Paris Saint-Germain is “positively and actively” preparing a bid for an NBA Europe franchise, the French newspaper L’Equipe reported Thursday, which means Rockets F Kevin Durant — who holds a minority stake in PSG — could wind up with a vested interest in the startup league.
During his All-Star Game press conference in February, Commissioner Adam Silver said active players might be able to invest in NBA Europe clubs, pending ongoing talks with the NBPA. PSG has not operated a basketball team since 2000, after financial losses forced it to disband. But the organization is now owned by Qatar Sports Investments, which has long held genuine interest in launching a team.
Asked at the All-Star Game about PSG’s NBA Europe pursuit, the 37-year-old Durant said, “I wouldn’t say I’m involved in the process. I’m prepared to talk about it if it presents itself. For now, I haven’t heard too much, just rumors and narratives. Once it starts to form, hopefully I can be a part of it, pushing the game all around the world.”
At this month’s upcoming Board of Governors meeting, the NBA will present all the current European bids to the roomful of owners, and, if there are at least multiple offers in the $500M-$1B range, sources believe the BOG could greenlight the venture then.
The NBA has not been shy about putting a Parisian team in the fledgling league, with Accor Arena — host of Olympic basketball in 2024 –the likely home for the franchise. Tony Parker’s EuroLeague club ASVEL, based in Villeurbanne, is the other frontrunner for a French NBA Europe franchise.
Even though PSG would be starting a basketball product from scratch, it already has a longstanding sponsorship with Nike and a potential connection with another current NBA player, Spurs C Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs star recently became a minority stakeholder in his hometown team Nanterre — just outside Paris — and L’Equipe speculated that PSG could align or merge with Nanterre due to an agreement between the NBA and FIBA that NBA Europe franchises are required to play in their domestic leagues.