What to make of the Brooklyn Nets’ G League team playing six games in Montreal this season

The Long Island Nets, the Brooklyn Nets’ G League affiliate, will play six “home” games in Montreal, Quebec, next season, the league announced on Tuesday in a press release regarding the upcoming season, which gets underway on Nov. 8. 

Details regarding the Montreal games were not released, though Nets Daily reported that they could come as soon as Wednesday. 

The six games will come in 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

All of the games will be held at Place Bell, a 10,000-seat arena that is home to the Laval Rocket, the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, and the Montreal PWHL team.  

The Long Island Nets currently play at Nassau Coliseum, a historic arena in Uniondale, which was the former home of the ABA’s New York Nets and NHL’s New York Islanders. How much longer the Long Island Nets will play there, though, remains to be seen. 

In August, Nassau County lawmakers approved plans to transfer the lease on the building to Las Vegas Sands. The casino and resort conglomerate has plans for a $6 billion casino project, though that is still subject to final approvals. Depending on the specifics, the Long Island Nets may soon need a new home, at least on a temporary basis. 

While the Brooklyn Nets won’t be moving, it’s possible the organization could be testing the waters on a potential relocation option for the G League franchise. 

The NBA could also use this opportunity to further gauge fan interest in professional basketball in Montreal. Last November, commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged that the city has shown interest in an expansion franchise. 

“That’s become a great basketball market,” Silver said of Canada. “I will say the Toronto Raptors have done a good job … of making themselves Canada’s team. I know there’s interest from Montreal. There’s still ongoing interest in Vancouver.

“It began so much as a hockey market when we first expanded there. Young people love basketball now. Obviously, they still love their hockey there, but there will be more opportunity over time.”

The Oklahoma City Thunder played the Memphis Grizzlies in a preseason game in Montreal last season. Next month, the NBA will return to the city with a preseason game between the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards on Oct. 6. This will be the eighth time that an “NBA Canada Series” game has taken place in Montreal, the most of any city outside of Toronto.