Reports Have Shaq, Barkley Interested In Investing In Teams
Lakers C Shaquille O'Neal, who lives in Orlando during the offseason, has talked with the Magic and RDV Sports "about becoming an investor in their health-club expansion ventures" around the city, according to Brian Schmitz of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. RDV Sports "is looking to build more health-club facilities, patterning them after the original RDV Sportsplex," which is also the Magic's training HQs. Magic President Bob Vander Weide said that there has even been "some light-hearted banter about [O'Neal] leaving L.A. and finishing his career in Orlando as a player-owner" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/15). BARKING AT THE SUN? With Suns Owner Jerry Colangelo seeking investors in the Suns, in Phoenix, Bob Young notes TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley has said he "would love to buy the Suns," but he is "not sure the team is worth as much [as] the $300[M]-plus price tag that has been reported." Barkley: "They're worth about $250[M] to $270[M]. I could come up with the $300[M]." Barkley also indicated that if he put together an investment group, he would not be willing to allow Colangelo to "continue to run the team with Barkley's group having the option to take control at some point in the future." Barkley: "I don't think that would be fair. He either has to sell it or not sell it" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/15).
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