As NBA Conference Gap Grows, Will Expansion Provide Solution?

Monday was one of the most consequential days in recent NBA history.

The Mavericks won the draft lottery and the right to select new franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg, ESPN reported Giannis Antetokounmpo is “open-minded” about a trade out of Milwaukee, and the Spurs, one of the leading candidates to trade for the Bucks star, improved their asset pool after winning the No. 2 pick. 

One of the overarching themes that emerged following the lottery was that an already mighty Western Conference was getting even stronger. This year, all eight Western Conference playoff teams won 48 regular-season games, while only the top five seeds in the East could match that number.

Later that night, Celtics star Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon, an injury that could sideline him for the entire 2025–2026 season and set back the Eastern Conference powerhouse. 

Long-Term Issue

The gap between the two conferences has been a conversation for decades. Since 2000, the Western Conference has had the better head-to-head record against the Eastern Conference in nearly every season, according to Basketball Reference. 

In that same time frame, a Western Conference team has won the NBA title 16 times to just 9 from the Eastern Conference.

The divide has caused many to suggest changing the NBA’s playoff format to the top 16 teams in terms of record, regardless of conference. ESPN reported in November that Western Conference executives are pushing for the change, but, as expected, there’s resistance from Eastern Conference executives.

For the rule change to happen, it would need to be approved by more than 75% of the league’s owners—at least 23 of 30 teams.

Expansion Effects

The conferences may be subject to realignment in the coming years if the league decides to add expansion teams for the first time since 2004. Commissioner Adam Silver has indicated Las Vegas and Seattle remain the top candidates for an expansion team, and both cities are in the West.

If both teams are added to the Western Conference, there would be an imbalance between the conferences, with 17 teams in the West and 15 in the East. A few candidates to move to the East would be New Orleans, Minnesota, and Memphis.

The Timberwolves, with 23-year-old star Anthony Edwards, would be the ideal choice at the moment if the league wanted to help tip the scales for the Eastern Conference.