"It's going to be Vegas" - Former Warriors guard breaks down why LeBron James' NBA franchise ambition makes sense
LA Lakers superstar forward LeBron James is reportedly angling to be part of an NBA expansion team ownership bid post-retirement. According to three-time All-Star Gilbert Arenas, Las Vegas is the ideal location for James to own a franchise.
On Tuesday, ESPN wrote an in-depth "NBA expansion FAQ." Las Vegas and Seattle were named as the two most likely cities to receive new squads, with the latter primed to bring back the SuperSonics.
Regarding a Las Vegas expansion organization, ESPN named James as the most "obvious" potential owner. The publication cited his long-standing ownership interest.
"For the better part of a decade, James has been transparent about his desire to join Michael Jordan as an all-time great-turned-team governor and become a true shareholder in the NBA," ESPN wrote.
ESPN added that "James has frequently spoken of his desire to own an expansion team [in Las Vegas]."
On Monday, Arenas posted a "Gil's Arena" podcast clip on X/Twitter discussing the four-time NBA champion's expected expansion franchise ownership bid. The ex-Golden State Warrior agreed that Las Vegas is an optimal destination for James to run a team, highlighting his business connections in the city.
"It's going to be Vegas," Arenas said. "His connections [are] there ... he has a big network that he's going to be in a bid for."
ESPN also touched on James' business endeavors, naming a couple of prominent businessmen he could partner with to purchase an expansion organization.
"James has continued to develop relationships with deep-pocketed sports investors such as John Henry and Gerry Cardinale, who could be partners in making a bid for an expansion team," ESPN wrote.
Thus, if Las Vegas is awarded an expansion squad, James appears well-positioned to make a bid.
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Gilbert Arenas says LeBron James' expected NBA ownership bid must align with his retirement
During his podcast discussion about LeBron James' anticipated NBA expansion team ownership bid, Gilbert Arenas noted that the move needs to align with his retirement.
"I need to use that timeline of when we think LeBron James is gonna retire because it has to make sense," Arenas said. "Obviously, we know he can't play and own it. So, he's gonna have to be done. [If] the team is gonna be built and be ready the summer of 2026, then that will be his last year, the 2025-26 season."
Per ESPN, "league sources and people who are working on forming bidding groups are targeting the 2027-28 season" for adding expansion teams. The outlet added that "starting [expansion teams] in the 2026-27 [season] isn't impossible," but "has become more unrealistic."
James appears well aware of this timeline, as he signed a two-year, $101.4 million maximum contract this offseason. Thus, he is only locked under contract until the end of the 2025-26 season.
So, by the off chance that expansion franchises are added in the 2026-27 season, James should be ready to transition to an ownership role.
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