More Emails Haunt the Sonics Owners

From now on, I'm guessing Clay Bennett and the rest of the Sonics ownership group will stick to telegraph and messenger pigeon, or at the very least conference calls. Even more emails have emerged that put the group in bad light, suggesting they never intended to keep the Sonics in Seattle (shocking!), and that the NBA began to suspect as much last year.

After minority owner Aubrey McClendon went on the record last summer saying they always intended to move the team to Oklahoma City, Bennett warned the group that he was worried about the legal ramifications, since the team was contractually obligated to make a "good faith effort" to stay in Seattle. From Jim Brunner of the Seattle Times:

"Yes sir, we get killed on this one. I don't mind the PR ugliness (pretty used to it), but I am concerned from a legal standpoint that your statement could perhaps undermine our basic premise of 'good faith best efforts'... "

Bennett also told his fellow owners that McClendon's comment had prompted the NBA to take a closer look at their "good faith" promise:

In an e-mail last August, Sonics owner Clay Bennett told fellow owner Aubrey McClendon that NBA executive Joel Litvin was "looking into certain documents we signed at closing that may have been breached."

That last part is potentially damning not just for Bennett and Co. but also for the NBA. What exactly did Litvin look into? What were his findings? The league saw enough to fine McClendon a whooping $250,000, but was that just for creating bad p.r., or did the league think he may have put the ownership group's efforts to move in jeopardy?

Those are questions that lawyers for the city of Seattle would probably want to ask David Stern, if they can get a court to rule that they have the right to depose him:

The August e-mail was among several newly disclosed by lawyers for Seattle today in a New York federal court filing seeking to depose NBA Commissioner David Stern and force the league to turn over financial records and other documents.

The city's latest filing argues that lawyers for Seattle should be able to question Stern personally because of his "private conversations" with Bennett about relocation and his support for the Oklahoma City relocation.

The league, of course, is fighting to keep Stern from having to talk, spinning this hearing as an attempt to harass the commish. So what will come of this? We'll find out on Monday when the hearing happens. Even if it ultimately doesn't stop the Sonics move, I think we'd all like to hear what Stern and his cronies have to say about this on the record.

Previously on FanHouse:
Owners Approve Sonics Move to Oklahoma City
Schulz Files Suit to Rescind Sonics Sale
Clay Bennett's a Terrible Liar