The deadline for submitting expressions of interest for NBA Europe, the new continental league set to debut in 2027, expired at midnight. As expected, no Euroleague clubs were among the candidates. Instead, funds RedBird Capital and Oaktree Capital, the owners of AC Milan and Inter Milan, have stepped forward, creating a true "American derby" on the Italian basketball scene. Gerry Cardinale, the owner of AC Milan and a personal friend of commissioner Adam Silver, had previously expressed an interest. If he were to partner with an existing franchise, he could turn to Olimpia Milano, the city’s historic leading team. However, initial conversations appear to favor the Nerazzurri group, which is already close to entering the partnership with a minority stake alongside the Armani Group, which now owns Olimpia. If the agreement with Milan fails, RedBird will have to seek a partnership with another Serie A club, the most likely of which is Pallacanestro Varese, a famous Italian team affiliated with former NBA star Luis Scola. "We're waiting, but it's a situation that will take time", Varese president Antonio Bulgheroni stated. A hypothetical, but plausible, scenario asks for league games to be played in Varese, while NBA Europe games may be held in Milan, in a stadium better suited to international competition. In Rome, the situation is much more fluid. Two American consortiums are looking to acquire and relocate existing teams. The first, led by Paul Matiasic (owner of Pallacanestro Trieste with NBA ties), wishes to relocate the team to the capital. The second is led by Donnie Nelson, former general manager of the Dallas Mavericks and son of Hall of Famer Don Nelson, along with a consortium that includes Rimantas Kaukenas and Luka Doncic, who are ready to take over Cremona, a possibility already discussed last summer.