The NBA is officially crossing the Atlantic. Speaking ahead of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed the league is on schedule to launch a standalone “NBA Europe” division for the 2027-2028 season. The venture directly targets the financial vulnerability of the existing EuroLeague structure and marks the largest international operational shift in basketball history.
The upcoming 16-team European league operates alongside FIBA. The format guarantees spots for 12 permanent members and leaves four flexible slots decided by a European-style promotion and relegation model. Final bids from prospective European ownership groups are due by the end of June.
The aggressive timeline introduces a new labor dynamic. Players including Luka Dončić have expressed active interest in joining European ownership groups, sparking ongoing NBPA negotiations over player investment rules just as the league wraps up a separate high-profile financial probe. The independent investigation into whether Kawhi Leonard’s $28 million endorsement deal circumvented the Los Angeles Clippers’ salary cap is currently nearing a resolution.
Back in North America, Silver provided a concrete update on adding new franchises to the current 30-team roster. Discussions remain heavily focused on returning basketball to Seattle and establishing a footprint in Las Vegas, with the Board of Governors expecting to make a domestic expansion decision by the end of 2026.
Silver also addressed the league’s domestic competitive integrity. The commissioner openly criticized front-office rebuilding strategies, noting that intentional losing morphed into acceptable behavior for nearly a third of the league this past season. This specific block of non-competitive teams directly triggered the Board of Governors to pass the sweeping 3-2-1 Lottery reform in May to flatten draft odds.