NBA exploring expansion but 'nothing predetermined,' Silver says - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — Speaking after the NBA's board of governors discussed the topic of expansion at meetings this week, commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday that the dialogue about whether to potentially add teams to the league will continue with additional research.

«A lot of analysis still needs to be done and nothing's been predetermined one way or another, and without any specific timeline,» Silver said in his opening remarks. «We're going to be as thorough as possible and look at all the potential issues.»

Silver said that process would be led by two existing subcommittees of the league's governors, the combination of the advisory finance committee — which has primary jurisdiction over expansion — and the audit and strategy committee, focused on financial elements. Last month at the NBA Finals, Silver said expansion «will be on the agenda to take the temperature of the room.»

On Tuesday, Silver said there was no straw poll taken on the issue or taking sides by owners. He described the tone as one of «curiosity.»

«A consensus quickly formed that the league office should do the work,» Silver said, «and work with these particular committees and the board and present that analysis.»

Although that conversation hasn't tangibly moved closer to potentially awarding teams, Silver described the latest update as «a significant step.»

«We're now engaging in this in-depth analysis, something we weren't prepared to do before,» Silver said. «But beyond that, as I said, it's really day one of that analysis. In terms of price, potential timeline — too early to say. And again, I think that also assumes the outcome of this analysis. It is truly a complicated issue.»

Next steps in that analysis, per Silver, include looking at specific markets