NBA commissioner addresses expansion in Las Vegas

NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the possibility of expansion to Las Vegas again Monday, telling ESPN’s Malika Andrews that “Las Vegas … will make a great location for a franchise one day.”

Speaking on “NBA Today,” Silver also said expansion “is not on the front burner” for the league.

“We’ve been very public with the fact that we want to get through collective bargaining. We want to see where our media deals come out,” said Silver, alluding to the contracts that are set to expire after the 2024-25 season.

”But then we’ll turn back to expansion at some point.”

Silver’s comments were in response to comments made this month by Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, who told reporters after a preseason game at T-Mobile Arena that he wants to own a prospective franchise in Las Vegas.

“I would love to bring a team here at some point,” said James, flashing a grin. “That would be amazing.”

Silver said “it’s very healthy” for the NBA when players transition into managerial and ownership roles.

“It’s great for the ecosystem,” Silver said. “I’m thrilled that LeBron aspires to be an NBA team owner some day.”

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.