‘It could be enjoyable’: NBA gamers, coaches appear enthusiastic about enlargement potentialities

NEW YORK — Erik Spoelstra is from Portland. He grew up as a Trail Blazers fan, which suggests he completely might by no means convey himself to root for the Seattle TremendousSonics.

But the concept of NBA video games in Seattle once more — about twenty years after the TremendousSonics have been relocated to Oklahoma City — most definitely appeals to the Miami Heat coach.

Spoelstra’s response to Wednesday’s information that the league lastly goes ahead with formal exploration of enlargement — and can be taking a look at Seattle and Las Vegas as the 2 candidate cities — largely mirrored the ideas of many within the NBA.

He’s for it.

“It would be fun,” Spoelstra stated Wednesday. “I think all the Pacific Northwest people were sad when it left. I loved the games there. I grew up disliking the Sonics very much because I was a Trail Blazer fan, but it was an awesome environment. It’s a city that can really rally around their team.”

Spoelstra wasn’t the one coach pondering that means on Wednesday.

San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson’s father, John Johnson, performed for the TremendousSonics and was a part of their 1979 NBA title-winning crew. He stated it might “only take you one event or experience” in both Seattle or Las Vegas to understand why the NBA suits in each locations.

“Obviously, my ties and history with Seattle are deep,” Mitch Johnson stated. “It’s crazy that I now know a generation of kids that haven’t had an NBA team in their city when I had such an intimate relationship with that organization. … Adam Silver and his crew will do all the due diligence and do all the hard work, but I won’t be mad at adding a road trip to Seattle and Vegas.”

Added Becky Hammon, the coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces: “Well, long before the Aces were even here, you had UNLV and the Runnin’ Rebels. Going back to the ’80s, ’90s, Las Vegas has always been a basketball town. So, I have no doubt that the new franchise coming in is going do great.”

It’s not a assure that enlargement will occur, and the earliest attainable season for a brand new crew, or groups, to be added is probably going 2028-29. Still, simply getting up to now is important.

From the Las Vegas perspective, MGM Resorts CEO & President Bill Hornbuckle provided his due to the league’s house owners for the vote.

“It’s only the first step, but it’s a big step,” Hornbuckle said. “A new team would be great for both locals and visitors, while creating jobs and providing a boost to the economy. … We would welcome the opportunity to work with the NBA on creating an unforgettable fan experience.”

And from the Seattle perspective, Tod Leiweke — the CEO of the NHL’s Kraken and somebody who’ll even be CEO of One Roof Sports and Entertainment, which is within the means of turning into the bulk proprietor of town’s Climate Pledge Arena — stated “the hardest part of this is now done.”

“We will put together a bid that has it all,” Leiweke said. “And I would say the most important thing in our bid is the ability to do it and do it well. And that’s going to be very important for the NBA if ultimately they push ahead and want to expand, they’re going to want to make sure that it’s done well, that there’s no drama, that there’s no slips, there’s no mistakes.”

The early returns definitely counsel that the majority present NBA gamers and coaches wish to see enlargement occur.

“I think we’re adding two good teams, two good markets,” Spoelstra stated. “It’ll be a big positive for the league.”

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AP Sports Writer Mark Anderson and Associated Press Writer Clay Bailey contributed to this report.