THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS HAS AGREED WITH $750 DEAL WITH.
Lakers Legend Sees LeBron James’s Las Vegas NBA Team
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made light of the fact that superstar LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers did not receive a franchise for winning the MVP title in the inaugural In-Season Tournament.
James is already attracting a lot of interest from investors, including Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal, who has expressed his desire to own an expansion team in Las Vegas in the future.
O’Neal, 51, was among the 19,021 spectators who witnessed James and the Lakers’ ascent to prominence as the inaugural IST champions in Las Vegas, showcasing the world’s gambling capital as a deserving NBA city.
On Saturday, December 9, James finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists to help the Lakers defeat the Indiana Pacers 123-109 to win the IST title. During the Lakers’ undefeated 7-0 run in the tournament, he averaged 26.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists while shooting 56.8% from the field and 60.6% from beyond the arc. For this reason, he was named the IST MVP.
James declared following the game that his opinions of Las Vegas as an NBA city “have not changed.”
James remarked, “My excitement about staying here after my career has not changed.” “These fans are incredible. As I mentioned earlier, all of the teams are already here: the WNBA, MLB, NFL, and hockey. F1 was only in town for Thanksgiving.
It’s a wonderful place with lots of attractions, and I believe the NBA will be a fantastic addition to the city. Of course, we can observe the success of the Aces as well as the [NBA] Summer League and similar initiatives. Thus, it would be enjoyable!
Shaq and LeBron’s Star & Financial Power
When the time comes, James and O’Neal—two of the most recognizable players in the Lakers—have the star power, charm, and business acumen to build a strong foundation for an NBA expansion team.
James’s investments in the Fenway Sports Group already give him minority ownership stakes in both Liverpool FC and the Boston Red Sox. According to Forbes, he is the first current NBA player to reach the billion dollar mark. In contrast, O’Neal’s estimated net worth is $400 million.
RedBird Capital founder and managing partner Gerry Cardinale estimates the cost of an NBA expansion team to be between $5.5 and $6 billion. Cardinale is working behind the scenes with James and the Fenway Sports Group to bring the next professional sports team to Sin City.
Pending league board approval, Mark Cuban recently sold the majority of his Dallas Mavericks stakes to Miriam Adelson, whose family owns the Las Vegas Sands casino company, for $3.5 billion.
