The Las Vegas ownership race is still moving, but not every group is talking. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on August 15 that Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s MAGI group had not responded to recent outreach and that a source had not connected with the group in roughly two months.
That does not confirm that MAGI has withdrawn. Reporter Mick Akers noted two possibilities: the group may be out of the running, or Johnson and other participants may have folded into another effort. Until the NBA or the group says more, the honest description is that MAGI’s status is unclear.
What remains in the Vegas conversation
The Review-Journal identified other publicly known groups linked to Las Vegas, including Nancy Walton Laurie and Bill Laurie, Golden Knights owner Bill Foley’s group, and the Jerry Colangelo-led Las Vegas Jacks. UFC president Dana White also said recently that an ownership group had contacted him about joining a bid.
Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, told the Review-Journal that he has spoken with some interested ownership groups about the city, potential locations, and event opportunities. Hill emphasized that those conversations are not yet public-money negotiations.
Why Seattle should care — carefully
Seattle is not helped by exaggeration about a rival market. The useful takeaway is that Las Vegas remains a competitive, fluid ownership market while Seattle’s own process continues to evolve. Each change in the Vegas field can affect the expansion-fee discussion, but no single report settles the league’s decision. Seattle’s focus remains the same: credible ownership, a workable arena arrangement, and a Board of Governors vote that has not yet been scheduled publicly.