The NBA is prioritizing a Las Vegas expansion sale ahead of a potential Seattle sale, according to a league office source who spoke with ESPN. The move aims to lock in a premium franchise fee that would set a precedent for future expansion costs. There has been significantly more competition for the Las Vegas market compared to Seattle.

Several groups remain in contention for the Las Vegas franchise even after Bob Iger and Josh Kushner exited the bidding to instead purchase the Los Angeles Lakers at a $12.5 billion valuation. It remains uncertain whether any expansion agreement will gain approval at the league's next Board of Governors meeting.

"We'll see what happens in September," said the source. "If they took a vote today, it wouldn't pass. It's all about the fee price."

Reporters have suggested the Las Vegas expansion fee could range between $7.5 billion and $9 billion.

Multiple sources told ESPN that Adam Silver and many league owners continue to also view NBA Europe as a higher priority than the Las Vegas expansion. The 16-team league is scheduled to launch in October 2027, but has yet to finalize which international cities will compete.

That prioritization means even if Iger and Kushner had won the Las Vegas bid, they would have faced a considerably longer wait compared to the Lakers purchase they ultimately completed.

"Any numbers like $12.5 billion for a team are good for owners of an NBA team," the exec from an Eastern Conference team told ESPN. "Look, the NBA continues to grow in value as an asset. The teams continue to grow because the business is performing really well. It's probably better with the new players that have come in and the parity in the league, it's probably a better product than we've ever had. ... So, there's a ton of interest in the sport. I think that's now reflected in the value."