtics two-way player, Ron Harper Jr., is a candidate for a late-season promotion, but there’s no rush to get him converted to a standard contract right away. On his two-way contract, Harper can be active for up to 50 games and he’s only at 32 so far — with just 15 regular season games left on Boston’s schedule, he won’t reach that limit even if he plays in all of the team’s remaining contests.
With all that in mind, here are the likely roster moves for the Celtics from here on out:
- Re-sign Bassey or bring in a new player on another 10-day contract on March 25, when Bassey’s first 10-day deal expires.
- Sign Bassey or another player to a rest-of-season contract on April 4, when that second 10-day deal expires.
- Promote Harper into the empty 15th roster spot on one of the last days of the regular season in order to ensure he’s eligible to play in the postseason.
The Celtics won’t be able to back-fill Shulga’s or Harper’s two-way slots in this scenario, so they’d finish the season with just 16 players under contract instead of 18. But their 15-man standard roster would be full for the postseason and they would’ve done it without becoming a taxpayer. That represents their first step toward resetting their repeater clock after having spent the past three seasons paying luxury tax penalties.
Cavs’ Max Strus Available To Make Season Debut
March 15: Strus is available to make his season debut on Sunday vs. Dallas, tweets Ethan Sands of Cleveland.com.
March 11: Veteran wing Max Strus was assigned to the Cavaliers‘ G League affiliate to practice on Wednesday and is expected to remain with the Charge for another practice on Thursday and “possibly” a light workout on Friday morning, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
Strus underwent surgery in August to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot. He has yet to play in 2025/26.
Assuming Strus’ foot responds well after the practices — he hasn’t had any setbacks in his most recent ramp-up process, a source tells Cleveland.com — it’s possible he could make his season debut on Sunday when the Cavs return home to face Dallas, according to Fedor.
The Cavs announced last week that imaging on Strus’ foot had shown “progressive healing” and he had resumed individual on-court workouts. Practicing with the Charge was one of the scheduled activities he needed to participate in before playing again.
Strus has been a key contributor for Cleveland the last two seasons, averaging 11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 29.3 minutes per contest on .426/.364/.802 shooting in 120 games, including 107 starts. The 29-year-old will likely be on a minutes restriction for the rest of the ’25/26 regular season, Fedor writes.
What Will The Wizards’ Roster Look Like Next Season?
There was never any doubt that they wouldn't be, but the Wizards were formally eliminated from postseason contention when they lost on Thursday evening.
Washington has been -- by far -- the worst team in the NBA since the start of the 2023/24 season, posting an abysmal 49-181 (.213) record during that stretch. The next-worst team since the fall of 2023 is Utah, which has gone 68-163 (.294).
That said, there have been clear signs that the rebuilding Wizards don't want to be as bad in 2026/27 as they've been for the past three seasons.
With an eye toward the future, Washington used some of its financial flexibility this season to take buy-low swings on a pair of multi-time All-Stars. Trae Young has played pretty well in limited minutes, while Anthony Davis is still recovering from ligament damage in his left hand.
How aggressive will the Wizards be this summer to built out their roster around Young, Davis and their young core? And which players are definitively viewed as part of that core?
