The Lengthy Island Nets, the Brooklyn Nets’ G League affiliate, will play six “residence” video games in Montreal, Quebec, subsequent season, the league introduced on Tuesday in a press launch relating to the upcoming season, which will get underway on Nov. 8.
Particulars relating to the Montreal video games weren’t launched, although Nets Every day reported that they might come as quickly as Wednesday.
The six video games will are available three separate two-game stints:
- Friday, Jan. 24 vs. Raptors 905
- Sunday, Jan. 26 vs. Raptors 905
- Wednesday, Feb. 5 vs. Greensboro Swarm
- Saturday, Feb. 8 vs. Delaware Blue Coats
- Thursday, March 13 vs. Memphis Hustle
- Friday, March 14 vs. Memphis Hustle
The entire video games will probably be held at Place Bell, a ten,000-seat area that’s residence to the Laval Rocket, the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, and the Montreal PWHL group.
The Lengthy Island Nets at present play at Nassau Coliseum, a historic area in Uniondale, which was the previous residence of the ABA’s New York Nets and NHL’s New York Islanders. How for much longer the Lengthy Island Nets will play there, although, stays to be seen.
In August, Nassau County lawmakers authorised plans to switch the lease on the constructing to Las Vegas Sands. The on line casino and resort conglomerate has plans for a $6 billion on line casino challenge, although that’s nonetheless topic to ultimate approvals. Relying on the specifics, the Lengthy Island Nets could quickly want a brand new residence, a minimum of on a brief foundation.
Whereas the Brooklyn Nets will not be shifting, it is attainable the group could possibly be testing the waters on a possible relocation possibility for the G League franchise.
The NBA might additionally use this chance to additional gauge fan curiosity in skilled basketball in Montreal. Final November, commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged that the town has proven curiosity in an enlargement franchise.
“That is develop into an ideal basketball market,” Silver stated of Canada. “I’ll say the Toronto Raptors have performed a superb job … of creating themselves Canada’s group. I do know there’s curiosity from Montreal. There’s nonetheless ongoing curiosity in Vancouver.
“It started a lot as a hockey market once we first expanded there. Younger individuals love basketball now. Clearly, they nonetheless love their hockey there, however there will probably be extra alternative over time.”
The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder performed the Memphis Grizzlies in a preseason sport in Montreal final season. Subsequent month, the NBA will return to the town with a preseason sport between the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards on Oct. 6. This would be the eighth time that an “NBA Canada Collection” sport has taken place in Montreal, probably the most of any metropolis outdoors of Toronto.
