The Connecticut Sun are officially on their way to Houston to become the second iteration of the Comets franchise following the sale's confirmation on Monday. However, the WNBA allegedly revealed that there was a chance the team could've stayed in the Mohegan Sun Arena that it has called home for over 20 years.

According to the Sports Business Journal, potential buyers from Boston and Hartford were interested in purchasing the franchise from the Mohegan tribe, which has owned the Sun since 2003. The league was willing to give those buyers a chance to buy the team, but because they were apparently unwilling to keep the Uncasville, Connecticut, location, the decision was made to sell it to Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.

In late 2025, Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca reached a tentative deal for the team, and former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry matched the $325 million offer, with both unveiling plans to move the Sun to Boston and Hartford, respectively. The WNBA pushed back on those negotiations immediately, making it clear that it prioritized keeping the franchise where it was or relocating it to a city that had already submitted a bid for an expansion team.

The Sun's sale was confirmed on Monday for a league-record $300 million without a relocation fee, and the Comets are set to make their re-debut in the 2027 WNBA season. Former Sun vice president, general manager, and COO Chris Sienko penned a tribute to the departing franchise on X, formerly Twitter.

“The Connecticut Sun hold a singular place in this league’s history as the first independently owned WNBA franchise. That was never a small thing,” Sienko posted on Friday. “That legacy does not relocate. It stays here.”