After missing out on the latest round of expansion teams, Houston may have found a new way to acquire a WNBA team.
According to the report from ESPN, the discussions have been “positive,” and Rockets ownership has upped its offer to purchase the team in recent days.
Houston has a history with the WNBA already, with the Comets — one of the league’s eight inaugural franchises — winning the first four WNBA titles (1997-2000). However, the team folded in 2008 due to financial concerns under owner Hilton Koch, who bought the team in 2007.
Interest in returning to Houston has been strong, with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert noting in June that Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has been “up next” and the league has had their “eye on” the Houston market.
While the Sun is still owned by the Mohegan Tribe — who purchased the team in 2003 and relocated it from Orlando, Fla. — ownership has been exploring sale opportunities and, most recently, reached a deal to sell the team to former Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca for $325 million (C$447 million).
However, the deal was blocked by the league, which stated that “relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” and that moving to Boston would effectively bypass cities that have submitted more formal expansion applications.
Rockets ownership submitted a $250 million (C$344 million) bid to buy the Sun outright when Connecticut initially began exploring sale options last year.
The league has embarked on a rapid expansion, adding the Golden State Valkyries this past season and bringing in the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire for the 2026 season. Over the next few years, franchises in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030) are set to join the WNBA, bringing the league to 18 teams.
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