The NBA’s Paris Games garnered a huge crowd. The home favorite Victor Wembanyama had the crowd electrified with his glistening performance. However, for Adam Silver, this was more than just reaching the NBA’s global audience. Recently, he spoke with great interest about possibly eyeing an independent league in Europe. And being in Paris, right where the Olympics took place, this was a chance to get all the important discussions done.

As Brian Windhorst of Hoops Collective noted. “By the way the entire NBA front office was here and I know it’s Paris. I know people like to come to Paris but this is a working trip. It was like a finals or an All-Star game. All of the brass, all of the top Executives, all the top lieutenants were all here because they’re all having meetings,”.

That was the main agenda. In his press conference later, Silver acknowledged that Europe continues to develop the best players. However, the commissioner feels the NBA has the resources to market the talent better. In Windy’s view, “So basically saying there is they got great players over here, but their league ain’t getting it done”.

Tim McMahon doesn’t feel the league appeals to an American. But with the existence of the EuroLeague since the 1950s, he can’t see their audience receive an NBA Europe League with excitement. “I would imagine there’s a lot of people in Europe who aren’t especially thrilled by this. Like it’s kind of saying hey you guys don’t know what the hell you’re doing with this league that you’ve had for decades and decades and decades let some professionals take over,” the insider commented.

However, that’s not the only problem. Along with the dissatisfaction of the international audience, it could also derail LeBron James’ retirement plans.

LeBron James and his Las Vegas plans are sidelined

Along with the introduction of the NBA’s Europe expansion, it also has implications on it’s earlier visions. LeBron James and Silver have been joking for a while about him wanting a team in Las Vegas. Before this season, everybody thought that’s exactly what the commissioner is aiming for.

But with Europe appealing to him, Windhorst has strong suspicions. As far as the NBA’s expansion goes, those conversations will be halted. “They’re not really focused on NBA expansion. so if you are uh Seattle or Las Vegas fan I don’t I mean I don’t think that’s off the table like not going to happen but think the timeline for that is definitely out because this is what focus is,” Windhorst revealed.

Essentially, it delays LeBron James’ dream post-retirement. He wants to own an NBA team. But just when it seemed all is lost Tim Bontemps did provide some hope. He feels that the Wyc Grousbeck selling the Boston Celtics could have great implications. Notably, if the sale amount is “north of 5 billion,”, it could stimulate the expansion.

As per the recent reports, the Celtics’ sale is expected to be historic. The rumored amount is said to be between $5.6 – $6 billion. Hence, if what Bontemps suggests is true, James’ vision of owning an NBA Las Vegas team will have a pathway toward becoming true.