NBA: NBA looking to expand to 32 teams

[Biggems]

The two most likely cities to be chosen are Seattle and Las Vegas. I wonder if Seattle will go with the Supersonics again, or does OKC own the rights to the name? Also, I wonder what Vegas would call themselves, maybe the Gamblers.

If they do add those two teams, they could either go with four 8-team divisions or eight 4-team divisions. Also, they would most likely have to move one team from the West to the East.....one of Minnesota, Memphis, or New Orleans. I think it makes the most sense to move Memphis to the East for 4 team divisions and Minnesota for 8 team divisions.

East
Toronto, Boston, NY, Brooklyn
Washington, Philly, Cleveland, Memphis
Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Indiana
Miami, Orlando, Charlotte, Atlanta
West
San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, NO
Minnesota, OKC, Denver, Utah
LAL, LAC, Phoenix, LV
Sacramento, GS, Portland, Seattle

East
Boston, NY, Brooklyn, Miami, Orlando, Charlotte, Philly, Washington
Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Indiana, Cleveland, Minnesota, Atlanta, Toronto
West
San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, NO, Memphis, OKC, Denver, Utah
LAL, LAC, Phoenix, LV, Sacramento, GS, Portland, Seattle

[baseline bum]

While the Thunder technically own the Supersonics name I think when they moved they promised Seattle they could have the name back should they ever get another franchise. I'd be floored if they interfered with Seattle naming an expansion team the Sonics considering they don't have any of Seattle's banners up in their stadium for example. I don't think they have the tab on the back of their jersey for the Sonics 79 le either. Doesn't really seem like the Thunder want any claim to the Supersonics history. Hope they bring back the Xavier McDaniel jerseys when Seattle gets the team; those were the best jerseys in NBA history IMO.

[Millennial_Messiah]

New Orleans should relocate back to the East because they started there anyway.

[Millennial_Messiah]

I'd definitely like to see 8 divisions with 4 teams each just like the NFL. Also, like the NFL, make division champions relevant & important again. Follow the NFL's better model of fixed seeding, 1-4 of division winners and division winners like in the NFL should be guaranteed one round of homecourt advantage regardless of record differential. The 5-8 spots should be strictly wildcards just like the old NBA and completely get rid of the play-in tournament crap, that's a total failure and a whackjob idea by stupid Silver that you could argue was maybe semi-interesting for Covid but it's no longer relevant since Covid is over.

82 total games
18 division rival games (3 home and 3 away per division rival per season)
48 non-division inter-conference games (2 home and 2 away per conference rival per season)
16 inter-conference games (one per season against each opposing conference team, alternating home and away each year)

[Biggems]

New Orleans should relocate back to the East because they started there anyway.

geographically, it doesn't make sense, at least if you keep the current Conference make-ups. Actually, NO fits better with the 3 Texas teams than Memphis does. OKC also fits really well with the 3 Texas teams, as far as proximity and potential rivalry. It is easier and makes the most sense to move Memphis to the East in the 4 team divisions, especially for travel purposes.

[Biggems]

I'd definitely like to see 8 divisions with 4 teams each just like the NFL. Also, like the NFL, make division champions relevant & important again. Follow the NFL's better model of fixed seeding, 1-4 of division winners and division winners like in the NFL should be guaranteed one round of homecourt advantage regardless of record differential. The 5-8 spots should be strictly wildcards just like the old NBA and completely get rid of the play-in tournament crap, that's a total failure and a whackjob idea by stupid Silver that you could argue was maybe semi-interesting for Covid but it's no longer relevant since Covid is over.

82 total games
18 division rival games (3 home and 3 away per division rival per season)
48 non-division inter-conference games (2 home and 2 away per conference rival per season)
16 inter-conference games (one per season against each opposing conference team, alternating home and away each year)

exactly....no need to play so many games against the opposite conference. It really puts a ton of meaning to the divisional and intra-conference games., 66 total.

[Biggems]

If they do expand and add those two teams and make the divisions like we laid out, they need to revamp how they decide seedings. Coin flips cannot be the first option.

some ideas

1. Head to Head
2. Division record
3. Conference record
4. # of Wins vs +.500 teams
5. point differential
6. points scored in season series
7. points allowed in season series
8. total points scored in season
9. total points allowed in season
10. record vs non-conference

I feel all of these are better tie-breaker options than a stupid coin flip.


To be honest, I feel football should remove the coin flip as well. The Road team starts with the ball to begin the game. The home team gets to choose the opening direction of play. The only time this is an issue is in neutral site games, such as bowl games or the Super Bowl. In those instances, I am ok with a coin flip.

[MultiTroll]

Seattle and Las Vegas.

Seattle, if denied SuperSonics should go with the Non Betas.

Vegas, if they don't have a greedy owner should have a highly paid dance team.
Should be some great applicants.

I'd say throw San Diego into the mix but we don't tolerate greedy owners.
Just fine without another greedy sports corp.

[Biggems]

Seattle, if denied SuperSonics should go with the Non Betas.

Vegas, if they don't have a greedy owner should have a highly paid dance team.
Should be some great applicants.

I'd say throw San Diego into the mix but we don't tolerate greedy owners.
Just fine without another greedy sports corp.

you had the Clippers but they left to LA. You had the Chargers but they left to LA. Did you guys ever give the Padres a new venue?

I have never been to SD, but I hear it is a beautiful city with great weather. However, they surely do not bend over backwards for their pro sports teams.

I wish the Chargers were still in SD. I do not like them being in LA. Honestly though, if they had to move, I wish they would have come to San Antonio....The San Antonio Chargers sounds nice. Plus, since they are an AFC team, Dallas can still keep their NFC dominance over the city.

Yeah, as far as Seattle goes, Sonics makes the most sense. I guess they could go with Baristas, Mist, or Rain.

[MultiTroll]

you had the Clippers but they left to LA. You had the Chargers but they left to LA. Did you guys ever give the Padres a new venue?

I have never been to SD, but I hear it is a beautiful city with great weather. However, they surely do not bend over backwards for their pro sports teams.

Donald Sterling and the Spanos Family, once pops passed away.
Need anything more be said?

We don't allow fleecers to pull their scams. Keep sports in it's perspective.

Padres have one of the best new parks in baseball. Of course they made a ton of false promises to get it. Pro sports teams owners are basically sickening leeches.
Highly recommend the website Field of Schemes
Field of Schemes – sports stadium news and analysis

[baseline bum]

nm

[Millennial_Messiah]

exactly....no need to play so many games against the opposite conference. It really puts a ton of meaning to the divisional and intra-conference games., 66 total.

Agreed.

And in the playoffs, seed should be fixed, meaning for example if the 8 seed beats the 1 seed they should then play the next highest seed (say if 2 beats 7, they should play 2, not the winner of the 4-5 matchup). Higher seed always gets homecourt, just like football.

[Millennial_Messiah]

East
Toronto, Boston, NY, Brooklyn
Washington, Philly, Cleveland, Memphis
Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Indiana
Miami, Orlando, Charlotte, Atlanta
West
San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, NO
Minnesota, OKC, Denver, Utah
LAL, LAC, Phoenix, LV
Sacramento, GS, Portland, Seattle

This makes sense... though how about swapping out Memphis and Minnesota? Because a division with DC, Philly, Ohio, and Memphis is just weird.

East:

Raptors, Celtics, NY Knicks, NY Nets ("Atlantic Division" or "Northeast Division")
Wizards, Pistons, Cavaliers, and Sixers ("Great America Division") - couldn't think of a better name, but it works IMO... think about it
Bulls, Pacers, Bucks, and Timberwolves ("North Division", "Great Lakes Division", "Rust Belt Division" or simply "Lakes Division") - probably stick with "North"
Hornets, Hawks, Heat, and Magic ("South Division" or "Southeast Division")

West:

Spurs, Mavericks, Rockets, and Pelicans ("Sun Belt Division") - can you think of a better name than that?
Thunder, Nuggets, Jazz, and Grizzlies ("Frontier Division" or "Heartland Division" or "Central Division") - it works
Lakers, Clippers, Suns, and Vegas ("Desert Division", "Cactus Division", or "Southwest Division") - any other ideas?
Kings, Warriors, Blazers, Sonics ("Cascade Division" or "Northwest Division") - personally I like the Cascade idea

[Biggems]

This makes sense... though how about swapping out Memphis and Minnesota? Because a division with DC, Philly, Ohio, and Memphis is just weird.

East:

Raptors, Celtics, NY Knicks, NY Nets ("Atlantic Division" or "Northeast Division")
Wizards, Pistons, Cavaliers, and Sixers ("Great America Division") - couldn't think of a better name, but it works IMO... think about it
Bulls, Pacers, Bucks, and Timberwolves ("North Division", "Great Lakes Division", "Rust Belt Division" or simply "Lakes Division") - probably stick with "North"
Hornets, Hawks, Heat, and Magic ("South Division" or "Southeast Division")

West:

Spurs, Mavericks, Rockets, and Pelicans ("Sun Belt Division") - can you think of a better name than that?
Thunder, Nuggets, Jazz, and Grizzlies ("Frontier Division" or "Heartland Division" or "Central Division") - it works
Lakers, Clippers, Suns, and Vegas ("Desert Division", "Cactus Division", or "Southwest Division") - any other ideas?
Kings, Warriors, Blazers, Sonics ("Cascade Division" or "Northwest Division") - personally I like the Cascade idea

that actually works. I guess I was trying too hard to keep Chicago, Detroit, and Indiana in the same division based on childhood rivalries. Still, even if they are not in the same division, they would still have 4 games against one another to keep the bad blood alive.

[Millennial_Messiah]

that actually works. I guess I was trying too hard to keep Chicago, Detroit, and Indiana in the same division based on childhood rivalries. Still, even if they are not in the same division, they would still have 4 games against one another to keep the bad blood alive.

right, but, due to time zones, it makes sense for the east half of the rust belt to be with the east half and the west half to be with the west half

Detroit and Indiana aren't even in the same conference in the NFL, much less division

[scott]

OKC and NO are interesting because you can make an argument for either to be in the same division as SA, DAL and HOU - but I guess NO doesn't really have anywhere else to go (other than the East) if OKC is in that division.

[Biggems]

This makes sense... though how about swapping out Memphis and Minnesota? Because a division with DC, Philly, Ohio, and Memphis is just weird.

East:

Raptors, Celtics, NY Knicks, NY Nets ("Atlantic Division" or "Northeast Division")
Wizards, Pistons, Cavaliers, and Sixers ("Great America Division") - couldn't think of a better name, but it works IMO... think about it
Bulls, Pacers, Bucks, and Timberwolves ("North Division", "Great Lakes Division", "Rust Belt Division" or simply "Lakes Division") - probably stick with "North"
Hornets, Hawks, Heat, and Magic ("South Division" or "Southeast Division")

West:

Spurs, Mavericks, Rockets, and Pelicans ("Sun Belt Division") - can you think of a better name than that?
Thunder, Nuggets, Jazz, and Grizzlies ("Frontier Division" or "Heartland Division" or "Central Division") - it works
Lakers, Clippers, Suns, and Vegas ("Desert Division", "Cactus Division", or "Southwest Division") - any other ideas?
Kings, Warriors, Blazers, Sonics ("Cascade Division" or "Northwest Division") - personally I like the Cascade idea

for the Spurs division......LaTex Division
for the Lakers division.......Pacific Division
for the Portland division.....Hippie or Snowflake Division
for the Utah division.....Travelers division (since they have to log the most miles

for Toronto.....NE Division
for Miami.....SE Division
for Minnesota......Midwest Division
for Philly......Liberty Division

[Biggems]

yes, OKC, Memphis, and NO are all in a slight quandary.

[Biggems]

question.....

under my name are 3 jersey numbers. How do I edit that?

[Biggems]

nevermind, I figured it out

[Biggems]

btw, I noticed when going through the picture avatars that there is no Larry Kenon, Mike Mitc , Alvin Robertson, the Coyote, or Victor

[Obstructed_View]

While the Thunder technically own the Supersonics name I think when they moved they promised Seattle they could have the name back should they ever get another franchise. I'd be floored if they interfered with Seattle naming an expansion team the Sonics considering they don't have any of Seattle's banners up in their stadium for example. I don't think they have the tab on the back of their jersey for the Sonics 79 le either. Doesn't really seem like the Thunder want any claim to the Supersonics history. Hope they bring back the Xavier McDaniel jerseys when Seattle gets the team; those were the best jerseys in NBA history IMO.

It's the same as with the Browns. Seattle retains the team name and all the team records.

[Obstructed_View]

btw, I noticed when going through the picture avatars that there is no Larry Kenon, Mike Mitc , Alvin Robertson, the Coyote, or Victor

Send me a picture and I'll make you an avatar out of it.

[callo1]

I am pretty certain Seattle has the rights to the name Supersonics.

Not going to lie...after that 2005 series against Seattle, I had so much hate for their fans (for cheering when TD got hurt) that I laughed when they moved to OKC in '08.

It only took 18 years, but I guess they can have a team again