Bidding for the Las Vegas expansion team! Magic Johnson and Shaq lead four major consortiums, and Jordan may also invest.

As reported by Las Vegas local media on June 28, three months following the NBA's formal launch of expansion assessment for Las Vegas, multiple capital groups have tendered their bidding intentions, and over ten venue locations have been placed on the candidate list. Sources say that several consortiums are keen to win this new NBA team and intend to build a dedicated arena in Las Vegas. The key figures of the four bidding consortiums are as follows—

MAGI Consortium

Spearheaded by NBA legend and business mogul "Magic" Earvin Johnson. Back in February, when the league voted to consider Las Vegas and Seattle as potential expansion cities, this consortium publicly declared its intention to bid. Johnson and his team made a special visit to meet with Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo to discuss expansion matters.

Bill Foley Consortium

Bill Foley, owner of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, officially announced his bid this week.

Marc Lasry

Former co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, he has assembled a bidding team to join the race.

Shaquille O'Neal's Team

NBA legend center Shaquille O'Neal, a longtime Las Vegas resident, is looking to invest in a bidding consortium. His local agent Perry Rogers revealed that the team has already held discussions with multiple bidders. Rogers stated, "I am very excited about Las Vegas landing an NBA team; this city is a perfect match for an NBA franchise. Las Vegas has a deep basketball heritage, and bringing in a professional team is an inevitable step for the city's growth."

Additionally, sources report that six-time champion and business tycoon Michael Jordan's name has surfaced on the negotiation lists of various consortiums, suggesting a potential investment from him; however, the league has not yet engaged in direct talks with Jordan.

Insiders note that the composition of most bidding consortiums is quite similar: each group includes individuals with NBA backgrounds, major real estate developers, and well-funded investors.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated he hopes to decide on league expansion by the end of this year, but clarified this month that the Board of Governors meeting during the Summer League (July 9–19) will not produce a final expansion resolution. Governor Lombardo's spokesperson Drew Garang said the governor has met with several bidding consortiums and continues to follow up on the expansion process with the NBA.