LeBron James isn’t just discussing the possibility of owning an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, he’s already trying to make it happen, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said tonight on NBA Countdown (video link).
“He has been active behind the scenes and on a regular basis now in meetings with his advisors planning with a group about what a franchise would look like, how an organization would run and then obviously the finances,” Wojnarowski said. “It is going to be an expensive proposition to get an expansion team in this next round.”
Wojnarowski adds that one potential obstacle for an ownership group led by James was recently eliminated when the Adelson family reached a tentative agreement to purchase the Mavericks. The Adelsons are involved in the casino business and would have been “a real contender” to become the new owners of a Las Vegas team, according to Wojnarowski.
Woj also confirms that the NBA plans to begin considering expansion once its next media rights deal is finalized and has an eye on adding two teams, with Las Vegas and Seattle considered the current favorites.
“LeBron James is determined to be at the forefront of a Vegas expansion NBA team in the future,” Wojnarowski adds, “and he is putting the work in on it now.”
He may run into the problem of the team happening next year before he retires. Since the new teams owners will be determined before it comes into being. Not sure if he can be both an active player for one team and an owner of another MJ had to sell the wizards stake to come play for them.
new sports teams don’t just come into being that quickly
They are talking about expanding with the new tv deal which may be completed by mar-apr so they would take bids within the year after that and then plan an expansion draft. The new team wont start playing for a while but the new owners may need to be in place as soon as during next season so unless he hangs it up I dont know how he could own the LV deuce sevens while playing for the lakers.
As Darkside said, it’s going to be a process. Even if, hypothetically, everything came together before next season starts to award the franchise, it’d still be a long time before they played games. I don’t really see a conflict of interest until LV would actually start playing games. League may see it differently, but…
the new teams will be 2-3 years down the line not next year
If Seattle and Vegas get a team will the nba finally put Memphis and New Orleans in the east?
You only need to move one.
Simple math!
Whoever volunteers.
If neither volunteer likely a vote.
The team that would make the most sense to move, IMO, is actually Minnesota.
Bron gets what Bron wants …..
Good for the NBA …..
And I’m all for Seattle and Las Vegas getting teams.
What?
And this is how Bronny and the rest of his kids are guaranteed to be NBA players.
As Lebron stays away from GM duties all for it. He was a terrible GM in Cleveland and LA. Not to mention owning a team is theoretically more than just a 5-6 year commitment.
Yeah, if by “terrible GM in Cleveland” you mean “arguably the best GM Cleveland has ever seen”, you might be right.
Seriously, before Lebron, the Cavs had only made it TO the conference finals TWICE; once on the back of
the notably non-notable Jim Brewer and the other with Larry Nance. The Stepien Rule literally exists because of a Cavs owner, and ironically hindered the Cavs from being able to build around Lebron to begin with. Lebron came back and took them to 4 straight NBA Finals, and if you think that’s not the sign of a great GM, I don’t think I would trust your opinion on whatever it is you ARE most knowledgeable on.
And if you want to retort about the state he left them is, it’s never a GM’s responsibility to worry about the state of a team after they’re gone.
Seattle Supersonics are coming back! They will require their historical data back from OKC.
I have always believed. That when a Sports Franchise moves. The name should stay with the city.
Good thing its not the Oklahoma city sonics.
Seattle basketball fans should riot if a new ownership group cant come up with a better team name than Supersonics. Kraken are arguably the best name expansion team name in history.
And Cleveland Browns serves as a historical reminder that reusing an old name doesn’t do anything but sate your nostalgia. A franchise that started out by being in 11 championship games in their first 12 years and winning 7 of them… notably started by beating the New York Yankees in back-to-back seasons, and no, that’s not something I just made up.
Since the Browns’ reincarnation in Cleveland, they have been to a whopping 3 playoff games, winning only 1.
Well, you don’t have to worry because literally no one is going to use the name Knickerbocker.
But you’ll have to pry the Jazz from Utah’s cold dead hands because no one is going to buy tickets for the Salt Lake City Mormons.
And don’t worry, any day now, the Brooklyn Dodgers will start playing again…
Yeah, and LA has always had the best lakes too.