The corporation already spent billions to acquire the most precious content the NBA has to offer; now it could look to build 24 hours of programming around it.

The talks are surprising because NBCU, like some other traditional media companies, has been grappling with viewers cutting the cord to cable and turning to streaming services. NBCU is in the process of spinning off most of its cable networks into a new company named Versant.

Executives at NBCUniversal are eying a new sports cable network, roughly four years after they shuttered the previous one the company operated.