After years of speculation and waiting, the NBA is officially exploring expansion into two cities that have been hungry for professional basketball for way too long. The league’s owners voted Wednesday to start the process of bringing franchises to Las Vegas and Seattle, marking a major step forward for both markets.

This is huge news, especially for Seattle. The city has been basketball-starved ever since the SuperSonics packed up and became the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2008. For nearly two decades, Seattle fans have watched their beloved franchise disappear, and the wound still stings. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson didn’t hold back when reacting to the vote, saying “the time is right” and that bringing the Sonics back is a top priority for the state.

Las Vegas, meanwhile, has quietly become a sports powerhouse. The city already hosts the NFL’s Raiders, the NHL’s Golden Knights, and the WNBA’s Aces, plus MLB is on the way. The NBA’s Summer League has been held there for years, making Vegas basically the league’s second home. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo celebrated the vote as a testament to the region’s growth and business-friendly environment.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver emphasized that Seattle and Las Vegas stand out from other potential markets because of their deep ties to basketball and proven fan support. But here’s the thing: expansion isn’t guaranteed yet. The league could add zero teams, one team, or both. Some owners apparently feel the current 30-team setup is perfectly fine.

What comes next is a whole process. Prospective ownership groups now need to put together bids showing they have the money and infrastructure to run an NBA franchise. The expansion fee is expected to be at least $6 billion, yeah, you read that right. The timeline for actually getting teams on the court would probably be the 2028-29 season at the earliest.

Players and coaches are excited too. Seattle-native Dejounte Murray grew up idolizing Gary Payton, Ray Allen, and Shawn Kemp, and he called Seattle a “basketball city” where they “absolutely” deserve a team back. Golden State coach Steve Kerr called the SuperSonics “one of the iconic franchises in the NBA” and admitted he was shocked when the league left Seattle in the first place.

The real wildcard here is what happens if both cities get teams. They’d both likely land in the Western Conference, which would throw the league’s balance off. That probably means one current Western Conference team, likely New Orleans, Memphis, or Minnesota, would have to move east.

For basketball fans in the Bay and beyond, this could mean more exciting matchups and the return of one of the league’s most storied franchises. The wait is finally over, well, the waiting period is, anyway.