The NBA is looking to expand, and they'll vote on the idea later in the year. But if Seattle and Las Vegas are both added to the league, who moves east? Early speculation has given the Nuggets a gift if it turns out the Minnesota Timberwolves are heading to the Eastern Conference to accommodate the expansion teams. It would get rid of the playoff headache they've become for the Denver Nuggets.
Let's hope the rumor from Brett Siegel turns out to be true. He says league sources say the Timberwolves are the "most likely organization to move from the West to the East." Speculation, sure, but it makes sense on the map, and benefits the Timberwolves, too, of course, with shorter travel more frequently to cities like Milwaukee and Chicago.
But after what the Timberwolves just did to the Nuggets, twice in the past four years, it wouldn't be a sad situation to see the rivals until the finals in the playoffs again.
Realignment could benefit the Nuggets travel schedule
Another benefit of the NBA expansion could be the realignment of the divisions. If the NBA decides to use geography for the new divisions, the Nuggets could drop not only the long flight to Minnesota a couple of times a year but also the long one to visit the Portland Trail Blazers. Every little bit counts when constructing road trips for the Nuggets.
The Nuggets led the league in "tough" back-to-back games on the schedule this year, with the first game starting at 9 p.m. ET or later and the second starting two hours or more earlier the next night. They were clearly sluggish for many games, like the one they flopped on the road against a tanking Memphis Grizzlies in March, one night after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers at home.
The Nuggets could get another added benefit in expansion
One sneaky benefit in expansion is the ability for the Nuggets to "cut" a contract they don't like while offering that player for the expansion draft. If the Nuggets still have Christian Braun when expansion occurs and he hasn't lived up to his contract, they'd have an easy off-ramp for the remaining years of the deal. No questions asked, they're out from under the contract if he's selected by an expansion team.
It's a sneaky benefit, but it's there. But the Nuggets would likely have to wait until 2028-29 at the earliest for that off-ramp if the NBA approves expansion. At least there could be an early exit on that if Braun doesn't perform up to the lofty terms of his contract, if they haven't already dealt him by then.
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