Record-breaking NBA team sales are accelerating expansion discussions, with the Boston Celtics selling for $6.1 billion in March followed by the Los Angeles Lakers selling at a $10 billion valuation deal this week. Multiple sources indicate these prices could drive expansion fees to approximately $6 billion per team.
The Celtics sale shattered previous records by 50 percent, surpassing Mat Ishbia's $4 billion purchase of the Phoenix Suns in 2023. The $6.1 billion figure surprised league insiders, particularly given Boston's lack of arena ownership at TD Garden.
The Lakers deal represents an even more dramatic jump, with the franchise valued 65 percent higher than the previous record. The sale could finalize as early as next month's board of governors meeting in Las Vegas.
Commissioner Adam Silver recently confirmed expansion will be discussed at the upcoming board of governors meeting in July. He indicated the league will likely recommend creating a formal committee to study expansion possibilities.
"There's been no lack of interest," Silver said. "I essentially have said to people from several different cities, 'We're just not engaging in that process right now.' I want to be fair to everyone. So I don't want to have meetings with some and not others. So if we were to say yes, we're now going to move into a more formal exploratory phase."
The record sale prices suggest expansion fees could reach $6 billion per team, sources said. If two expansion franchises join the league, current owners would each receive approximately $400 million from the fees. Unlike all basketball related income, expansion fees are not split with players.
Multiple cities have expressed interest in NBA expansion, though Silver has avoided formal meetings to maintain fairness in the process. Seattle and Las Vegas have widely been cited as the probable expansion locations.
