LeBron James Wants to Own an NBA Team in Las Vegas | Can the Lakers Star Afford It?

NBA star LeBron James on Wednesday said he wanted to buy a team in Las Vegas if the league expands to the Nevada city.

According to CNN, the 37-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star's comments came after his team lost to the Phoenix Suns in a preseason game in Las Vegas, with James directly addressing league commissioner Adam Silver.

He said playing in the city is "wonderful," and it has the world's best fan base. He went on to say that he would "love to bring a team here at some point."

"I know Adam [Silver] is in Abu Dhabi right now, I believe... But he probably sees every single interview and transcript that comes through from NBA players, so, I want the team here, Adam. Thank you," James noted.

NBA Targets Las Vegas as One of the Cities for Expansion

Even though Seattle and Las Vegas have been talked about as possible expansion cities for a long time, Adam Silver and the NBA have pushed that conversation down the road.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said the league wanted to negotiate its new TV deal and Collective Bargaining Agreement before seriously considering expansion.

According to Hoop Rumors, there is a chance of growth in Seattle and Las Vegas, but it is probably still a few years away. LeBron James has a player option for the 2024/25 season and is under contract for at least two more years so that timeline would work out well for him.

According to NBA reporter Dave McMenamin, James needs to hook up with a wealthy partner and would have to retire in order to own a team. Seattle will also host NBA preseason games this fall, and those games will be played at the Climate Pledge Arena.

The Oak View Group built the arena at the site of the SuperSonics' old home, KeyArena. Tim Leiweke, chairman and CEO of the Oak View Group, said the building is ready for an NBA team, but he does not want to pressure Silver or the league.

Can LeBron James Afford an NBA Team in Las Vegas?

With a net worth of around $1 billion, LeBron James is not too far from achieving his dream of owning an NBA team, even though it will be expensive. Billionaire businessman Joseph Tsai bought the Nets in 2019 for $2.35 billion, the most money ever paid for a sports team.

The Suns are now for sale, and ESPN said the price will be "the most money that has ever been paid for an NBA team." In a June episode of "The Shop: Uninterrupted" on HBO, James said he wanted to own a team and wanted it to be in Las Vegas.

"I want to own a team... I want to buy a team for sure. I want a team in Vegas. I want the team in Vegas," James said.

Even though Silver said in June that the NBA has no plans to grow, he did say in October last year that Las Vegas would be considered if the NBA did decide to grow.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: 'I Want the Team Here, Adam' - LeBron James Tells Adam Silver He'd Want the Las Vegas Expansion Team - From ESPN