NBA expansion: Naming the potential new Las Vegas team

The NBA has moved a step closer to adding two expansion teams to Las Vegas and Seattle. The board of governors voted Wednesday to take the next steps in adding the two teams, and the league will now start the process of fielding bids from prospective ownership groups.

There’s still plenty of work left to be done before the two teams are officially added by the projected start date of the 2028-29 season. But while all the boring financial aspects of it are figured out, one of the most intriguing aspects of this whole thing is new team names.

We know that the Seattle franchise will be named the “SuperSonics.” One of the sticking points when the team was relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008 was that the city of Seattle would retain the naming rights, branding and even all the records associated with the SuperSonics in the event that an NBA franchise returned to the Emerald City. If the franchise weren’t named the SuperSonics, the city would probably revolt.

The mayor of Seattle, Katie Wilson, even passed a resolution recently backing the return of the SuperSonics specifically, saying “Seattle is ready to welcome the Sonics home.” The team name will be the Sonics and, once it happens, all the legendary players who suited up for the team can be properly honored once again after the history gets untangled from Oklahoma City’s identity.

So that leaves the Las Vegas franchise. The location of this team gives way to endless creativity and possibility on the naming rights. Surely the league won’t want to portray a certain image given the Vegas team is located in the gambling capital of the world. But I’m not the one making the final decisions here, so let’s have some fun with what names we can come up with.

11. Las Vegas Gamblers

There’s no way the NBA would approve this name, right? Given all the recent sports betting scandals, there’s just no way…. right? I say lean all the way in on the Las Vegas identity, but we could do better than just “Gamblers.”

10. Las Vegas Jackpot

Here’s a fun way to address gambling without some of the negative connotation that comes along with it. Still pretty boring, but a creative logo could happen here with a pile of slot machine coins or an anthropomorphic poker chip with a scowl on its face.

9. Las Vegas Jokers

The logic here is that the Aces name is already taken by the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, and Kings is taken by Sacramento. So the next best option is probably “Jokers.” I don’t love it, and the idea of a clown logo doesn’t sound exciting, but it does sound like the exact type of name that this franchise might go with.

8. Las Vegas Buffets

OK, hear me out. The logo is a plate with a whole mess of food on it. It’s whimsical, and if we’re not leaning in on the gambling part of Vegas, then let’s go with something else notable about the city: buffets. A Las Vegas minor league baseball team already pulled this off, with an alternate identity called the “Belly Busters” and the logo is literally a plate of food with a lobster tail, eggs, slice of pie etc., on it. It’s already been done, which is why it’s this low in our rankings, but it’s only an alternate for the team so the NBA could do it as a full-time identity and I would be on board. Just think of all the partnerships that would come of this name.

7. Las Vegas Mirage

Obviously there’s The Mirage hotel in Las Vegas that closed in 2024, but this would actually be referencing the optical phenomenon where, due to excessive heat, objects in the distance appear distorted or make it seem like something is there when it’s not. Like seeing a mirage of an oasis off into the distance when there is nothing there. The summer heat in Las Vegas is no joke, and playing up on that with this name could create a unique identity.

6. Las Vegas High Rollers

Here’s a more unique gambling-adjacent name. Have a couple of dice as the logo and call it a day. This also feels just sanitized enough for it be the actual name, or even more generically “Vegas Rollers.” Yuck, I actually hate it now. But really, this might be on the shortlist of names they use.

5. Las Vegas Outlaws

Let’s take it back to the wild west days and throw some cowboy-inspired fusion into the theme. This was already used for the XFL team back in the early 2000s, and became popular thanks to running back Rod “He Hate Me” Smart. There’s the potential for some initial excitement with this name because of the history with it. But maybe finding a more original one would be a better idea instead of drawing from the well.

4. Las Vegas Villains

Imagine the players, coaches and fanbase really feeding into this moniker. We’ve seen that happen with teams in the past, but this franchise would actually be the villains. I can just see it now, Dillon Brooks suiting up in a black and purple jersey with the name “Villains” displayed across the chest, hyping up home fans who will be called Villain Nation. OK I’m all in on this idea actually.

3. Las Vegas Sharks

On the surface, this sounds boring. But assuming the name “loan shark” can’t be used, this is one of those if you know, you know, names. Sharks also works because it can refer to really skilled poker players, so there’s a double meaning there. The logo could be a shark biting down on a wad of cash, poker chips or something else related to money. It would obviously make more sense if a team near an ocean was called the sharks, but I enjoy the confusion this one creates.

2. Las Vegas Dust Devils

How about playing into another nature-related phenomenon? If you’re not from somewhere like Las Vegas, Phoenix or surrounding areas where this is common, you might be unfamiliar. A dust devil — or dirt devil — is like if a tornado were less dramatic but stranger. It involves a similar whirlwind motion, but literally consists of dirt. It’s odd, quirky and most often harmless. A little dust devil mascot dunking a basketball would sell millions of hats, and I’d certainly buy one.

1. Sin City Hustlers

This is my favorite. I think professional sports teams should be using alternate names more often, like the Golden State Warriors, and this would be the perfect opportunity to do that. Sure, you could go with “Las Vegas,” but using “Sin City” is just way cooler. It brings a level of mystique, and pairing that with “Hustlers,” it teeters on the line of embracing the Vegas culture while not going full degenerate. Never go full degenerate.