NBA Seattle

Hint: it's the same as the old challenge to Seattle arena plans! Niki Sullivan of the Tacoma News Tribune reports on early sentiments out of the Washington State Legislature regarding the only hope to get the funds necessary to renovate Seattle's KeyArena in hopes of being ready to receive the next relocating NBA franchise.

House Speaker Frank Chopp, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown and Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairwoman Margarita Prentice were all mum Thursday about the odds of agreeing on an arena renovation deal next year.

"I'm not saying we won't act, but I think we need to be deliberative," said Sen. Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat who is on the task force created by the Legislature to assess King County taxes, some of which are being used to pay off debt on Safeco Field, Qwest Field and the old Kingdome.

While Clay Bennett proved himself to be a lying snake, the Legislature had obvious culpability in its repeated rejections of any former branch-offering from old owner Howard Schultz, commish David Stern, and Bennett. Even if the old arena plans (which often included $500-million new buildings in the 'burbs) were bad, the Leg didn't have to be so hostile to the NBA. Stern often cites the Legislature's rhetoric and grandstanding in his assertions Bennett's obligated to leave Seattle.

The day after your city loses its longest-standing professional sports franchise, you should probably show at least a modicum of reconciliation if you have any hopes of getting the NBA back. It almost seems like (shock) these politicians don't want a team here ... which is really unfortunate for the fans, considering the new renovation plan seems to call for public funding (a tax on hotel stays -- not exactly pillaging the working-class of Washington) makes up only 25% of the total funding needed. The Legislature is either overly cautious with respects to anti-tax forces, or seriously uncommitted to getting the NBA back.

There's a potential for a real organizational shake-up as the Un-Sonics move to Oklahoma City. It seems Clay Bennett fully understands if some employees don't want to give up the community they've built their career in, and the franchise has offered bonuses for sticking with the team that past two seasons regardless of whether the employees move to OKC, according to Percy Allen of the Seattle Times.

But if you do go with Bennett to OKC, your next pay stub might include an unwelcome surprise.

Anyone who leaves can negotiate a relocation package; however, employees were told to expect a decrease in salary because the cost of living is lower in Oklahoma City.

"The cost of living is lower in Oklahoma City" is quite an understatement. As an example: according to HousingTracker, the median home price in OKC is $159,900. In Seattle, it's $425,000. Chris Wilcox can buy that dude ranch he's always wanted! Yeah!

While Bennett can negotiate his middle-managers' salaries down, he'll have no such luck with his own players. It'll be interesting to see, though, if in the free agent market "low cost-of-living!" becomes the Un-Sonics' equivalent of Orlando's "no state income tax!" and New York's "we have stuff to do after 8 p.m.!"

We didn't set out to have a Roundtable discussion on the Sonics settlement. Things just sort of ... unfolded in an email thread. As such, it's a bit less formal in style than usual. This is the (edited) result.

Brett Edwards: [after several grousing emails and posts about the settlement from yours truly] Ziller's a closet Sonics fan.

Tom Ziller: I'm a Kings fan who fears the next Clay Bennett!

Matt Moore: Just fear Sacramento deciding to try and bully an owner they KNOW is looking for a way out, playing a game of chicken that they know they can't win after giving both their baseball and football teams (that they don't have) brand new state of the art stadiums, and then refusing to fund measures that would save the team.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Bennett's a jackass, but they KNEW he was a jackass and they decided to try and play hardball regardless.

So the Sonics will play home games in Oklahoma City next year. Actually, this collection of players employed by the Sonics will be playing home games in Oklahoma City next year, but with a different mascot and a different moniker. The 'Sonics' brand is the only thing staying in Seattle, besides $45 million of Clay Bennett's money. (The other $30 million will only pay out if the city has no NBA team by 2013.)

In his press conference (webcast by KING5.com), Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels confirmed the worst fears of fans: the city caved at the last minute. There is no guarantee of a replacement team in Seattle. There are no plans for NBA expansion on the table, nor any assurance from the league that Seattle will take priority should expansion be considered.

In fact, there are no freaking new plans! Nickels said the city would go back to the Legislature to ask for permission to collect taxes for a KeyArena renovation. This would be the same Legislature that has told everyone involved -- Bennett, David Stern, previous owner and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, prospective owner and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Nickels himself -- the Legislature has told all of them "no no no." The plan, as Nickels communicated it tonight, is to do the same, toothless maneuvering that has already failed repeatedly.

Even if that works -- there's no guarantee from the NBA they'll give Seattle a team! Stern released a statement, telling Seattle it needs to secure its funding plan for a $300 million renovation by the end of 2009 in order to have a shot at a potential, hypothetical team before 2013. His statement is replete with 'ifs.'

What exactly did the city get from this settlement? To me, it looks like a whole lot of nothing.

The Seattle Times reports U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman has announced there will be no decision in the Sonics-Seattle lawsuit because a settlement has been reached. The Times quotes sources saying the settlement includes a $75 million buy-out from Clay Bennett, but apparently no NBA promises of a new team in Seattle. And oh yeah, the Sonics are gone.

Greg Johns of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer cites a source who says Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, the former local owner of the Sonics, is not withdrawing his recent suit against Bennett as a part of the settlement. Schultz is suing to force either to rescinding of the 2006 sale of the team or a sale to a local group, based on the argument Bennett violated a specific clause in the purchase agreement which required the new owners to make good faith efforts to get an arena deal done in Seattle.

No words on whether Seattle plans to use the pay-out on KeyArena renovations or a new building or none of the above. Just before Pechman's decision had been expected, fans at SonicsCentral reported assistants with the mayor's office had asked callers whether an expansion or relocated team would be an acceptable resolution. We'll know more once both Bennett and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels hold 8 p.m. Eastern press conferences.

Two reports coming out now -- less than two hours before a federal judge is set to decide the fate of the Seattle SuperSonics -- indicate the city and the NBA team might have reached a settlement agreement. The mayor of Seattle, Greg Nickels, has a press conference set for 5 p.m. Pacific, just 60 minutes after U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman is set to deliver her decision on the court's website.

Just after 2 p.m. Pacific, the Seattle Times got a city councilwoman to say "it looks like" there will be a settlement. This jives with comments from another member of the council, Richard McIver, who told The Oklahoman the sides had worked on reaching a deal while trying to work around former owner/Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's suit against Clay Bennett.

Why would the sides attempt to settle at this late stage? The Sonics obviously want assurance they can leave Seattle ASAP regardless of Pechman's ruling. Seattle might be looking for extra cash beyond the owed lease payments for 2008-09 and 2009-10, and possibly ownership of the 'SuperSonics' moniker and some concession from the league on exploring an expansion team. Both sides want to hedge their bets in case they lose.

UPDATE from FanHouse's Sean Hawkins in Seattle:

KJR AM is now saying they have confirmed it's a settlement. They are speculating that it's a big cash settlement, per an NBA western conference exec. Also, rumors are that no replacement team has been promised, but there could be a "wink-wink" situation brewing that there could be a replacement team in a year or two. [...] Both the mayor and Clay Bennett will have 5 p.m. Pacific new conferences happening at the same time.

UPDATE #2: The Seattle Times reports a settlement has been reached, and will be detailed at the mayor's 5 p.m. press conference.

This evening, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman is expected to render her decision in the case of the City of Seattle vs. Professional Basketball Club LLC, the owners of the SuperSonics. In her judgment, Pechman can either tell Seattle it has no authority to force Clay Bennett to keep his business in Seattle for the next two seasons, or she can tell Bennett's he has to keep Kevin Durant and company in the Pacific Northwest through 2010.

Popular consensus says the city bungled its case a bit in this month's hearings in front of Pechman. SuperSonicSoul's Paul Merrill admits as much, but makes a final plea for compassion.

[T]his decision isn't just for die-hard Sonics fans - it's for every sports fan in the country. If this can happen in Seattle, one of the biggest media markets with some of the most loyal fans in the country, it can happen anywhere. Siding with the Bennett Boys is saying it's OK for David Stern and the NBA to blackmail fans and non-fans alike into paying millions of dollars for needless new arenas. It's telling them it's OK to squeeze out the working class fans to make room for high-priced suites for corporate goons who couldn't care less about basketball. It's telling the fans "You don't matter".

At 4pm today, when you post your decision, you are either going to side with common, hard-working citizens or spineless, corporate pirates. I hope you make the right decision.

We hope so, too.

The decision should be available at the court's website at 7 p.m. Eastern.

After Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo went 1-2-3 with no apparent trades, Seattle surprised almost everyone by selecting UCLA point guard Russell Westbrook at #4.

Earlier rumors said Seattle would be picking Indiana guard Eric Gordon in a premeditated exchange with the Clippers at #7. Well, that didn't happen. Was Westbrook the guard L.A. actually wanted? Or is this pick staying in Seatt-- err, Oklahoma City? If it stays with the Sonics, two of the team's three "pieces" for the future are defensive-minded guys (Jeff Green), with Kevin Durant as the offensive superstar.

With two teams who needed centers passing up on Brook Lopez, dude could slide pretty far ... maybe out of the top 12? Jerryd Bayless looks to slip into the deep end of the lottery -- maybe #8, #9, #12 -- with the Westbrook selection.

Meanwhile, Westbrook was slated around #12 or beyond a month ago. Quite a meteoric rise.

UPDATE: Any Katz on ESPN said this deal's off for now, but might come back during the draft.

ESPN is reporting that, assuming O.J. Mayo goes #3 to Minnesota, the Clippers will trade picks with Seattle to move up to #4 to grab Eric Gordon, with the Sonics also earning a conditional 2009 first-rounder from L.A. Chad Ford says the Sonics want Brook Lopez at #7.

L.A. has been tied to Gordon for weeks now, and to be honest I assumed he'd be there at #7. Perhaps Elgin Baylor and Mike Dunleavy had heard differently; while I can't imagine a scenario in which New York at #6 or whomever takes Memphis's #5 pick takes Gordon, that doesn't mean no such scenario existed. So the Clippers lose a potentially valuable asset -- it could be another lottery pick next season, as Kelly Dwyer notes -- depending on the protections.

What does this mean for the rest of the lottery? If Seattle is really after Lopez, Jerryd Bayless could slip. (Fingers crossed.) Gordon hadn't been tied to much besides L.A. -- New York is said to be focused on Russell Westbrook and Danilo Gallinari, pre-RJ Milwaukee had been wed to Joe Alexander. This might be one of the few big deals which really has no massive repercussions.

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

NOW AUDITIONING: Kevin Durant's back-up singers. REQUIREMENTS: Must be cheap, not prone to angry bouts of choking, love Oklahoma!.

Picks: #4, #24, #32, #46, #50, #56. Send thanks to Otis Smith and Steve Kerr.

Needs: Cheap talent at every position, except the one Durant happens to be playing any given year. Point guard and center are the biggest needs, however.

Best case scenario: An aim including trades might involve thievery of Michael Beasley. That looks difficult considering the lack of food in Seattle's cupboards (beyond picks upon picks). As such, Jerryd Bayless -- a guard in the mold of Gilbert Arenas who will certainly be on the board -- appears to be the pinnacle of opportunity for Sam Presti.