Following a preseason tilt between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns that excited the crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lakers superstar LeBron James is requesting an NBA team land in Las Vegas.
“I would love to bring a team here at some point. That would be amazing. I know Adam is in Abu Dhabi right now, I believe,” James said, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “But he probably sees every single interview and transcript that comes through from NBA players.
“So, I want the team here, Adam. Thank you.”
“I think it’s a great city. The natural organic energy that’s here built into the city, it goes hand in hand with the level of sports that have been considered to be placed here,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said of Las Vegas. “It’s a no-brainer. Down the road. I don’t want to speak for the NBA or the commissioner, but I think at some point you’ll see a permanent NBA team here calling Las Vegas home.”
There will be stiff competition for the next NBA franchise location, as the city of Seattle has long been vying for the return of an NBA team, preferably their beloved SuperSonics.
Silver was asked during the NBA Finals about the possibility of expanding the NBA beyond 30 teams.
“We are not discussing that at this time,” Silver said at the time. “As I said before, at some point, this league invariably will expand, but it’s not at this moment that we are discussing it.”
Silver did discuss Seattle and Las Vegas as potential expansion locations.
“Those are wonderful markets,” Silver said. “We were in Seattle. I’m sorry we are no longer there. We have a WNBA team in Seattle in an almost brand-new building that’s doing spectacular. And Las Vegas, where we will be at our summer league in July, has shown itself to be a great sports market as well.”
