League expansion is one of the hottest topics in the NBA, but with 30 teams and 540 players who can be signed to a standard or two-way contract, it isn’t lacking size. However, as the talent pool grows there aren’t too many opportunities.
Originally, the league planned to expand in 2026-27. Due to logistical reasons, that may be pushed back to 2027-28. Nonetheless, the preferred host cities of Seattle and Las Vegas have remained the same. If Las Vegas does land an NBA franchise, LeBron James has been cited as a name to watch as a potential owner.
"For the better part of a decade, James has been transparent about his desire to join Michael Jordan as all-time great turned team governor and become a true shareholder in the NBA," ESPN's Tim Bontempts, Kevin Pelton and Brian Windhorst reported Tuesday morning. "James' off-court investment decisions, including taking an equity position with Boston Celtics, Pittsburgh Penguins and Liverpool FC ownership group Fenway Sports, have been made with this in mind."
"James has continued to develop relationships with deep-pocketed sports investors like John Henry and Gerry Cardinale... Last year, he traveled to Saudi Arabia and met with Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud, a member of the royal family and the kingdom's minister of culture... In 2022, the NBA cleared the way for sovereign wealth funds to invest up to 20% in teams."
For many, James’s interest in owning an NBA team after he retires is no secret -- an ambition he also shares with longtime friends Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony. Like James, Paul and Anthony don’t want to be part of just any ownership group, they want to invest in the potential Las Vegas franchise.
James has the deepest pockets of the trio, raking in boatloads of money on and off the court. However, NBA franchises are so expensive that even he would need help. With that said, it’s possible he could finally team up with Anthony and Paul in the NBA, at least as co-owners -- among others.
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