NBA Expansion Could Send Timberwolves to Eastern Conference by 2028-29

Expansion appears to be happening within the next three seasons, and Minnesota or Memphis are reportedly the two teams that could be moved to the East.

Jan 31, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) loses control of the ball as Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (23) defends during the third quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Timberwolves could be moved to the Eastern Conference before the start of the 2028-29 NBA season.

According to Shams Charania, the NBA's board of governors will hold a vote next week to move forward with expanding the league to 32 teams with the addition of Seattle and Las Vegas. The next step would be accepting bids, possibly in the $7-$10 billion range, for ownership groups to lead the expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas.

If all goes according to the apparent plans, there would be 32 NBA teams in time for the 2028-29 season. With 16 teams in each conference, Charania says the Wolves could be on the move.

"Executives across the NBA expect either the Minnesota Timberwolves or Memphis Grizzlies to move to the East to realign conferences with 16 each when Seattle and Las Vegas become West teams," Charania reports.

The argument about whether Minnesota or Memphis is a better fit in the Eastern Conference has been debated ever since rumors of expansion in Vegas and Seattle began, and while Memphis is technically further east than Minneapolis, by roughly 240 miles based on longitude coordinates, the Grizzlies are located closer to more teams in their division.

Memphis is much closer to division rivals San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans than Minnesota is to its division foes, Oklahoma City, Denver, Portland, and Utah.

If the NBA is going to keep teams in divisions, then it makes sense to have four teams in four divisions in each conference. Of all the ideas we've seen, the one that makes the most sense for Minnesota, based entirely on geography, is putting in an Eastern Conference division with the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and either the Indiana Pacers or the Detroit Pistons.

If Minnesota stays in the West, there is one four-team division that makes the most sense once the expansion teams begin playing in 2028-29, and it's a juggernaut featuring the Wolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Utah Jazz.

That's the most geographically friendly option with Minnesota in the West. The other Western Conference divisions could feature:

Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, and Golden State
Lakers, Clippers, Phoenix, and Las Vegas
San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans

When playing the long game, superstars like Anthony Edwards may not factor into the league's decision when realigning the conferences. But in the short term, moving Edwards and a strong Timberwolves team to the East, which is almost always weaker overall than the West, would create more balance in the league than moving Memphis would.