LeBron James Addresses Team Ownership Rumors As NBA Expansion Looms
LeBron James Addresses Team Ownership Rumors As NBA Expansion Looms
Ishaan BhattacharyaThu, March 19, 2026 at 5:18 AM UTC
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LeBron James is in the twilight of what many believe is the greatest career in NBA history. He is in his 23rd season and just had a 30-point game while only missing one shot all game. He's making history every time he steps onto the court, with the next looming all-time achievement being the most appearances in NBA history.
There's no denying that James' career is at the end, and we'll be lucky if he plays even one more season, given his age and mounting injuries. As a result, many have hypothesized that a natural next step for the billionaire Los Angeles Lakers forward would be to look into becoming a team owner, following the footsteps of Michael Jordan again.
There have been bubbling rumors for years that James would look to be part of an NBA ownership group when the league finally expands, eyeing a franchise in Las Vegas. With official confirmation that the NBA is presenting an expansion proposal to the Board of Governors, it seems LeBron's supposed next step was lining up perfectly.
However, the 41-year-old confirmed after the Lakers' 124-116 win over the Houston Rockets that he has no immediate interest in pursuing team ownership in the NBA, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
LeBron James on potentially being part of a group bidding on a Las Vegas expansion team: “No, I’m not. Not at all.”
James' comment comes hours after a report claiming that the Fenway Sports Group does not intend to bid on an NBA expansion franchise.
"Fenway Sports Group is not currently interested in pursuing the likely expansion opportunity in Las Vegas, two sources with direct knowledge of the firm’s intentions told The Athletic."
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"One of those sources, who was not authorized to speak publicly for Fenway, said the global sports investment firm was out on NBA ownership in Las Vegas because of the expected cost — the league is reportedly seeking expansion fees as high as $8 billion per team."
"FSG was long expected to be James’ primary financial backer in his stated desire to be an NBA team owner, and because of that, a source close to James said, 'With Fenway no longer pursuing NBA ownership, it is less likely that LeBron will pursue a team.'"
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James talks to reporters during the 2026 All-Star WeekendKirby Lee-Imagn Images (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
James is a partner and minority stakeholder in the group, which makes him a part-owner of iconic sports franchises such as the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
FSG doesn't have an NBA team in its portfolio, and it seems that'll continue for the foreseeable future.
This doesn't definitely mean that FSG or James won't pursue an NBA team at some point, but they likely don't want to pay the price that comes from a bidding war. NBA expansion teams are expected to fetch between $7 billion and $12 billion.
Existing NBA teams also have ownership changes all the time, with the Portland Trail Blazers being sold last month for a reported price of around $4.5 billion, much cheaper than the cost of an expansion franchise.
We can't rule out James and FSG getting into the NBA at some point, but it likely won't be with a brand new franchise in Las Vegas or Seattle.
Related: ESPN's Shams Charania Shares Update on LeBron James' Retirement Decision
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Sports”
