The NBA is generally not interested in adding a fourth media rights package as part of its next round of deals, sources tell the Sports Business Journal.

WBD believes they can match Amazon's proposed $1.8 billion bid, or carve out a smaller fourth package. ESPN and NBC are the other two partners with proposed bids.

The NBA believes a fourth package would dilute other bids from NBC or Amazon and also create too many outlets for fans to keep track of. NBC is poised to take the package currently owned by TNT.

While Adam Silver did not confirm the NBA intends to expand in the near future, he did acknowledge that they will begin exploring the possibility once the league's media rights deals are signed.

"Bill Koenig, can you tell me when the media deals will be over so I can begin the expansion process?" said Silver, joking with his lead media right negotiator, when asked about expansion during his media availability before Game 1 of The Finals.

"In all seriousness, I meant what I said. We do need to finish up — I think I said a few years ago, collective bargaining agreement, new media deals, then we would turn to expansion. So we got part one done clearly, and thank you to the Players Association. We are very happy, I think both sides are, with our collective bargaining agreement.

"Media deals, it’s been a long process. It’s ongoing, and we hope to wrap it up in the relative near term, and then we will turn to expansion. But by turning to expansion it doesn’t mean we’re going to announce that now we’re ready to add teams. It means that there will be a committee of NBA governors that will focus on it. There are clearly markets out there that are very interested and will run through a process.

"But I actually am looking forward to that. I think that the league, it’s not preordained that we will expand this time, but I know there’s an enormous amount of interest out there. And to me, yes, there are wealthy individuals, institutions that would like to invest and buy NBA teams, but I think it’s on the league to look holistically because there is the dilution, of course."

Seattle and Las Vegas have long been expected to be the NBA's targeted markets for expansion, but other cities such as Mexico City, Louisville and Kansas City have also been mentioned.

"Let’s say we expand by two teams. What does that mean for talent? I feel great about where the talent is right now in the league, but those players have to come from somewhere. If you add two teams, how does it work geographically? What will it mean for growing the game?

"At some point, we’d like to look outside the United States, in addition to Canada. This may not be the right moment to do that, but I’m thinking long term, as well.

"I’m actually very excited about turning to that process, but first we’ve just got to be finished with the media deals."

During Adam Silver's media availability before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he was asked about the league's ongoing broadcast rights negotations. The NBA is close to finalizing deals with ESPN, NBC and Amazon worth $76 billion over seasons, though a report surfaced this week that TNT hasn't been ruled on a fourth package. 

"Of course, there’s discussions with our incumbents and other interested parties," said Silver.

"It is incredibly complex. I look at my colleague Bill Koenig sitting in the front row, president of our media division, who has been literally working around the clock on this, along with a team of others at the league office. And it’s complicated for several reasons. One is the advent of new platforms, particularly streaming, and the interest of streaming companies, and then the traditional media companies also carrying our games on streaming platforms.

"It’s complicated with multiple partners all seeking similar assets. In many cases, just figuring out the right way to balance those games as they go to different partners.

"Then lastly, as you’ve said, we tend to do long-term deals. We think that’s good for the stability of the league, but it means to a certain extent you’re trying to predict the future, which is of course impossible.

"So part of it is a bet on the partners that we will ultimately align with and their ability also to adjust with the times and their willingness to continue to invest in media and also become global, which to my earlier point is very important to the league, as well."

Warner Bros. Discovery is in negotiations with the NBA about the possibility of a fourth media right package, sources tell Michael McCarthy of FrontOffice Sports.

ESPN, Amazon and NBC would be the three media partners of the NBA under the currently proposed deals.

WBD has match rights as an incumbent partner, which is believed to be complicating the NBA's intent to move forward with the other companies.

WBD is discussing keeping the NBA on TNT on a smaller less-expensive package that could include regular season and some playoff games.

The NBA could also take a package of locally televised games from teams and turn them into national games for TNT, according to Puck.

A smaller package could ensure the survival of "Inside the NBA."

When CEO David Zaslav began negotiations with the NBA during WBD's exclusive window, he expected to pay between $1.8 billion and $2.1 billion to retain the "B" package and refused to go to $2.4 billion. This allowed NBC to enter talks with a $2.6 billion offer that was virtually impossible for WBD to match.

Michael Bloomberg has agreed to join the ownership group of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez as they attempt to take majority control of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Bloomberg is the 12th richest person in the world at over $106 billion.

Lore and Rodriguez currently own 40 percent of the Timberwolves and are in a legal battle with Glen Taylor for the additional 40 percent of the franchise they agreed to purchase in 2021 at a $1.5 billion valuation.

Taylor called off the deal in March claiming Lore and Rodriguez didn't meet contractually obligated deadlines. Lore and Rodriguez disputed that characterization, saying they submitted commitment letters for the $600 million needed to get them to 80 percent equity ahead of the March 27 deadline. 

Lore and Rodriguez can purchase a final 20 percent stake in the franchise anytime before March 2025. By adding Bloomberg, they can immediately go forward with a final $300 million-plus investment to buy out Taylor now.

Beginning in 2025, NBC plans on streaming approximately 50 NBA games per season exclusively on Peacock. NBC will broadcast games on its network on Tuesdays and Sundays when there isn’t a conflict with NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.”

NBC is close to finalizing a $2.5 billion per year deal with the NBA that has been viewed with contrasting opinions within the company. Some believe NBC is overpaying to air the NBA, while others expect it to help with its fledgling Peacock streaming service. Peacock lost $639 million in the most recent quarter. 

NBC is expected to raise prices for Peacock when it begins broadcasting the NBA. Both Peacock and NBC will likely reduce its budget for original content since the NBA will fill programming multiple days per week.

NBC most recently was a broadcast partner of the NBA from 1990 until 2002 when it was also the exclusive home of the Finals. NBC pushed to share the Finals with ESPN/ABC during negotiations, but were unable to secure that portion of rights. 

The NBA is nearing completion of a combined 11-year, $76 billion set of deals with Disney, NBC and Amazon. The deals average out to $6.9 billion per season for the NBA, which is more than 2.5 times higher than its existing deals. The NFL recently doubled its fees under its last deal to around $10 billion per year. 

An official announcement could still be weeks away as it will need approval from the Board of Governors. 

ESPN's deal is considered the "A" package and they will pay an average of $2.6 billion per year, which is up from $1.5 billion under the current deal. While ESPN will broadcast fewer overall games, they retain both The Finals and a Conference Finals annually. ESPN will be allowed to air games on its direct-to-consumer streaming service expected to launch in 2025.

NBC will pay an averaged of $2.5 billion per year, while Amazon will pay $1.8 billion per year. NBC and Amazon will alternate broadcasting one of the two Conference Finals series. Amazon will also broadcast the In-Season Tournament and Play-In games. 

NBC will air around 100 games per season with approximately half airing exclusively on Peacock. Games would air on NBC on Tuesdays and Sundays when there isn’t a conflict with NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.”

The global popularity of the NBA was a big motivator for Amazon's Prime Video. 

Warner Bros. Discovery will almost certainly lose their longtime partnership with the NBA. Warner had a chance to commit to a deal at $2.2 billion per year, but sources say they walked away due to their displeasure with the price relative to the value of the package. Warner believed the NBA took too many playoff games and the play-in tournament out of its package to give to Amazon.

When Warner's exclusive window closed, NBC quickly submitted a $2.5 billion per year bid. NBC tried to get a share of the Finals during their talks with the NBA, but ultimately fell short with ESPN/ABC retaining it exclusively. 

Warner Bros. Discovery is considering matching the media rights package the NBA has agreed upon with Amazon.

The league is close to signing agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon for three different packages of games.

WBD has up to five days to match a competing bid for the games it currently licenses from the NBA.

Amazon has reportedly offered $1.8 billion a year for a slate of games, while NBCUniversal has offered about $2.5 billion per year.

Warner Bros. Discovery is interested in a more affordable package of games given its gross debt of about $42 billion. David Zaslav has told colleagues he believes NBCUniversal is overspending for the NBA.

With the NBA set to begin new media rights deals at more than $7 billion per season in 25-26, the salary cap will increase significantly over the coming seasons.

However, the NBA and NBPA agreed to only increase the salary cap by 10 percent per season.

With a 10 percent increase per season, the salary cap will top $200 million beginning in the 28-29 season. The supermax that season at 35 percent of the cap will have a starting salary of $72 million and be worth $419 million over five seasons. The fifth-year salary on that supermax contract will be worth $95 million as the NBA approaches the point where some players earn nine figures per season by the 33-34 season.

TNT is on the verge of losing the NBA after the 24-25 season with Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal reporting on how Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav mishandled negotiations with the league.

While ESPN was firm on wanting to retain the "A" package and not letting it go to the open market by doubling its old rights fees from $1.4 billion per season to $2.8 billion, Zaslav believed he would only have to pay between $1.8 billion and $2.1 billion to retain the "B" package and refused to double it to $2.4 billion.

WBD entered negotiations believing they could ultimately match any offer the NBA received for the package, but the league's contention is they cannot necessarily match it on a dollar-for-dollar basis. 

The NBA subsequently agreed to a $2.6 billion deal with NBC that virtually make it impossible for TNT to equal.

WBD is believed to be preparing to sue the NBA over the issue.