LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers took the short trip to Las Vegas on Wednesday to participate in a preseason game against the Phoenix Suns.
You might think that following that game James would spend his time playing the slots or enjoying one of Vegas’ great buffets.
Instead, he was talking to the press – and he was talking about basketball.
LeBron James used his postgame press conference in Las Vegas to address NBA commissioner Adam Silver directly during one answer, saying he wants to own the team in Vegas if and when the league expands to include a team in Sin City
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 6, 2022
Following the Lakers-Suns showdown, James reiterated a point he had made before: he wants the NBA to expand the league and add a team in Vegas – and he wants to own that team.
This isn’t the first time that James has mentioned being a team owner in Sin City.
It’s not a far-fetched concept because the conventional wisdom is that NBA commissioner Adam Silver really is contemplating adding a team in Las Vegas in the next few years.
But will James actually own that team?
Viva Las Vegas
Inside reporting suggests that the NBA will likely propose adding a team to both Las Vegas and Seattle within the next few years.
A team returning to Seattle is no surprise, that fanbase has been eager for another squad since the SuperSonics left.
However, a team in Vegas would be a first for the league and would be a huge deal.
It’s very likely that a team in Vegas would be launching right around the time that James has retired from the game so he would have more free time on his hands and no conflict of interest either.
Frankly, he would have to pony up a lot of his vast fortune to own the franchise all by himself.
In reality, if James does own an NBA team in the future, he will likely just be one of a few co-owners because buying a team is incredibly and shockingly expensive.
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