Led by Tilman and Patrick Fertitta, Houston Rockets ownership is in substantive talks with the Connecticut Sun over the potential purchase and relocation of the WNBA franchise, ESPN reported Friday.
“The discussions have been described as positive, and Rockets ownership has improved its offer to a number the Sun might find acceptable,” ESPN’s Alexa Philippou and Ramona Shelburne wrote, citing a source close to the situation.
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As for the timing of a deal, it might not be far away, though the precise window is in question. ESPN explains:
The hope is that a resolution on the franchise’s future can be determined before free agency, where all but two league veterans are not under contract. The exact timing of free agency, though, is uncertain as the league and players’ union continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement… with a deadline for a deal currently set for Jan. 9, 2026.
However, ESPN cautions that an exclusivity agreement has not been signed. From Philippou and Shelburne’s report:
The source said that while a formal offer has been discussed, the parties have not signed an exclusivity agreement, and there has not been a decision on the future of the franchise.
The WNBA previously indicated strong interest in a return to Houston. At the league’s three-team expansion announcement in June, commissioner Cathy Engelbert specifically highlighted Houston and Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta as “up next” and “the one we have our eye on.”
The Sun have been owned by the Mohegan tribe since 2003, when they bought and relocated the franchise from Orlando, Florida, to Uncasville, Connecticut. A sale to Rockets ownership would mark the latest example of the WNBA moving toward having more teams with NBA owners.
From 1997 through 2008, Houston was home to the now-shuttered Comets. Led by iconic names such as Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson, the Comets won the WNBA’s first four titles in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. But fan interest gradually waned as the team lost relevance in the years that followed, and that eventually led to the franchise being dissolved by the end of the 2000s.
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In recent years, however, interest in women’s basketball has picked up throughout the United States — with younger stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese driving a new wave of fandom. That resurgent fan interest has led to improved economics for the sport and the league, and in turn, that has prompted increased interest in WNBA franchises.
In addition to having Toyota Center as a ready-made arena and a state-of-the-art practice complex, the Rockets also jointly own their own regional sports television channel in Space City Home Network, which would be a natural fit to broadcast WNBA games during the NBA offseason. Thus, perhaps in contrast to some other cities, Houston has ready-made infrastructure to immediately support a new team.
It is not yet clear when the Sun plan to relocate, assuming a deal is ultimately finalized (with Houston or another market). The timetable remains fluid, and Sun officials announced in August that the team would play at its existing arena in 2026. Thus, the soonest year for a potential new home would be 2027.
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In May, owners of the Sun hired investment bank Allen & Company to explore the sale of the franchise. Mohegan Sun, a subsidiary of Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, has owned the club since its relocation from Orlando in 2003.
The Sun play in the WNBA’s smallest media market, and they finished 2025 with the league’s third-worst record (11-33). Thus, speculation has swirled for some time that a move could prove necessary.
More: NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirms Houston’s strong WNBA interest
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets ownership in ‘substantive talks’ to bring WNBA team to Houston
