Fresh after splashing cash to secure a multi-year deal with the NFL to host the Los Angeles Rams at the MCG, debt-laden Victoria seems to have inked a separate deal to lure NBA teams to Melbourne.

The Herald Sun on Friday reported at least one NBA team, most likely to be
the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers or Houston Rockets, will play a series of exhibition matches against local NBA teams in October at Rod Laver Arena.

This comes after the NSW Labor government rejected an offer to secure hosting rights for the first games of the NFL in Australia after being presented with a “ballpark” cost of $15 million a game.

NSW Premier Chris Minns on Thursday said he rejected the proposal because the NFL – regularly ranked as the world’s richest sport by revenue – wanted a “king’s ransom”.