Over the years, there have been countless discussions about Adam Silver adding more teams to the NBA and expanding the league. The last time any such move was made was 20 years ago when the Charlotte Hornets were introduced to the world. However, with Silver closing in on the new $76 billion media rights deal, the hope of expansion has resurfaced, making LeBron James and Shaq’s Vegas dream a bit more realistic. But the two legends will require making a historic splurge to fulfill that dream, which could even dethrone the mighty Warriors.

“We’re not quite done with our media deals yet. But once we are, we will turn to consideration around expansion,” Adam Silver’s latest statement about a possible expansion promises a bright future for the NBA.

And one city that has long been considered the primary option to be awarded an NBA franchise is Las Vegas. But owning a team in Vegas will not be a piece of cake as the latest reports suggest that the sale could potentially be the most expensive and most competitive sports purchase in US history. With the price of buying a franchise along with the cost of building an arena to call home, the deal is expected to hit the $7 billion mark, shattering the previous record purchase of NFL’s Washington Commanders at $6.05 billion.

As per last year’s Forbes report, the Warriors wear the crown of the highest-valued team in the league at $7.7 billion. However, considering external factors like team roster and merchandise sales on top of the expected $7 billion expense, the new Vegas franchise could surpass the valuation of Stephen Curry’s team very soon.

But wait! Who is ready to spend that kind of money on a new NBA team?

Well, a lot of people actually. For starters, Steph’s on-court rival and off-court friends LeBron James and Hall-of-Fame Shaquille O’Neal have expressed interest in becoming team owners on multiple occasions.

LeBron James and Shaq’s Vegas Dream

“It’s wonderful. It’s the best fanbase in the world and I would love to bring a team here (Las Vegas) at some point. That’ll be amazing.” With a smirk on his face, LeBron James made his intentions clear during a 2022 interview about hopefully owning an NBA team in Vegas in the future. Knowing that Adam Silver would eventually hear what he had to say, LBJ even made the same demand to the NBA Commissioner, “I want a team here Adam. Thank you.”

Now that there is a price tag on his dream, LeBron continues to be a possible suitor for owning the Vegas franchise as he has the financial backing of the owners of the Red Bull brand.

Meanwhile, Shaq, who previously had a minority stake in the Sacramento Kings but was forced to sell it due to his partnership with the betting platform WynnBET, also wants to get back in the ownership business. “I would definitely like to… Whatever team is available.” Although Shaq does not have a city preference like his former teammate Bron, the seven-footer might not shy away from loosening his pockets for a chance to own a team in Vegas if the opportunity presented itself.

However, once Adam Silver makes his expansion plan official, more suitors are expected to join the race because of the upside of owning an NBA team following the new media rights deal. Do you think either LeBron James or Shaq would play a part in dethroning the Warriors with a historic purchase?