Sources: Portland expected to be second WNBA expansion team

The addition of Portland to the widely-expected announcement Thursday to add a team in the Bay Area would increase the number of teams to 14 in time for a critical season for the league. This upcoming season, the league will be negotiating its new media rights deal, making it important for ownership groups to have 18 months to properly prepare for a new team launch. Additionally, the current group of 12 teams will have the chance to prepare for various changes, including an expansion draft and potential modifications to the collective bargaining agreement.

Save 27% on your subscription in the WNBA’s 27th season!

Although the WNBA Finals have concluded, our committed team of writers is working diligently to bring you the latest news and insights on the WNBA, women’s college basketball, and more. Begin your paid subscription today, which not only provides you with invaluable coverage but also supports our talented writers, editors, and photographers. By subscribing now, you can save 27%!

Conferences can be easily re-aligned with the addition of Portland and the Bay Area. According to multiple sources within the league, the expectation is that the Minnesota Lynx would be moved to the Eastern Conference.

From a playoff perspective, however, conference alignment wouldn’t have a significant impact since the current system seeds eight teams regardless of conference.

The Golden State Warriors ownership group has called a news conference for Thursday afternoon, during which they are expected to announce their WNBA expansion franchise in the Bay Area. Cathy Engelbert is scheduled to speak to reporters at 2 PM ET on Sunday, ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.

UPDATE 11:50 AM ET: The WNBA has made the announcement on social media, and Engelbert will also be speaking today.

Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting news. Michelle Smith is currently covering the Golden State press conference this afternoon, and there will also be a special Locked On Women’s Basketball episode with SFGATE’s Alex Simon following the press conference.

Make Locked on Women’s Basketball part of your daily routine

Here at The Next, in addition to providing written content 24/7/365, we also host the daily Locked on Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss everything related to the WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history, and more. You can listen to the podcast on your favorite podcast platform or watch it on YouTube.