The NBA's plans for European expansion are moving forward. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum outlined some of the things the league is thinking about with the new European league, including potential timelines.

Tatum said that the NBA has some work to do with their owners, as well as FIBA, but that they are hoping to open franchise bidding in October 2026. Tatum said that having a salary cap for the new league is of "critical importance" to ensure competitive balance.

The NBA Deputy Commissioner called out France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Greece as countries that could have NBA Europe teams. He also singled out specific clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and ASVEL as teams that may join the start-up league.

The NBA would like to have inter-league competitions between NBA teams and European teams. That could start as early as a preseason tournament ahead of the 2027-28 season. Eventually, the NBA's European league would include a chance for other clubs to get promoted into the league, while 10-12 teams would be considered permanent members.

When asked, Tatum also said that "there's a conversation to be had" about WNBA expansion into Europe as well. The WNBA and the WNBPA is currently negotiating a new CBA.