Since Michael Jordan’s second retirement after the 1998 NBA Finals, the NBA has seen a consistent dominance from the Western Conference. Although teams from the East have clinched several championships since then—like the Toronto Raptors in 2019, the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, and the Boston Celtics in 2024—it’s clear that the West remains a challenging environment for teams. Looking ahead, the Western Conference’s strength is likely to continue, especially with recent top draft picks Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg both heading to Western teams.
NBA expansion is on the table, with the Board of Governors expected to vote soon to kick off the process of adding two new teams for the 2028-29 season. Seattle and Las Vegas are set to become the new franchises, which means one existing team will shift to the East. The league has whittled its options down to two contenders.
NBA executives anticipate that either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies will transition to the East, making the conferences even at 16 teams each once Seattle and Las Vegas join.
For the Grizzlies and Timberwolves, the chance to move to the East seems almost as pivotal as the draft lottery results. Whichever team makes the switch could enjoy a more favorable route to contention within a less competitive conference, and that’s a factor completely outside of their control.
Here’s a possible layout of the conferences if the Timberwolves were to move East.
It’s tough to forecast how the league will shape up in 2028 and beyond. What if the standout stars of this year’s draft—Cameron Boozer, AJ Divanza, and Darrin Peterson—end up in the East? Suddenly, that conference looks more formidable. And who knows if Anthony Edwards will still be with the Timberwolves by then? Just a few years back, people were shocked when the Grizzlies chose to move on from Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, but here we are.
Sure, you could argue the East has tightened up a bit this season, but with emerging talents like Wembanyama and Flagg, plus the Thunder’s promising draft assets, the West appears set to get even stronger. If the Timberwolves found themselves in the East this year, you might even think they could make a run for the Finals. Instead, they’re likely in for a tough battle just to get out of the first round in the Western Division.
Is there any chance the Timberwolves or Grizzlies could somehow influence the committee making this decision? That would be interesting to see. The West’s ongoing dominance in the NBA means that moving to the East would be a significant advantage for any team.
