Adam Silver ended any discussions of immediate NBA expansion back in July, but Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak still thinks Las Vegas will land an NBA team.
While on the Press Box with Graney & Bischoff on ESPN Las Vegas, Sisolak talked about meeting with Adam Silver at the NBA Summer League.
“We have the discussion every year, how’s it look,” Sisolak said Monday morning. “And there’s always a couple of teams that are potentially going to move. We talk about that and there is not immediate expansion on the horizon. But they see the success here and they see a market that if somebody wants to get involved, they can get a piece of. I see it happening, I don’t know if it is going to be in the next year or two, but definitely in the foreseeable future you will see an NBA team in Las Vegas.”
(You can hear the entire interview at LVSportsNetwork.com.)
Sisolak acknowledged the doubtfulness that Las Vegas (or any city) will land an expansion team anytime soon. But Sisolak and Silver apparently discussed the possibility of a team relocating to Vegas.
Rumors have heated up and cooled off surrounding the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were purchased by a group featuring Alex Rodriguez.
The previous owner, Glen Taylor, said that part of the sale would include an agreement to keep the team in Minnesota, but that turned out to be false. Meaning the Timberwolves new owners could move the team.
That would open Las Vegas back up as a potential NBA city. Seattle is the front runner for whenever the NBA expands or relocates. But in relocation, the ownership group of whatever team that is moving could pick Vegas over Seattle.
But for now, we will have to wait on Minnesota or another owner to threaten to move.