Tracy McGrady Says NBA Doesn’t Have Enough Talent to Expand

As the NBA edges closer to potential expansion, not everyone is convinced it’s the right move, including Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady.

With a board of governors meeting approaching and cities like Las Vegas and Seattle firmly in the conversation, expansion appears to be gaining momentum. But McGrady believes the league may be overlooking a key issue: the current talent pool.

The former scoring champion made it clear he isn’t sold on adding more teams to the league right now.

“I’m all for trying to increase the revenue… I’m just like, we have 30 teams, got a lot of players, 450 maybe more now,” McGrady said speaking on the Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady podcast. “We don’t have the talent to be trying to start two more teams. I just don’t think we have the talent to start two more teams. Now can we take away two teams & add two teams?”

The NBA currently operates with 30 franchises, and expansion would not only increase revenue opportunities but also create additional roster spots across the league. However, McGrady’s concern centers around how that talent would be distributed, and whether the overall product would suffer as a result.

“I’m saying keep it at 30,” McGrady added. “The talent to me is down, bro.”

Tracy McGrady says he doesn’t think the NBA has enough talent to add expansion teams:

“We got 30 teams. We don’t have the talent to be trying to start two more teams. Can we take away two teams and add two teams? I’m saying keep it at 30. The talent to me is down bro!”

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The comments come at a time when the NBA is balancing its global growth with competitive integrity. Expansion into markets like Seattle, which has long pushed for the return of the SuperSonics, and Las Vegas, a rapidly growing sports hub, would mark a significant step forward financially.

But it would also test the league’s depth.

McGrady’s perspective reflects a broader debate across basketball circles. While expansion promises new opportunities and increased revenue, it also raises legitimate questions about whether there are enough high-level players to sustain two additional teams without diluting the quality of play.