The Houston Rockets ownership team has expanded talks of a potential purchase and relocation of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, according to ESPN. Discussions have been “positive” as the Rockets have improved its offer to a potentially acceptable number, per the report. A formal offer has reportedly been discussed, but the parties have not signed an exclusivity agreement.
The WNBA has previously voiced its desire to bring a team back to Houston nearly two decades after the Houston Comets were disbanded in December of 2008 due to financial issues. One of the league’s founding teams, the Comets won the first four WNBA titles while being led by future Hall of Famers Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson.
Since 2003, the Sun have been owned by the Mohegan Tribe, who moved the franchise from Orlando, Florida to Uncasville, Connecticut. Over a year ago, the franchise began the process of potentially trying to find a limited partner that could help fund an infrastructure build.
The Rockers were among groups that expressed interest in buying the Sun outright while eventually raising their offer to $250 million (which was the amount that Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia paid earlier this year in an expansion fee for new WNBA franchises).
Over the summer, Sun ownership reached an agreement to sell the team for a record $325 million to a group that was led by former Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca that would have moved the team to Boston. The WNBA blocked that deal, however, while stressing that “relocation decisions are made by WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams” while adding that cities that have already gone through the expansion process had priority over Boston.
Sun ownership recently looked into a possible opportunity where funds affiliated with the state of Connecticut could be used to buy a minority stake in the franchise, but those talks have reportedly slowed.
The goal is for a resolution prior to the start of WNBA free agency. However, the start of free agency is currently unclear as the WNBA and players’ union are currently in the process of negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement. The WNBA players association voted to authorize a strike if “necessary” earlier this week.