The NBA is always trying out new methods to expand its empire. And LeBron James has been vocal about being a part of it from a business standpoint. If you have been an active follower of the NBA, you are probably aware of the recent changes it has brought about. The In-Season Tournament was the latest addition to the league’s events calendar. Based on its inaugural stint, the tournament brought a lot of attention.
Recently, Adam Silver addressed the possibility of having Las Vegas enter the group of franchises in the NBA. This has been a topic of discussion for a while now and it has finally been spoken about by the Kingpin himself. Silver said, “There are no inside candidates (to buy a Las Vegas team)… What I’ve said to everyone, publicly and privately that there is no process in place. There’s no secret discussions. No commitments to anyone.”
“There’s no process in place. There’s been no secret discussions. No commitments to anyone”
Adam Silver on the possibility of an expansion team in Las Vegas 👀
(via @SiriusXMNBA)pic.twitter.com/zkL9QgkqF7
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 10, 2023
Silver states that he is thrilled to have so many businessmen including players of past and present, standing in line to acquire a Las Vegas team. However, his focus is on building the economics of the league before committing to bringing not one, but possibly two teams to the NBA roster. But for now, there aren’t any discussions going on in the league about expanding its territory into Vegas. They’ve already had several events in the city while the WNBA has already invested in a franchise.
LeBron James spoke about owning a team in Las Vegas after the NBA In-Season tournament final
Several months before Adam Silver’s statement, LeBron James had already made it clear that he was an interested buyer. He has mentioned that he loves being in Las Vegas as well, which is all the more reason to buy a franchise. The Los Angeles Lakers team played their last three games in the city. James obviously had some time to contemplate his stance. It doesn’t seem like it has changed since the boss’s comments.
Following the In-Season Tournament Finals, he said, “My enthusiasm about being here, post-career, bringing a team here has not changed. The fans are amazing here. Like I said, they have everything here already. A WNBA team, they have a baseball team coming in soon, an NFL team, a Hockey team, F1 was just here over the Thanksgiving week… The NBA will be another great addition to this city.”
“My enthusiasm about being here post-career, bringing a team here, has not changed. … The NBA will be another great addition to this city.”
LeBron speaks on the potential for an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Ood3IQ2pez
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 10, 2023
After going undefeated through the tournament, the Lakers eventually won the title. LeBron James also made history by becoming the inaugural In-Season Tournament MVP. If the NBA were to bring a team to Las Vegas, James would be a frontrunner to snag ownership rights. His interest in the city has been at an all-time high, and he may not go down considering the memories he’s made here already.