Is the NBA expanding to Vegas? In-Season Tournament a strong sign of what could be next

Irwin Kishner, co-chair of Herrick's Sports Law Group, spoke to The Athletic about the possibility of a professional basketball expansion to Las Vegas. Noting that for the first time in decades the league will hold regular season games in Las Vegas, the article asks the "unavoidable" follow-up question: "If the NBA views Las Vegas as such a great market, will it bring a franchise to the city?" While the answer is unclear, the signs increasingly point to yes.  

Kishner noted that professional sports teams in Vegas for a long time were in fact taboo. The Golden Knights broke the mold "and actually did so amazingly well . . . followed by the Raiders. [With] Vegas being such a growing, dominant market, and people getting past the wagering and [other] issues that were unique to Vegas . . . at least in my opinion, it's going to be certainly a three-sport town, but probably a four-sport town too. And so the question is going to be, you know, is basketball going to expand there?"

The article notes that "whether the tournament goes down as an endorsement of an NBA team coming to Las Vegas permanently, of course, will depend on the crowds the event is able to muster."  Further, "[i]f the event is a success this year, it will only build momentum toward a permanent residency for the league."

Read the full article in The Athletic here. Access may require a subscription.