Seattle working to bring NBA back

[Andrew]

Story

The city of Seattle has been working behind the scenes the past eight months with a hedge-fund manager to bring an NBA team back to town— possibly as early as next fall if the Sacramento Kings fail to get a satisfactory deal for a new arena, newly released documents show.

The city turned over the documents to The Seattle Times on Friday under a public records request (http://is.gd/PyQ06N ). The documents included the agenda for a meeting between the parties on Dec. 13, with topics including “Review of Basic Deal Structure,” “City Debt Capacity” and “Financing Issues.”

The documents don’t mention how Seattle would obtain a team, but the Times reported that they show the city has been following developments in Sacramento, which is under a March 1 deadline to come up with a proposal to build an arena for the Kings.

After what happened with the Sonics-turned-Thunder, it'd be great if Seattle could get a team back. However, it'd be a shame for the Kings lineage - which dates back to 1945, with membership in the BAA/NBA since 1948 - to be lost in the process. Since Seattle has retained the Sonics' name, colours and records, I imagine that's what the Kings would become if they moved to Seattle. Certainly an unusual situation.

[Lamrock]

I'd take the Kings or the Hornets but I have a feeling we're still five or so years away.

[George7]

That's great,though I feel sorry for the Kings' fans,as they are going to be in the same situation Seattle fans were 4 years ago...

[Phil89]

I'd take the Kings or the Hornets but I have a feeling we're still five or so years away.

If it was between those two I'd rather see the Hornets go to Seattle. Start from scratch and rebuild the roster around Gordon. They'd be starting fresh anyway seeing as the Thunder apparently get to keep the franchise history if there is no team in Seattle by next year.

And if the Hornets moved to Seattle, would they switch divisions with the Thunder? Geographically it would make sense.

[Andrew]

And if the Hornets moved to Seattle, would they switch divisions with the Thunder? Geographically it would make sense.

That'd work. Presumably the NBA wouldn't be too keen to have the Hornets move though, since they're still looking for a buyer that'll keep them in New Orleans. However, it doesn't seem like any suitable parties are in a rush to buy the team.

[Lamrock]

I don't understand why they're trying to keep the team there. Nobody goes to the games and there's a natural disaster every couple years.

[Andrew]

For what it's worth, they weren't dead last in attendance last season and they're only one spot lower this year. Not the most convincing figures to keep a team in town of course, but there are actually teams with worse fan turnouts.

I can understand why the NBA would rather not have teams moving at the drop of a hat and leaving cities where they've put down roots. Sometimes it comes to that though and they may be at that point with the Hornets, given how no one's stepped forward to buy the team and keep them in New Orleans. For what it's worth, Stern has confirmed that Seattle is on the NBA's radar and that while a number of things have to fall into place - chiefly the construction of a new arena - it's certainly not out of the question.

[[Q]]

it's a shame what relocation and a few years away from the game/an NBA team can do to a great basketball city. The Hornets were an awesome franchise in Charlotte. The Bobcats made a splash in the playoffs a couple years ago, but they are quickly back to the basement of the league. Sad part is, I could see that happening to a new Sonics team

[Lamrock]

I guess you could call getting swept by the Magic a "splash" but the team was built around Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace. Low ceiling. The Bobcats have just drafted poorly. Not the city of Charlotte's fault.

[Phil89]

Seattle mayor confirms talks to build NBA arena in SODO.

Mayor Mike McGinn confirmed Monday that negotiations are underway with San Francisco hedge-fund manager Chris Hansen to build a new arena in SODO.

KING 5's Chris Daniels broke the news in December that Hansen bought a 3-acre parcel near Safeco Field for $21.6 million -- nearly $3 million more than its assessed value.

Hansen, who grew up in Seattle and graduated from Roosevelt High School, proposed building an arena that could host both an NBA and an NHL team.

[Andrew]

it's a shame what relocation and a few years away from the game/an NBA team can do to a great basketball city. The Hornets were an awesome franchise in Charlotte. The Bobcats made a splash in the playoffs a couple years ago, but they are quickly back to the basement of the league. Sad part is, I could see that happening to a new Sonics team

They had a couple of years leading up to their first playoff appearance where they didn't do too badly, but had some tough luck with injuries. With better luck, they probably could've snuck into the Playoffs once or twice before they finally qualified a couple of years ago.

It's kind of the way it goes for expansion teams. The Heat didn't have a winning season until their sixth year in the league and were swept in their first playoff appearance a couple of years before that. The Grizzlies were in the lottery their first eight seasons, never winning more than 28 games. The Raptors have fared a little better but have still only been a playoff team five out of the sixteen years they've been in existence.

[Cr0ss0v3rK1ng]

Seattle fans are loyal, if a team came the place would be packed.

[Fluke32]

Seattle fans are loyal, if a team came the place would be packed.

I do believe he's right. The only reason that the franchise was moved to Oklahoma in the first place was the unfulfilled arena improvements requests. If the city just did what the Seattle Organization requested, the team wouldn't have been moved.

In the case of New Orleans losing the team due to relocation, I think it's for the best that it does happen. Despite having a very loyal fan base, the problem is that reality of life in that city will make ticket sales almost impossible to improve with citizens battling a bad economy, and all insurances needed to improve quality of life after the disasters that keep happening there. In that sense, moving the team would be the wiser decision financially.

[Cr0ss0v3rK1ng]

Seattle would be a Basketball town, because frankly the Seahawks suck and I don't watch baseball but who really does, and when I have watched it I've never seen a Seattle game. Whereas, New Orleans is dominated by the NFL, basketball will never make it over NFL because the Saints are so successful.

[Mavs4Life]

This woul be aweoms, but then SAC would become the new Seattle. No one ever really wins

[bowdown]

They should steal the Hawks from Atlanta. Their crowds dont give a fuck during games.

[NovU]

Kings to Seattle would make Lamrock cum. Cousins is there.

[Andrew]

I'd imagine the sting would still be there given how well the Thunder are performing, but the Kings have some talented young players and ample opportunity for a solid rebuilding effort over the next few years. They probably wouldn't have the arena done in time though, so if the Kings leave Sacramento at the end of the season it probably won't be to go to Seattle.

[Lamrock]

That's what I think. Unless they play at Key Arena for a couple years (which would make the NBA's decision to leave Seattle a year early look really really bad), the Kings are playing in Anaheim next year. That's why I'm more focused on the Hornets.

Would not complain about seeing Cousins in a Sonics uniform someday though.

[Andrew]

The Hornets are more likely, but then the league no doubt wants to find a buyer for them sooner than that so even if a group with plans of moving the team to Seattle did throw their hat into the ring, it'd probably be a couple of years at least. Nothing's likely to happen until the new arena becomes a reality.

[Cruzerr]

I like the Hawks comment, they have the worst fans if you ask me, Sonic fans are prob. going to be really supportive. Never gonna happen though.

[Andrew]

The Hawks moving, you mean? Absolutely, I highly doubt they're going anywhere anytime soon.

[Cruzerr]

The Hawks moving, you mean? Absolutely, I highly doubt they're going anywhere anytime soon.

Yeah, I would rather see them play in a place like Seattle rather then Atlanta, the fans out there are quite bored if you ask me. Never gonna happen like I said, but a great idea.

Actually, come to think of it, if the Atlanta fans got a "scare" that their team might go to Seattle, would they perhaps back up the team more? As a motivation?

[Andrew]

Possibly, but like you said that's not going to be a reality. I think the Hawks overachieving and doing something relevant is more likely to drum up more fan interest. Historically that's been the problem with the Hawks, they'll have a string of years where they're mediocre to reasonably good, 45-50 wins in the regular season and maybe a second round appearance. They've also had players that are fun to watch, like Josh Smith and of course, Dominique Wilkins many years ago. Still, it's not been quite enough to keep the less enthusiastic fans interested.

[Murat]

If they're moving a team to Seattle, it should be Thunder as SONICS. Kings can move to Oklahoma then.