The NBA regular season begins in just over a month, but the league’s board of governors may have more off-court than on-court matters to discuss when it convenes in New York City this week.
Commissioner Adam Silver will speak to the press Tuesday afternoon. Here’s what to watch for.
The Clippers
Steve Ballmer revealed on Sunday he will accept the punishment levied by the NBA—including a $30 million fine—after it found the Clippers circumvented the league’s salary-cap rules to provide Kawhi Leonard with millions of dollars in additional compensation through “no-show” endorsement deals. His decision came amid a reported federal probe into the saga.
Ballmer has been banished from league activities for one year, so he won’t be allowed to represent the Clippers at this week’s meeting. The team’s alternate governor, Dennis Wong, was named in Pablo Torre’s reporting as someone who also invested money in the since-failed environmental start-up Aspiration. Wong’s name did not come up in the report from the NBA’s law firm, Wachtell Lipton, and it’s not clear if he’ll represent the franchise this week.
The Lakers and Who Owns Them
The Clippers saga has served as a distraction from the other drama going on in Los Angeles.
Mark Walter, who last year purchased the Lakers at a $10 billion valuation, suddenly agreed to sell the team last month at a $12.5 billion valuation. The planned sale comes as Walter’s sprawling investment empire faces its own federal investigation tied to faulty disclosures.
The deal has caused more Buss family strife, with some members of the family saying they will sell their remaining 17.8% stake, which is held in a family trust, while Jeanie Buss maintains her siblings cannot compel the family to exit.
The dispute is not expected to impact the proposed sale to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger. Still, the timeline for when the deal will go through isn’t clear.
Jeanie Buss, who currently serves as the Lakers governor, filed a petition in California state court Aug. 23 stating that a 2017 court order requires her family to “take all actions reasonably available” to keep her in that role.
Seattle and Las Vegas Expansion
In March, the board of governors voted in favor of the NBA exploring bids for expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle. That vote did not guarantee expansion would happen, but it formally kickstarted the league’s ability to receive and vet bids from potential ownership groups. Silver has said he would like to confirm whether the league will pursue expansion in one or both cities before the end of this year.
A handful of groups have made clear they want in on Las Vegas, although one included Kushner and Iger, who are now moving forward with their Lakers deal. The remaining suitors include the Las Vegas Jacks, which are led by former NBA owner and executive Jerry Colangelo and Horizon Sports & Experiences CEO David Levy, as well as groups led by Golden Knights owner Bill Foley, Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie and her husband, Bill Laurie, and Magic Johnson.
It had been quieter on the Seattle front, where for months there was only one group with its hat in the ring, led by Kraken governor Samantha Holloway. However, a second group recently entered the fray, featuring private equity firm Blacksun and the Tulalip Tribes, a federally recognized tribal government.
Nick Rathod, chief global strategy and communications officer for Blacksun, tells FOS the group has held discussions with the NBA about its proposal and is considering bringing former Supersonics players into the fold as part of the potential ownership group. Their proposal would see the development of an entertainment district, including a new arena, on tribal land located roughly 20 miles north of Seattle.
NBA Europe
The NBA has been working hard to get its plan for a European league off the ground, and more than 20 potential ownership groups have reportedly expressed interest.
EuroLeague is open to working with the NBA but has stood strong in saying that any deal must work well for both sides. At times, there has been tension between the two as the NBA has pursued its ambitious plan.
Last week, Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport reported the NBA may offer to buy a controlling stake in EuroLeague. A source familiar with the matter tells FOS EuroLeague is expecting an offer from the NBA, and that if one comes, EuroLeague owners will discuss the proposal during their own meeting, scheduled for Oct. 5.
Prediction Markets
The NBA is widely expected to have prediction-market partners in place by the time this season tips off. Sources have told FOS there are “deal terms on the table,” and that platforms in discussions with the NBA include Kalshi, Polymarket, Novig, Fanatics, and Rothera, which is a joint venture between Robinhood and Susquehanna.
One prediction-market industry executive told FOS they “would be shocked” if the season starts without any prediction-market deals.
