It is not new that LeBron James has expressed his desire to own an expansion franchise in Las Vegas. James, who has already invested in several sports teams through his partnership with Fenway Sports Group, has made it clear that he sees his future in the NBA as a team owner. Although he is currently still an active player, his contract with the Lakers expires in the 2026-2027 season, which could coincide with rumors about the potential creation of a new franchise in the 2027-2028 season.
Given that active players cannot have ownership in a team, LeBron would need to wait until his retirement to make his ambition a reality. There are no official discussions yet on how his involvement in the expansion process would be handled, but if he decides to retire at the end of his current contract, he could be in an ideal position to be one of the first in line to acquire a franchise in Las Vegas.
On the other hand, Marc Lasry, former co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, is also putting together an investment group to compete for the potential franchise in Las Vegas. After selling his stake in the Bucks in 2023 for an estimated value of 3.5 billion dollars, Lasry has shifted his focus to the NBA expansion. Among the potential investors in his group is women’s basketball legend Candace Parker, demonstrating the high level of interest in participating in this new project.
With influential figures like LeBron James and Marc Lasry involved in the race for a possible expansion franchise in Las Vegas, the city emerges as a priority destination for the NBA’s growth, reaffirming its status as an emerging sports hub.
This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El camino de LeBron James para liderar el proyecto de nueva franquicia NBA en Las Vegas sigue en pie