Houston is suddenly a real contender to bring the WNBA back to town. Owners of the Houston Rockets are in substantive talks to buy the Connecticut Sun and move the franchise to Houston, according to ESPN. If the deal gets done, it would mark the first time since the Houston Comets folded in 2008 that the city hosts a pro women's basketball team.
ESPN reports the talks have been described as "positive," with Rockets ownership sweetening its bid to a level the Sun may be willing to accept. A formal offer has been discussed, but there is no exclusivity agreement in place and no final call on whether the franchise will ultimately stay in Connecticut.
Houston's push comes after the latest WNBA expansion round skipped the city, even as league officials repeatedly name Houston as a priority market. The Houston Chronicle notes Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has already chased an expansion team, and that the legacy of the Comets makes Houston especially attractive to the league.
The Connecticut Sun have been under Mohegan Tribe ownership since 2003. As Reuters reported, the tribe hired investment bank Allen & Company in May to explore a possible sale or relocation. The team also told season-ticket holders it will remain at Mohegan Sun Arena through at least the 2026 season even while ownership entertains offers.
Earlier this year, a Boston-based investor group led by former Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca reportedly struck a roughly $325 million agreement to buy the Sun, a deal the league effectively put on hold, as noted by Boston Globe. Political leaders in Connecticut pushed back hard. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal warned the WNBA not to meddle in the sale and told the league to "stay out" of the tribe's negotiations, ESPN reported.
League Approval And Legal Hurdles
Any sale and relocation would need sign-off from the WNBA Board of Governors, and the league's involvement so far is already raising eyebrows and possible antitrust questions. According to Reuters, the WNBA previously offered to buy the Sun itself at a valuation pegged to recent expansion fees. That suggests several paths are still in play, any of which could bring legal or political fights along for the ride.
What A Houston Return Would Look Like
If the Rockets ownership group closes a deal, the relocated team would likely play at Toyota Center and plug into existing Rockets facilities and marketing operations, according to local reporting. The Houston Chronicle also reported that reviving the Comets brand has been floated and that a 2027 launch has been discussed, although neither the league nor team officials have confirmed any specific timeline.
Timing And Next Steps
Sources stress there is no exclusivity agreement in place and no finalized deal, which means other bidders can still jump in and the script can change quickly. All of this is unfolding while the league faces labor uncertainty, since the players' union has authorized a strike "when necessary" as collective bargaining talks continue. That adds yet another wrinkle to any relocation schedule, as reported by CBS Sports. For now, eyes are on the Rockets, the Mohegan Tribe and the WNBA as negotiations inch forward.
