Although the NBA hasn’t made any official announcement, many believe it looks to add at least one expansion team as soon as 2025. The city most often mentioned as a candidate for such an expansion team is Las Vegas.
It would seem to be a viable market for an NBA team. The area hosted an NBA All-Star Game in 2007, and it is on the rise as far as pro sports. The Las Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL began play there during the 2017-18 season and won the Stanley Cup last season. The Las Vegas Raiders moved there in 2020, and the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces relocated to the market in 2018. In addition, the Oakland Athletics are expected to begin play in the market later this decade.
Buy Lakers TicketsLeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers has expressed his interest in becoming an owner of an NBA team there. But former Lakers superstar Shaquille O’Neal also wants a shot at doing so (h/t Lakers Daily).
Via The Messenger:
“I would like to have my own group. I know Vegas hasn’t been awarded an NBA team yet but if they ever get to a point where they are awarded a team, I would like to be a part of that. I don’t want to partner up with nobody. I want it all for myself.
“… I’ve been living in Las Vegas for over 20 years. I love it here. Las Vegas has always been a city you knew was going to grow. You could see different casinos, different real estate projects and different night clubs popping up. I’ve always been a part of it. I used to own one of the hottest night clubs, sold it and now I got 9-10 restaurants here. I’m doing very, very well and I want to continue to grow with Vegas.”
Since retiring from the NBA in 2011, O’Neal has been involved in numerous business ventures. According to Celebrity Net Worth, he is worth about $400 million, so his desire to own a team by himself may not be realistic.
