NBA teams want to maximize the value of their local TV deals because those provide a lot of revenue. Playing as many road games as possible in the same time zone helps a lot, because games in the same time zone are played in the road team's TV prime time. So if they do ever add expansion teams in Seattle and one other city and realign, they should start by looking at time zones.

Pacific time zone: Seattle, Portland, Golden State, Sacramento, Lakers, Clippers

Mountain: Utah, Phoenix, Denver

Central: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Memphis, Minnesota, Chicago, Milwaukee

Eastern: Indiana, Detroit, Toronto, Cleveland, Boston, Knicks, Nets, Philadelphia, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, Miami

Louisville (which would face a very large arena obstacle, discussed above) would be a 14th Eastern time zone team. Las Vegas would be a 7th Pacific time zone team. For now let's put Louisville in, even though it might be unlikely, and have these divisions.

Pacific: Seattle, Portland, Golden State, Sacramento, Lakers, Clippers, Utah, Phoenix

Central: Denver, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Memphis, Minnesota

There would be two eastern divisions. One could have a group of 7 that seems obvious: Chicago, Milwaukee, Louisville, Indiana, Detroit, Toronto, Cleveland. The 9 easternmost teams, Boston, Knicks, Nets, Philadelphia, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, Miami also seem to fit, but one would have to be placed in the other eastern division to make four divisions of 8 teams each. Might be better to divide them differently, as follows:

Eastern 1: Chicago, Milwaukee, Indiana, Louisville, Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, Miami

Eastern 2 (Northeast): Detroit, Toronto, Cleveland, Boston, Knicks, Nets, Philadelphia, Washington

Wedge: do you have a team listed twice? I keep counting, and getting 31.

(02-15-2017 02:45 PM)Erictelevision Wrote:  Wedge: do you have a team listed twice? I keep counting, and getting 31.

Then you're counting correctly. 30 existing NBA teams plus Seattle equals 31.

Isn't a Virginia Beach pro arena going up for the Norfolk area? Could see that metro getting a team before Louisville. Montreal and Vancouver (again) have been mentioned by NBA sources.

Mexico City has been speculated on. The NBA is thinking larger markets. Seattle makes sense, but opening up more of Canada or Mexico could trump smaller metro smarkets like Louisville or Norfolk.

Duh! Thanks Wedge!