NBA Rumors: Dikembe Mutombo Could Be The Next Owner Of The Houston Rockets
Dikembe Mutombo could soon be the owner of an NBA team, new reports indicate.
Shortly after the official announcement that the Houston Rockets were up for sale, there were reports that the Hall of Fame center was putting together a group that would make a bid at the franchise. Though it is not clear yet who Mutombo might be working with, the former Rockets player hinted that he would be seeking out some heavy hitters.
“I’m working on it,” Mutombo told FOX 26 Sports. “I’m talking to a lot of people already since (Monday). We’ll see.
“I’m just talking to the people who can cut the check and they can make me be part of it. I’m working on that.”
This week, team president Tad Brown announced that the team was for sale, which came as a surprise to those close to the team. Rockets owner Leslie Alexander, who bought the team 24 years ago for $85 million, said in a statement that the decision to sell the team came “after much deliberation with my family and friends.”
Mutombo would likely need some major help if he were to buy the Houston Rockets. Mutombo’s net worth is estimated to be less than $100 million, and the New York Times reported that Rockets are expected to fetch quite a hefty sum. The team is seen as one of the strongest to be up for sale in quite some time, a stable franchise with a strong fan base and a very bright future. The Rockets just inked James Harden to an NBA-record extension and picked up Chris Paul, with rumors that Carmelo Anthony could be coming via trade, making them one of the top contenders in the Western Conference.
There is speculation that the Rockets could fetch far more than the $2 billion that former Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer paid for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014. Forbes estimated that the Rockets are worth $1.65 billion, but as the New York Times pointed out, teams often sell for much higher than the Forbes valuations. The Clippers were valued at $575 million before selling for nearly four times that amount.
Why the Houston Rockets will become the NBA's next $2 billion franchise: https://t.co/I7iblJaQsh pic.twitter.com/lawmdK5sXF
— Forbes (@Forbes) July 19, 2017
That was part of what made the franchise so attractive for Dikembe Mutombo. The former NBA star said he wanted to make a bid on the Atlanta Hawks when they were up for sale two years ago but ultimately did not, and sees the Rockets as a team already championship-ready.
“It’s like someone who’s already sitting on the runway trying to take off,” Mutombo said. “That’s what kind of team the Rockets are right now.”
Dikembe Mutombo says he's working on forming a group to purchase the Rockets, per @Fox26Houston https://t.co/OlvFJGICBu pic.twitter.com/0EmKyl2OpF
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 19, 2017
There are rumors that some other celebrities could emerge as bidders for the Houston Rockets, including reports that Houston native Beyonce Knowles may be part of a group putting in a bid.
[Featured Image by Brandon Magnus/Getty Images]
