Even though the 30 owners do not want to rush into creating new franchises, Adam Silver does not hide the fact that this is part of the projects he now wants to focus on. On the league leaders' side, the 2027/28 season is now the target to integrate the new entities, the 2026/27 objective seeming quite unrealistic…
After the finalization of the $76 billion TV contract, the arrival of two new clubs would in any case represent a new inflow of cash into the American league, ESPN mentioning combined sum of $10 billion entry fees. Each franchise could therefore receive a gift of 300 million dollars!
As we know, two cities are in the running to host these two new clubs: Seattle And Las VegasMexico would be the backup solution.
History can also be transferred
The Emerald City has never mourned the Sonics, who moved to Oklahoma City in the confusion to become the Thunder in 2008. Technically, it is still Gary Payton who holds a good part of the records (games, minutes, baskets, passes, interceptions, etc.) of the Oklahoma club.
But still according to ESPN, this would change in the event of the creation of a 31st franchise in Seattle. This would thus probably recover the name of the SuperSonics, but also the entire history of the franchise, active from 1967 to 2008.
A “transfer” reminiscent of that of the Pelicans to the Hornets in 2014, when the Charlotte Bobcats took over the name and records of the Hornets, while the “historic” Charlotte Hornets had nevertheless moved to New Orleans, becoming the New Orleans Pelicans from 2013.
