The NBA is planning to install a G League franchise in Mexico City, according to three people familiar with the league’s plans per Marc Stein of The New York Times.
The franchise would be owned and operated locally and could start up as soon as next season, according to the sources, who spoke anonymously.
This would be the first step taken in foreign soil since the league first inaugurated the Vancouver Grizzlies in Canada, back in 1995. A G League franchise could be the stepping stone to eventual expansion into an NBA franchise.
According to commissioner Adam Silver, the league isn't actively pursuing expansion or the relocation for any of the 30 NBA teams, but also noted Mexico City could be a natural fit for a franchise.
The Brooklyn Nets will play two of their home games at the Mexico City Arena this week, starting with tonight's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the next on Saturday night against the Miami Heat. These games will comprise the 25th-anniversary celebration of its first exhibition game in Mexico in 1992 and the 20th anniversary of its first regular-season game, dating back to Dec. 6, 1987.
The G League currently has 27 franchises, hoping to match one team to every NBA franchise to become a finished product.
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