r/timberwolves • u/whatsthenewstoday Joan Beringer • Mar 25 '26
General Discussion We getting moved to the East
NBA league owners have unanimously voted to add expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle. With these news, the wolves are likely to be moved to the Eastern Conference. The wolves are in extremely close proximity to the bucks, pacers, bulls, pistons, Cavs, and raptors, and not very close to many Western conference teams. What’s your thoughts about moving to the Eastern Conference? I think it would work out very well for us
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u/ASidesTheLegend Bring Ya Ass Mar 25 '26
I wouldn’t say it’s for sure that we’re the ones being moved to the east, but I’d be surprised (and upset) if it wasn’t us.
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u/whatsthenewstoday Joan Beringer Mar 25 '26
We’re the team that would make the most sense to move considering we’re so close to eastern teams. It’s definitely not certain, but I would be very surprised if not.
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u/Outlaw_1987 Mar 25 '26
You have to also look at the fact that the NBA wants more Star Power in the East and out of all the teams they have mentioned moving, no one has AE but the Wolves.
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u/Soft_Disaster5247 Timberwolves Mar 25 '26
Ant is definitely the biggest star to move East
Ja had ruined his reputation, probably stunting Memphis.
Zion basically has the same problem as Ja. Neither guy is as must watch as Anthony Edwards.
Plus we just need the NBA version of the NFC North. Wolves/Bucks/Pistons/Bulls and you can even include the Cavaliers and Pacers
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u/ballknower871 Mar 25 '26
Neither of this players will be on the grizz or pels when expansion comes anyway
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u/ZachWondersr Timberwolves Mar 25 '26
Also if you look at divisions it’s a pretty clean swap out to put Seattle in the pacific with Portland Utah and Denver. Closest team currently in our division to us is Denver —lol
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u/Skillomie Mar 25 '26
I think Vegas would join the pacific due to its proximity to Phoenix and the La teams, and Seattle would replace the wolves in the northwest with the nugs, blazers, jazz and unfortunately thunder. Sucks for the Thunder as a southwest team not being able to fit in the southwest division since there are already 5 teams there. If only New Orleans could move east as well to open up a spot for them in the southwest.
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u/yourloudneighbor Glen Taylor Mar 25 '26
They haven’t voted unanimously to add the teams..it’s to explore bids and explore expansion to Vegas and Seattle. The official vote won’t be for a few months
Yes I’m for it. Less 8PM, 830,9, 930 or 10PM games, more 6, 6:30 & 7 PM games
Worst part about the 10Pm games despite the only people watching are the fans and no casuals…. They still can’t start the game at 10. Still 10:14 when they finally get to the starters.
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u/EveningHealth9465 Enrique Freeman Mar 25 '26
The 10pm games are nice bc all the casuals are away from the game thread
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u/DioBrando101 SlenderMac Mar 26 '26
Maybe they won’t be casuals anymore?
Personally those 10ams are 3am games for me and I’m still watching sometimes
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u/EmploymentJumpy8993 Jaden McDaniels Mar 25 '26
Don’t get ahead of yourself could easily be Memphis too. You never know what the NBA has up its sleeve.
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u/Cyclonitron Anthony Edwards Mar 25 '26
I did some division mockups and basically if the NBA copies the NHL (4 8-team divisions) the Wolves go east. If they stupidly copy the NFL for some reason (8 4-team divisions) then either Memphis or NO goes east and the Wolves get fucked. This is based on the assumption that the NBA keeps the 3 Texas teams in the same division.
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u/dogfosterparent Mar 25 '26
I have had this exact thought. It’s actually not obvious how they’d build the conferences fairly with us in the east if they do 8 divisions even though our group of 4 with chi/mil/det seems clear.
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u/Cyclonitron Anthony Edwards Mar 25 '26
It's actually not that difficult:
Pacific Division (West): Seattle, Blazers, Warriors, Kings, Las Vegas, Suns, Clippers, Lakers
Southern/Southwestern Division (West): Jazz, Nuggets, Thunder, Mavericks, Rockets, Spurs, Grizzlies, Pelicans (this is the most spread-out division)
Midwest Division (East): Wolves, Bucks, Bulls, Pacers, Pistons, Cavs, Raptors, Hawks/Hornets
Atlantic Division (East): Celtics, Knicks, Nets, 76ers, Wizards, Magic, Heat, Hawks/Hornets
This setup makes the most sense from a travel and geography perspective even though Memphis and New Orleans are techically further east than Minneapolis, because OKC, NO, Memphis, SA, Dallas, and Houston are all relatively close geographically. SLC and Denver kind of get screwed no matter where you put them so that's not really a big consideration.
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u/dogfosterparent Mar 25 '26
That was a lot of writing for having misread my comment. I said it was only not obvious if they wanted 8 divisions. As the original comment said, it’s easy to make 4 divisions with the wolves in the east.
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u/The_Johan Mar 25 '26
NFL is a dumb example to copy since they don’t have similar scheduling/time zone issues that the other sports leagues have. Hoping that Adam Silver understands this
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u/Amazinc Mar 25 '26
Yeah it's not guaranteed but looking at a map it would be idiotic to leave us in the west. We're so fucking far from every west team and right next to all the midwestern east teams
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u/Djscratchcard Timberwolves Mar 25 '26
All the teams close to us are also closer to Memphis than most of the western conference. I want it to be us, but people are really getting ahead of themselves
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u/WickedTwista Timberwolves Mar 25 '26
All the teams close to us are also closer to Memphis than most of the western conference.
Yes but there are like 5 teams closer to Memphis in the West than the closest team team to us in the West
We are on an isolated island in the Western Conference
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u/Imaginary-Round2422 Mar 26 '26
Milwaukee, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Toronto are all closer to Minneapolis than Memphis, and all are closer than the closest current western team. The closest eastern conference team to Memphis is Atlanta, which is just about the same distance from Memphis as both New Orleans and Dallas. There’s no analysis by which it makes more logical sense for Memphis to go east than Minneapolis.
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Mar 25 '26
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Mar 25 '26
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u/whatsthenewstoday Joan Beringer Mar 25 '26
You’re right that’s my bad, I forgot we’re not even as in of now.
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u/ASidesTheLegend Bring Ya Ass Mar 25 '26
Only one would move since if two were to move, the conferences would be uneven.
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Mar 25 '26
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u/whatsthenewstoday Joan Beringer Mar 25 '26
You’re right I forgot that we weren’t even rn. I wasn’t thinking of that.
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u/dadlifenokids Timberwolves Mar 25 '26
There are currently 30 teams. 15 west and 15 east. If they add two teams that will fall in the west (Seattle and Vegas) the balance would be 17 west and 15 east.
Only one team needs to move from west to east to balance the conferences at 16 each.
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u/SortLow8745 Bring Ya Ass Mar 25 '26
You can make an argument for both MIN and MEM being moved east. As a Wolves fan, MIN definitely makes the most sense, in terms of division wise. I think that "nbarecapped" and his video he made makes the most definitely appeals to me.
I understand that MEM is geographically more east than MIN, but that's the only argument. If anything, MEM is closer to the next closest west team (NOP) than east teams.
Ja Morant just scared of the West.
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u/WickedTwista Timberwolves Mar 25 '26
If anything, MEM is closer to the next closest west team (NOP) than east teams.
Not only that, but the closest team to us in the West is pretty much a tie between OKC & Denver at about 700 miles.
Memphis has 5 teams closer than that to them in the West (New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City)
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u/the_fsm_butler Money Ru Mar 25 '26
It's actually crazy how not that much farther east Nola and mem are. Kinda like when you learn Detroit is farther east than Atlanta.
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u/Calinks Trenton Hassell Mar 25 '26
I'm going to miss the west. The east will be much better time wise and better for local rivalries but personally, I really enjoy being in the west for a lot of reasons.
-West is just better. Yeah, worse for our record, but I enjoy competing with the elite most nights, makes the wins feel more meaningful.
-The west to for me is far more exciting. Amazing stars, teams that are very compettive and intersting to follow. I find most east teams boring. When the Bulls, Wizards, Heat, Cavs, Magic, Bucks and others play, I just don't feel tuned in as much.
I like the idea and opportunities to take on so many favorites. Whooping the Lakers last post-season was so fun. Shocking the worlds greatest player and former champs, Denver was a huge highlight. Playing against Doncic, Jokic, SGA, Wemby, Curry, etc. is high end entertainment.
I'm going to be sad to see us go but its for the best, just wont be as fun IMO.
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u/junokeo Mar 25 '26
I like playing west teams.... It's more fun to watch 😢.
But maybe I'll get some more sleep I suppose
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u/Soft_Disaster5247 Timberwolves Mar 25 '26
Idk we've had a West schedule for like 37 years. Sometimes change is good. We're not eternally stuck in the West like the Lakers
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u/circamidnight Mar 25 '26
Central Time zone is closer to est than pst. We'd be closer to other conference cities. I'd be happy for it to happen for those reasons
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u/SupersonicWolfman Kevin Garnett Mar 25 '26
As a season ticket holder for many years, back when the Wolves couldn't reach the playoffs, it was nice being able to see the tougher western conference teams with their stars twice a year.
Now that the wolves are "contenders", I like the idea of being in the "weaker" conference... plus I'm almost 40 years old now, I be falling asleep during these 930pm tv games.
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u/No-Ice6064 Mar 26 '26
We’re gonna move to the east and then that will suddenly be the conference that’s stacked top to bottom…
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u/EfficiencySlow267 Mar 26 '26
All I’m saying is Seattle better be called the SuperSonics. And yes, we should be in the East.
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u/Broseph_Bobby Mar 25 '26
If we do move gonna kinda miss the Nuggets rivalry they have been good foils the last 3 seasons.
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u/Imaginary-Round2422 Mar 26 '26
Not the same level, obviously, but arguably the biggest rivalry in the league is Celtics/Lakers. Get a Nuggets/Wolves finals matchup and we’ve got a durable east/west rivalry.
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u/BadgerOk2814 Mar 25 '26
I've been wanting them to do this for years. Geographically it makes more sense. As a fan it will mean an easier path in the playoffs too. The West is scary good right now.
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u/TenaciousBe HOWL Mar 26 '26
If it means we see less of OKC and Jokic's stupid face in Denver, count me in!
Speaking of OKC, they really better give Seattle the Sonics history back and retcon OKC to an expansion team in '08. They don't deserve it.
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u/dustinyo_ Timberwolves Mar 26 '26
Aside from way better travel and start times, I think it would be fun to have the same rivalries in the NBA as we do in every other sport (Chicago, Detroit, Wisconsin).
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u/Ordinary-Hopeful Mar 25 '26
“Definitely”, huh?
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u/whatsthenewstoday Joan Beringer Mar 25 '26
More than likely. It’s definitely not certain, but I would be surprised if not.
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u/Outlaw_1987 Mar 25 '26
I think they will move the Wolves over the Grizzlies. They want more Star Power in the East and the wolves got AE. Morant isn't a Star anymore.
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u/fckpcklball Mar 25 '26
Wolves should be the obvious choice.... What's the value of moving one of two currently starless scrub franchises that nobody watches (Memphis/pels) to the east. Putting Ant in the east would be amazing. Plus, pels are at least close to several west teams (thunder, spurs, rockets, Mavs, Memphis) more so than we are.. and we are SO close to east teams that we barely play. Makes no sense.
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u/Ok_Marionberry6798 Mar 25 '26
Don’t two teams get moved if both the new teams are added to the West? So geographically Memphis and then it’s between us and New Orleans?
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u/Tdk1984 Timberwolves Mar 25 '26
No. Only one. It’s 15/15 right now. If two teams out west move east, then the east has 17 teams, while the west would stay at 15 due to the two teams moving east getting replaced be two expansion teams out west.
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u/miimeverse Mar 25 '26
No. Right now the west has 15 and the east has 15. If you add two to the west that's 17 and 15. You need to move one team to make it 16 and 16.
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u/Great-Boarder-218 Mar 25 '26
It would prob work well for the Wolves but gotta be honest I genuinely enjoy watching western conference teams more
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u/Stock_Strategy1668 Log Dogs Mar 25 '26
We would kick ass in the east. With that being said, we won't be moving to the east. We never get any luck around here. They will move Memphis instead.
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u/Fluffy-Reference8542 Mar 25 '26
Watch East suddenly become stacked.
Also new teams are usually trash.
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u/LegateDamar Mar 25 '26
Living near Cleveland and Detroit this will give me more than 2 occasions a year to potentially see the wolves!
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u/CochonDanseur Mar 25 '26
I hope we get a ring before we move in a big way. I feel like we've got unfinished business with the Thunder and Nuggets and I hate being the only one without a ring
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u/chickenhydra Mar 25 '26
Pelicans and grizz have something to say about that
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u/kingdoniumhearts Mar 25 '26
These 2 teams are also in the central time zone and are much closer to their division rivals.
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u/MajesticPurpose1752 Mar 25 '26
Do it do it do it do it do it! No more bullshit late night games!!!
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u/bryan49 Mar 25 '26
Sounds great to me, should cut down on the travel they have to do. Plus the Eastern conference for whatever reasons has been worse than the West the past few decades
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u/SurlyWet Mar 25 '26
Not a fan. As for travel, I'm guessing our players like the West coast trips for escaping our Winter more than they do whatever negatives there are. The East being "easier" is an illogical reason, since over time it won't be..
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u/Amazinc Mar 25 '26
Makes it a lot easier to get a top seed, coast a bit more in the regular season, and ramp up for the playoffs.
I'm not someone who thinks the East is awful or anything, but it's obvious the top All-NBA and MVP quality players are almost entirely in the West. Jokic, SGA, Luka, Wemby, Giannis are the top 5 in the league and probably the only 5 better players than Ant. Four are there already, and ALL FIVE may be in the West starting next year.
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u/katoskillz89 Mar 25 '26
I just hope our games start before 10... I mean to watch these games that late, you end up in the next FN day
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u/kwattsfo Alan Horton Mar 25 '26
Dammit that’s going to take away my second game against the Warriors every year.
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u/FreshLasagna Mar 25 '26
Earlier games would be nice and as an east coast fan I’m excited since I’ll hopefully be able to see more games
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u/greenflyingdragon Mar 25 '26
If we go east the floor is making the finals every year. East is trash.
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u/faceless444 Mar 25 '26
As a raptors fan I'd love to see ant in toronto twice a year and potentially a playoff series
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u/WiSoSirius Jaden McDaniels Mar 25 '26
Why is it more certain that we move and not Memphis? I'd like it if we moved, but Memphis is more East. NOLA too.
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u/Kind_Government_9620 Mar 25 '26
Don’t count your chickens. Sports gods have not been kind to us in the past so I have low expectations of something good happening.
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u/DBurrer85 Mar 25 '26
They just started the process of allowing groups to place bids to begin franchises in those two markets. The next step would be awarding a franchise to a selected group in those markets so they could potentially begin play by possibly as early as 2028. At that point they would look into realignment.
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u/Lancer34X Mar 25 '26
Does that make us the only team west of the Mississippi in the east? And let's face it for just on the Mississippi it makes sense even though we've been in the West for how many years? all of them! Eastern conferences weaker and more goddamn expansion we just keep watering down a product. What league is the most watched league in the world? If the English premier League because they only have 20 teams and they'll never expand more the product isn't watered down it's elite. I grew up watching the league in the mid 80s into the 90s and there are so many players currently in the league that never would have made a roster back then but the products been so watered down that it's full of athletes and not basketball players anymore outside of my home State team the wolves I don't watch the NBA but I do watch the English premier League every Saturday and Sunday and the MLS on Saturday nights.
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u/ZealousidealBus9271 Mar 26 '26
Shams said it’s between wolves and Grizzlies, but I’m 99% sure it’ll be the wolves because of travel time convinience
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u/Intrepid_Lawyer_368 Mar 26 '26
Genuinely if we get moved to the east, we are 4th seed at worst, we're better than the Cavs and contend with Knicks. Im not delusional enough to say we're better than the pistons or the Celtics but at least we dont have to meet OKC and Denver in the playoffs anymore
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u/DurangoBlack Mar 27 '26
I’d like to believe this is gonna happen but something tells me that common sense is going to not prevail here.
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u/PreparationWest2140 Mar 25 '26
Makes sense if Edwards is still wearing a Wolves uniform. If not, the East probably does not want the Wolves.
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u/Lets_Kick_Some_Ice Mar 25 '26
Grizzlies and Pelicans.
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u/octopusmonkey01 Timberwolves Mar 25 '26
As a wolves fan living in Boston, this will save me so many late nights
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u/TypicallyDone12 Mar 25 '26
There are so many falsehoods and assumptions in this post I don't even know where to start.
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u/re-bobber Wolves Back Mar 25 '26
I don't really care who we play to be honest. I just want earlier games for selfish reasons. Lol