The NBA is lastly making ready to increase for the primary time in over twenty years. On March twenty fifth, the league’s board of governors formally accredited exploring new franchises in Seattle and Las Vegas.
That ought to excite each NBA fan. Nevertheless, there may be additionally cause for disappointment. The NBA is lacking a significant alternative by not exploring a return to Vancouver.
Canada is a rising market ripe for NBA enlargement
The Toronto Raptors, particularly over the previous decade, have performed a significant position in rising basketball throughout Canada. At first of this season, there have been 23 Canadian-born gamers on NBA rosters, essentially the most of any nation exterior america. Regardless of that, the league nonetheless operates with only one Canadian franchise.
The Raptors have already confirmed that Canada can help an NBA crew at a excessive degree. Since 2013, Toronto has ranked within the prime half of the league in attendance in each non-COVID-affected season, together with six finishes inside the highest 5.
If the NBA is critical about increasing the sport, selecting a second Canadian metropolis can be a logical selection given the rising market.
Vancouver would have good pure rivals
If enlargement occurs, Seattle must be the primary metropolis thought of due to the SuperSonics’ historical past. Vancouver is simply a three-hour drive from Seattle. Pairing Seattle with a Vancouver franchise would create an on the spot rivalry and compelling storylines to assist kickstart each groups.
There are challenges to putting two enlargement groups inside shut proximity. However from day one, the league would acquire a built-in Pacific Northwest rivalry.
Vancouver would additionally instantly type a pure rivalry with the Toronto Raptors as Canada’s solely two NBA groups. A Las Vegas franchise merely doesn’t provide the identical degree of on the spot intrigue.
Vancouver was by no means given a good shot
Probably the most irritating a part of the Vancouver Grizzlies’ historical past is how little of it needed to do with basketball. From the start, the franchise was unstable. Arthur Griffiths initially owned the crew, however he bought it earlier than it even performed its first sport. That turmoil adopted the crew all through its six-year existence.
Simply 4 years later, McCaw was already trying to promote. In 2001, he bought the crew to Michael Heisley, who instantly pushed for relocation.
There have been even accusations that possession was intentionally tanking the franchise to justify transferring cities. No enlargement crew may survive that degree of dysfunction.
It’s not honest to say basketball failed in Vancouver. The franchise was by no means given an actual probability to succeed.
A brand new crew in Vancouver would enter a very completely different panorama, one the place basketball in Canada is prospering. It could instantly faucet right into a rising nationwide market whereas bringing on the spot rivalries with Toronto and Seattle.
If the NBA is critical about enlargement, Vancouver ought to have been a part of the dialog.
