T-Mobile Center is move-in-ready for an NBA team, and a new luxury hotel recently opened nearbyT-MOBILE CENTER
Conversations pushing K.C. as a temporary home for the Raptors are "happening through back channels and at various levels of NBA leadership, including in Toronto," according to sources cited by Sam Mellinger of the K.C. STAR. K.C. is "highlighting its advantages," including geographically, since the travel "would be much shorter (particularly for Eastern Conference games) compared to Seattle or Las Vegas, which are often mentioned in expansion rumors." And though Buffalo "makes sense," the Raptors "would need to work out game and practice schedules" with the Sabres. The T-Mobile Center in K.C. is "move-in ready for an NBA team," and scheduling practices and games "would be simpler than sharing an arena in a bigger city." A "new luxury hotel just opened less than a mile" from it. Assuming NBA arenas "will allow a limited number of fans to attend games" this season, the league "could prefer to be in a new city rather than an already saturated one." Meanwhile, the circumstances are "eerily similar to how Oklahoma City landed the Thunder." Assuming Buffalo "isn’t considered a future NBA market," maybe the league "would prefer someplace that might be." K.C. Mayor Quinton Lucas said, "It's an opportunity to have a test run." Mellinger writes this is the "most realistic shot Kansas City has had to land an NBA or NHL team since the Kings left for Sacramento in 1985" (K.C. STAR, 10/28). However, Raptors Dir of Communications Jennifer Quinn yesterday said, "Our focus is on playing in Toronto" (CP, 10/27).
WHERE ELSE COULD THEY GO? THE ATHLETIC's Eric Koreen takes a look at some of the possible landing spots for the Raptors under the header, "Buffalo? Kansas City? Newark? The Pros And Cons Of Temporary Raptors Homes" (10/27).
