The Long Island Nets, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, will host six home games at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, spread out over the first three months of 2025.
As part of the series, the Nets will take on the alternate identity of “Les Nets” during their six Quebec-based games. The team’s temporary red-and-blue logo features two fleur-de-lis on a blue circle, a nod to the Quebec flag. A large red circle within the blue includes Montreal’s Mount Royal cross, stylized to represent a basketball while incorporating the city name. The incorporation of red isn’t because the Long Island Nets typically use red (I mean, of course, it is); it’s a tribute to Montreal’s McGill University, where James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, taught in the 1880s.
“Montreal has a vibrant basketball legacy, and this partnership presents a unique opportunity to blend our culture with the Laval community,” said Morgan Taylor, Head of Business Operations for the Long Island Nets, in the press release. “We look forward to engaging with a new fanbase and creating memorable moments both on and off the court.”
The arrangement brings up memories of the unique situation Minor League Baseball’s Buffalo Bisons found themselves in during the 2021 season. With their MLB affiliate from Toronto residing in their home stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Bisons shifted their home games to Trenton, NJ. They played with a split identity, using their usual Bisons name and uniforms on the road but taking on that of the Trenton Thunder at home.
The six-game series kicks off with back-to-back matchups against Raptors 905, the Toronto Raptors G-League affiliate, on January 24 and 26. Other opponents include the Greensboro Swarm, Delaware Blue Coats, and Memphis Hustle.
Here’s the full schedule of Long Isl… sorry, Les Nets games in Laval:
vs. Raptors 905 – Friday, January 24, 2025, at 7 p.m.
vs. Raptors 905 – Sunday, January 26, 2025, at 3 p.m.
vs. Greensboro Swarm – Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 7 p.m.
vs. Delaware Blue Coats – Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 3 p.m.
vs. Memphis Hustle – Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 7 p.m.
vs. Memphis Hustle – Friday, March 14, 2025, at 7 p.m.
Over the years, the NBA has held eight games in Montreal, all pre-season contests. The most recent was when the Raptors topped the Washington Wizards 125-98 one month ago on October 6.
