Sun’s relocation fee

In the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the Connecticut Sun’s fate now hinges on a $325-million tug-of-war shaped by geography, money, and league politics.

- ANTHONY L. CUAYCONG

One bid is being pushed by Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca, who envisions to bring the team to Boston with a brand-spanking-new $100-million practice facility in 2027. The other is from former Bucks co-owner Mare Lasry, backed by state incentives to move it to nearby Hartford. Needless to say, either would end the team’s two-decade run at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Significantly, the WNBA’s involvement in the process indicates that numbers alone will not determine the Sun’s fate. Under the circumstances, it appears less concerned with the closeness of the bids than with where, and under whose stewardship, the franchise will next take root. Boston’s case is straightforward: a wealthy buyer with NBA ties, an established sports market, and infrastructure on the horizon. Hartford’s argument is less familiar in league boardrooms but politically appealing in Connecticut, where the orange, blue, and white have been both a point of pride and a reliable — if relatively small — draw.