What NBA Expansion Would Mean for the Chicago Bulls

NBA expansion is right around the corner.

According to ESPN, the league has informed all 30 teams that next week's Board of Governors meeting will involve a vote regarding the addition of two new franchises to the NBA. Las Vegas and Seattle will be the specific cities under consideration, and it will take 23 of the 30 owners to approve for things to move forward. The idea is that these two new organizations would be up and running by the start of the 2028-29 season.

While this news may not come as a shock, it undoubtedly holds significant weight. The fabric of the NBA will be changed forever, both competitively and financially. To be sure, there are still several boxes that would have to be checked even if next week's vote goes through. Finding the new owners of each franchise would obviously be at the top of the to-do list, and neither will come cheap. ESPN reports that the league expects proposals to come in between $7-10 billion.

Nevertheless, assuming the vote goes through, the domino effect is something that will have an impact on each and every franchise. With that in mind, let's take a moment to consider what expansion would mean specifically for Jerry Reinsdorf and the Chicago Bulls.

How Could Expansion Impact the Chicago Bulls?

Arturas Karnisovas of the Chicago Bulls — Sep 30, 2024; Chicago, Il, USA; Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas speaks during Chicago Bulls Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

First things first, in theory, the Reinsdorfs would see their revenue share cut. Owners would go from receiving 1/30 to 1/32 of the league equity. This has reportedly been enough to make some question their stance. Whether or not the Reinsdorfs are among that group remains unclear.

The long-term benefit, however, is something most owners likely can not resist. Adding two more teams should only help expand the league's popularity and bring in more revenue down the road. This is why it feels safest to assume expansion will collect the votes necessary next week.

As for what this could mean for the team itself, we all know an expansion is bound to come with a draft. While the NBA reserves the right to set new parameters for what an expansion draft might look like, there is a good chance it ends up similar to what we have seen in the past.

When the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) joined in 2004, the league allowed each team to protect a maximum of eight players who were under contract for the following season. ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks mapped out the previous rules in more detail, but it seems likely the Bulls would have to at least leave one player unprotected regardless of how many are under contract for the 2028-29 campaign.

Indeed, this is worth noting when we consider their current roster situation. Seven players are expected to hit free agency in the coming months. There is no telling how the Bulls will manage all their financial flexibility. If they are unable to land a big fish either in free agency or the trade market, might they simply consider signing a handful of players to short-term deals to keep their future options open?

This could put them in a position again to have significant roster flexibility come the offseason of the expansion draft. After all, as of now, only three players on the active roster are under contract for the 2028-29 campaign: Josh Giddey, Patrick Williams, and Noa Essengue (team option).

The other key factor at play here is what this might mean for the Eastern Conference and Central Division. Charania reported that many executives believe either Minnesota or Memphis would be moved to the East to create two conferences with 16 teams. Of course, both have become rather savvy and respected organizations in recent years and are more than capable of pushing the Bulls further down the totem pole.

If Minnesota did happen to be the team, there is also a good chance they would create a new Central Division. Geographically, it would make a lot of sense to have them in a group with at least the Bulls, Pistons, and Bucks. Does division matter all that much in the NBA? Not necessarily, but these are also the teams you match up against more than any other. The Bulls having to battle Anthony Edwards and Co. four times a year sure would sting!

Above all else, however, is the simple fact that expansion is supposed to make the NBA more competitive. Two more teams are competing for a title and trying to attract or draft the best talent in the NBA. This alone feels like scary news for a Bulls organization that has been running in place for years. If they thought it was proving difficult to reclaim relevancy now, it's only going to get harder the bigger the league gets.

The pressure keeps building, Arturas Karnisovas!

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X for the latest news