“It doesn’t come with the franchise”: Adam Silver cheekily pokes fun at MVP LeBron James coveting Las Vegas franchise
LeBron James was crowned the MVP after the LA Lakers won the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament against the Indiana Pacers at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The veteran forward will now go down in history as the first MVP of a marquee tournament and will add the NBA Cup to his decorated league resume. James getting his hands on the trophy was a no-brainer given his scintillating run throughout the tournament. However, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had the last laugh, taking a cheeky dig at James as he presented him with the trophy.
James has been vocal about his desire to bring an NBA team to Vegas, and Silver referred to it during the presentation ceremony.
"The MVP Cup for outstanding play throughout the entire tournament goes to the man who frankly, has nothing else to win in this league. The only thing I can say is, I'm sorry it doesn't come with the franchise."
It was all in good humor as James and Silver exchanged hugs and smiles. The latter then hoisted the MVP trophy for the world to see.
James has been the driving force for LA throughout the In-Season Tournament. He finished his evening against the Pacers with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. Overall, he averaged 26.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game ahead of the contest. In the regular season, he is propping up 25.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists.
On the game front, it was Anthony Davis whose 41-point blitz sunk the Pacers. With some incredible defense to boot, the big recorded 20 rebounds and five assists to help the Lakers win 123-109.
LeBron James is determined to bring an NBA franchise to Las Vegas
While the WNBA has a Vegas team: the Las Vegas Aces (also the defending champs this past season and the year before), there is no men's team yet. Last year, there were reports of the league planning to expand the number of teams with Vegas and Seattle as potential cities. And on his part, LeBron James is keen to be part of the expansion talks.
According to ESPN and NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, James is "determined" to bring in a team in Vegas.
"LeBron James is not just talking about being a part of an ownership group that brings the NBA to Las Vegas. He has been active behind the scenes and on a regular basis now in meetings with his advisors and planning about what a franchise would look like, how an organization would run and then obviously the finances."
Las Vegas has been home to several sports franchises — The Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL, Aces of the WNBA, and the Las Vegas Raiders of the NFL. They will be joined by the Oakland Athletics of MLB which has been approved for relocation in 2028. So, will there be a Las Vegas Kings in the future? Only LeBron James and time will tell.