LAS VEGAS (AP) — Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers has heard and seen enough. He is convinced there will be an NBA team in Las Vegas.

“Yeah, they’re going to get it,” Rivers said.

It’s no secret that when the NBA expansion happens – no one has revealed exactly when it will happen – Las Vegas will be at the top of the list of candidate cities to get one of the two new clubs, which will bring the league to 32 franchises. And given how the NBA Cup and other NBA events have been received, no one would probably say that coming full-time to the Nevada desert would be a bad idea.

“I think it would be awesome,” said Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose team faces Milwaukee in the NBA Cup final Tuesday night. “The Cup is here. Summer League is here. We can feel the basketball culture in Vegas as players when we come. I think it’s just a matter of time. The city really loves basketball and it sure deserves it.

LeBron James has said it many times that he wants to be part of the ownership group when the league expands to Vegas. Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this year that Las Vegas would “definitely” be a candidate when it’s time to discuss expansion, which is seen as the next major item on the league’s to-do list. The city already hosts the league’s annual Summer League extravaganza, has been an All-Star host, now has the NBA Cup final four and one of the WNBA’s top franchises in the Las Vegas Aces .

In other words: In a city where no bet is sure, betting on Vegas to join the NBA would be pretty close.

“Nothing is set yet and we haven’t even determined whether we should expand,” Silver said in November, the last time he spoke at a news conference on the subject of expansion. ‘expansion. “My feeling is that if we expanded, we would do an even number, because then we would have to make some adjustments in the conferences. But I think it would make sense to have two 16-team conferences if we were to do it. There have been times in the past in the NBA where we had an odd number, so it’s possible. But I think if we were to expand, we would most likely consider expanding into two cities.

Seattle is another city that everyone mentions as a top candidate for expansion. Mexico City could be a serious contender at some point. Louisville, Kansas City, Nashville and Montreal reportedly have investment groups that want to talk about entering the league.

Las Vegas, the gambling hub of the United States, was once essentially off-limits to professional sports leagues. This is obviously no longer the case. Vegas has a two-time WNBA title-winning team in the Aces and the best player in this league, A’ja Wilson, Stanley Cup winner with hockey’s Vegas Golden Knights, NFL Raiders and is expected to play in Major League Baseball when the Athletics moving should be completed in time for the 2028 season. And with the Summer League and the NBA Cup, it already feels like the city is truly part of the NBA.

The city is full of obvious distractions: glitz, glamour, gambling, nightlife. That doesn’t stop players from taking care of their business when they’re in town for games, Bucks guard Damian Lillard said.

“I’m not 22 or 23. I’ve been to Vegas a few times and had a great time in Vegas,” Lillard said. “I’m here to play Summer League. I was here during Summer League. I’ve been here for a lot of fights; I’m a big boxing fan. I know why I’m here this time, and it’s not to enjoy Vegas.

Saturday’s Cup Semi-Finals — Milwaukee beats Atlanta behind a monster effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo, And Oklahoma City beats Houston in a predictable spectacle of the best defenses – even featured a red carpet entrance, much like awards shows.

The Raiders sent out virtually their entire defensive line. The Aces had some of their players sitting courtside, causing huge screams from the crowd during their presentation. Former NBA players like Oscar Robertson, Blake Griffin, Chandler Parsons, Lou Williams, Joakim Noah, Deron Williams, Rip Hamilton and Gary Payton were all in attendance. And that’s not even counting Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, all on the TNT broadcast team.

When this happens, when Vegas officially recruits a team, it’s clear that it will be immediately popular.

“I love it as a host city,” Rivers said. “I mean, this city is a convention and big event city. It’s a big event, so it’s perfect for that. …I guess Vegas will be in the NBA one day. Baseball is there, football is there and everything else is there, right? So we must come too. I think it would be great. I think it will happen.

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