NBA Exec: 'Matter of time' before Kansas City gets franchise
A new city has emerged as a possible site for NBA expansion.
One league executive told SEC Network's Jarrett Sutton that Kansas City will inevitably be awarded a franchise, as it's viewed as the NBA's most valuable market for league expansion, alongside Seattle.
NBA Executive: “Jarrett, going to be real honest with you, Kansas City will get an NBA team at some point. It’s a real thing I’ve heard from multiple sources. Just a matter of time. Seattle and KC to me are most valuable markets for league expansion when it makes sense.”
— Jarrett Sutton (@JarrettTSutton) May 18, 2018
The Kings called Kansas City home from 1972 to 1985 before moving on to Sacramento. The city has an arena which opened in 2007 that can hold approximately 19,000 people. It's currently going unused.
Meanwhile, conversations of an eventual return to Seattle do seem realistic, as the city is preparing an arena that is awaiting a franchise to fill the seats.
Seattle previously hosted the SuperSonics from 1967 to 2008. The franchise was relocated to Oklahoma City due to a lack of funding for a new stadium.
A move into Mexico City has also gained traction over the last year, with the NBA expected to place a G League franchise south of the border. It's possible it will be used as a tester to gauge the plausibility of big-league expansion.