Floyd Mayweather Wants to Purchase NBA Team

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Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s nickname is “Money,” and he is willing to spend a lot of it to become the owner of an NBA franchise.

Speaking at an event, the retired boxing superstar said he’s “been working on buying an NBA team outright,” and he, along with a business partner Brent Johnson, has already made an offer of over $2 billion for majority ownership.

Mayweather did say he would be willing to own a potential expansion franchise in Las Vegas or Seattle, but he is also keeping an eye on any current teams that could be for sale.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported in October that Vegas and Seattle are “real” candidates for expansion, but it’s “likely years away” because the NBA wants to negotiate its new television/media rights deals and a collective bargaining agreement before adding new teams.

Among current NBA franchises, the Phoenix Suns are the only one known to be for sale. Robert Sarver announced in September he would sell the club, as well as the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, amid fallout from the league’s investigation that found he used racist language, had “instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees,” made “sex-related comments” and inappropriate comments about the appearance of employees.

One investment banker told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes the Suns will likely end up selling for the highest price ever for an NBA franchise. The current record holder is the $2.35 billion Joe Tsai paid for the Brooklyn Nets.

The Sarver situation also spotlights a potential hurdle that Mayweather would have to overcome to become the owner of an NBA team.

Even though Mayweather claims to have the money to make the purchase, he has several legal problems on his résumé.

Mayweather has a long history of domestic abuse allegations. He pleaded guilty to two counts of domestic battery in 2002 for punching Melissa Brim, the mother of his daughter, at their home.

In December 2011, Mayweather pleaded guilty to a battery domestic violence charge and no contest to two harassment charges stemming from an argument that involved hair-pulling, punching and arm-twisting with his ex-girlfriend, Josie Harris, in front of two of his children. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail but was released after two months for good behavior.

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