In recent days, news of NBA expansion has been heating up. Well-known journalist, “Woj” reported that the NBA might be heading for an expansion. “Once the league completes the media rights negotiations, possibly next year, expansion will be sought. The priority cities for expansion are, of course, Las Vegas and Seattle. The league has been working hard to expand to Las Vegas in recent years, from the Summer League to the national team training camp, I believe the day Las Vegas hosts an NBA team is not far off. As for Seattle, they have already had an NBA team,” said Woj.
It is reported that two NBA historical top ten superstars, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James, are very interested in becoming owners of the NBA expansion team in Las Vegas.
Shaquille O’Neal is one of the strongest centers in NBA history. He has won four NBA championships and three Finals MVP awards. He has invested in numerous projects after retirement and earned quite a little fortune, however, he continues to earn and has been an NBA commentator on TNT.
Recently, O’Neal’s net worth has skyrocketed, reportedly reaching at least $400 million. He has always dreamed of becoming an NBA owner. He once expressed his desire to invest in the Orlando Magic, the team which selected him in the draft. However, his wish was not fulfilled.
Recently, O’Neal has set his sights on Las Vegas, stating that, “I want to have my own team. I know Las Vegas has not been awarded an NBA team, but if they get one, I want to be part of it. I don’t want to partner with anyone, I want it all to myself.”
LeBron James, one of the strongest players in the NBA, is also a business genius. He has been successful in various fields of investment and cooperation. It is said that James’ net worth has exceeded $1 billion. He too has expressed an interest in becoming an owner of an NBA team.
Now, two of the top ten NBA superstars are looking forward to becoming owners of the NBA expansion team. This is good news for the NBA, as these stars could bring their star power and experiences to build a competitive team.
However, it’s not going to be easy. As with NBA’s potential expansion to Las Vegas, the team’s great location and business value mean that the team’s value could be around $4 billion. The combined net worth of O’Neal and James is not enough to acquire the team. They may have to find other partners, or wait for the NBA’s market price to fall.
Regardless, their wishes may not be realized soon. But team expansion seems to be the trend, after all, who wouldn’t want a piece of the expanding pie, just like the skyrocketing market value of the Warriors.
