The ownership group of the Houston Rockets is engaged in serious discussions regarding the potential acquisition and relocation of the Connecticut Sun, as reported by ESPN this week. Sources indicate that these negotiations have been characterized as “positive,” with the Rockets improving their offer to a figure that may be acceptable to the Sun’s current owners. While a formal offer has been tabled, no exclusivity agreement has been signed, and decisions regarding the franchise’s future remain pending.
According to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, the league has expressed strong interest in reinstating a team in Houston. During a three-team expansion announcement in June, she explicitly mentioned Houston and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta as “up next” in the league’s plans. The Connecticut Sun have been under the ownership of the Mohegan tribe since 2003, when they relocated from Orlando, Florida, to Uncasville, Connecticut.
The move towards a sale to Rockets ownership illustrates the WNBA’s trend of aligning more teams with NBA owners. The Sun began seeking investment options over a year ago, initially exploring limited partnership sales to fund infrastructure improvements. Earlier this year, Houston was among the interested parties looking to acquire the team outright, ultimately raising its offer to $250 million. This amount matches the expansion fees paid by Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia earlier this year.
In July, Sun ownership reached an agreement to sell the team for a record $325 million to a group led by former Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca, which aimed to relocate the franchise to Boston. However, the WNBA intervened, asserting that relocation decisions are made by the league’s Board of Governors, not individual teams. This move reinforced the notion that cities with prior expansion processes have priority, thus blocking the Boston deal.
The league subsequently offered to buy the Sun for $250 million, allowing a sale to a market of their choice. Reports suggest that Houston is still a prime candidate for the Sun’s relocation, especially after missing out on an expansion team in June. Recently, Sun ownership has also explored the possibility of a minority stake acquisition involving funds linked to the state of Connecticut, although those discussions have reportedly slowed.
The goal is to reach a resolution regarding the franchise’s future before the upcoming free agency period, where nearly all but two league veterans remain unsigned. The exact timing of this free agency is still uncertain, as the league and players’ union continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, with a deadline set for January 9, 2024.
The Houston Comets, the WNBA’s original franchise, won the league’s first four championships from 1997 to 2000 and became a cornerstone of women’s basketball, featuring legendary players like Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, and Tina Thompson. The potential return of a franchise to Houston could reignite interest in the league and revive the city’s storied basketball legacy.
