The NBA hasn’t announced plans to expand the league, and LeBron James isn’t done playing — but that hasn’t stopped the superstar from planning for both eventualities.

“I would love to bring a team here at some point,” said James at a press conference following an exhibition game in Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, home to the NHL’s Golden Knights.

Addressing NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who was not present, James said, “I want the team here, Adam,” adding the city has “the best fanbase in the world.”

• James, 37, has a net worth north of $1 billion, per Forbes.
• He signed a two-year, $97.1 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers in August, making him the highest-paid player on a per-season basis in NBA history.
• As a part-owner of Fenway Sports Group, James has stakes in Liverpool FC, the Boston Red Sox, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, and the NESN regional sports network. He is also a part-owner of AC Milan.

Westward Expansion

Silver has said the 30-team NBA “invariably will expand,” but it is not under active discussion right now. He has called Las Vegas and Seattle “wonderful markets,” and the league is playing preseason games in both cities.

A report from September claimed that the league was planning to announce expansion to the two cities at those exhibition games, but separate reports came out shortly after saying that nothing was imminent.

Peloton continues to ride an uncharted path.

On Thursday, the company announced 500 layoffs — its fourth round of cuts this year. The same day, The Wall Street Journal reported that CEO Barry McCarthy said that if the company isn’t able to make a significant turnaround in six months, Peloton may not be able to survive on its own.

“Please know this is a necessary step if we are going to save Peloton, and we are,” McCarthy said in an employee memo.

• Peloton now has around 3,800 employees.
• At one point last year, its headcount was at more than 8,600.

“The restructuring is done with today’s announcement,” McCarthy, who became CEO in February, told CNBC.

McCarthy told the Journal he believes the company can achieve its near-term growth targets, adding that the company has significantly reduced its cash spending.

“I can see in the numbers the business starting to change course,” McCarthy said. “Which is part of what gives me confidence when I say that I think this is the last step in the process.”

In August, Peloton reported $678.7 million in Q4 revenue, a 28% decline year-over-year. Its stock — $8.83 at market close Thursday — has dropped 90% from one year ago.

The Process

Peloton has recently announced deals with Amazon, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Hilton, plus halted its in-house manufacturing, began equipment rentals, and raised its prices, among other strategies.

The company is reportedly exploring a sale of fitness equipment unit Precor, which it acquired in April 2021 for $420 million.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge made history Tuesday when he surpassed Roger Maris’ American League record of 61 home runs in one season — and the fan who caught the historic ball is set to make bank.

Texas Rangers fan Cory Youmans — who snatched Judge’s 62nd home run ball at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas — has been offered $2 million by the owner of a sports memorabilia auction house.

“I feel the offer is way above fair, if he is inclined to sell it,” Memory Lane Inc. president JP Cohen told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

 Youmans faces a tough decision as the value of sports memorabilia soars.

• In August, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card sold for $12.6 million, setting a new record for sports collectibles as the most valuable sports card ever sold at auction.
• The following month, Michael Jordan’s jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals was sold for $10.1 million.
• In May, the jersey worn by soccer icon Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup sold for $9.3 million, while a T206 Honus Wagner card commanded $7.25 million in August.

The record price for a home run ball was set in 1998 at $3 million for Mark McGwire’s then-National League-record 70th homer — before his admission of steroid use in 2010.

Worth the Wait

Before this season, Judge turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million extension offer from the Yankees. The move could earn him an additional $100 million as the Yankees bid against the other 29 MLB teams.