(02-11-2017 08:24 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  

(02-11-2017 06:51 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(02-11-2017 06:38 PM)Wedge Wrote:  Speculation (not even enough to rise to the level of rumor) is that now that the collective bargaining agreement has been taken care of, the NBA will, after Seattle gets an arena project going, add an expansion team there, and presumably another one in another city where someone is willing to pay a ginormous expansion fee.

If they get an arena underway in Seattle, then we'll move from speculation up to rumor.

I could almost believe that but the NBA is already evenly divided with 6 5 team divisions and I don't see any reason to undo that but then again, what self respecting owner would turn down some expansion fees. I don't see any real reason to reallign if teams get added.

NBA divisions are meaningless, they'd be better off with three 10 team conferences and an open field for the playoffs. The West has been so good for so long, it's time to break it up.

Open field for playoffs (ie best 16 teams seeded 1-16) won't happen because the eastern teams won't give up their 8 guaranteed playoff spots and their guaranteed spot in the finals. The last point isn't as much of an issue with LeBron in Cleveland, but before that there were seasons in which the 3 best teams were in the western conference, and an open playoff field might have meant an all-western finals matchup that would displease TV execs based in New York or Bristol.