Sonics (Kings) returning as soon as next season?

[LarBrd33]

Apparently this is being kinda undersold right now in Seattle for a variety of reasons, but there has been a quiet buzz growing...

Basic gist: 

"A wealthy San Francisco hedge-fund manager and officials in the Seattle mayor's office have been working behind the scenes for eight months to bring an NBA team back to the city as early as next fall and build a new arena, according to emails and documents that reveal a far more concerted effort than previously known."

Full article:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017426859_arena05m.html?syndication=rss

Supposedly a lot is riding on the Kings situation and their March 1st deadline to find a viable Sacramento arena proposal.  If Seattle can lock up their plans... the Kings could become to Sonics and start playing in Key Arena (temporarily) come next season.   

As someone living Seattle this greatly excites me, but there's this feeling out here that nobody wants to talk about it... like we'll jinx it.  Nobody wants to give their hopes up. 

Here's another article by Steve Kelly:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/stevekelley/2017426609_kelley05x.html

Steve Kelly was just on local Seattle sports radio talking about it.  Supposedly he's been involved in all the meetings and claimed that there was a LOT more to the story than he's able to report on... and he claimed there is a "80% shot" that the kings are here by the start of next season.  Take that for what it's worth.

I know a few of my friends out here have said they wouldn't want to steal Sacramento's team.  But any team is going to be stolen to become "Seattle Sonics" it might as well be the team that has already been the Rochester Royals, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City Kings and Sacramento Kings.  And you gotta imagine it's a better solution than sticking the Kings in LA/Anaheim so they can be the third LA-area NBA franchise. 

[StartOrien]

Hmmm... wonder how that must feel for Seattle fans? It's nice to have a team back and all, but there has to be some mixed emotions when you're essentially hijacking another team.

Sure, it's not the same storied history, but still, you're taking another cities team.

[LarBrd33]

Hmmm... wonder how that must feel for Seattle fans? It's nice to have a team back and all, but there has to be some mixed emotions when you're essentially hijacking another team.

Sure, it's not the same storied history, but still, you're taking another cities team.

I can't speak for everyone in Seattle. I'm a Celtic fan.  I just want to be able to see some NBA in person again.  But my best friend was a diehard Sonic fan and this was his reaction:

"The NBA is dead to me.  I don't care.  And I don't want to steal another city's team.  Even if they got the team, it wouldn't feel like the Sonics for decades."

My response:  "Come on man... it would feel like your team immediately.  You telling me you wouldn't be emotionally invested in the Sonics having a top 5 pick in this loaded draft?... you wouldn't love seeing Washington Husky Isaiah Thomas playing in Key Arena?... you wouldn't instantly become a DeMarcus Cousins fan?... the second those guys suit up on the green and gold, you'd be on board."

His response:  "yeah... I'm all talk.  The hell with Sacramento... they stole that team from Kansas City who stole that team from Omaha who stole that team from Cincinnati who stole that team from Rochester.  Team has only been in Sacramento since 1985.  Big deal.  Bring back the Sonics baby!!!!"

[ianboyextreme]

I hope they get a team whether its the Kings or whoever. Those folks up there love basketball.

[Change]

Sonicgate is Must watch documentary. Shady stuff went down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9Dp20ydm1E

[Celtic]

Seattle deserves a team, if justice were to truly be served the Thunder would be moving back, since that ain't happening I guess this will have to do. If there is legitimate fan outcry in Sacramento then I would change my view, if a fanbase is willing to support a team it should stay.

Sucks for Seattle though that they lost out on a team like what the Thunder are now. I hate the fact that they play in OKC, but there really isn;t anything to be done.

[Kiorrik]

Weird. It would explain why there are Seatle Supersonics caps for sale at the local Footlocker.

[Celtics18]

Weird. It would explain why there are Seatle Supersonics caps for sale at the local Footlocker.

In Australia?!!

They are probably not aware that the Sonics ever left Seattle in the first place.

[Onslaught]

My hometown is a city that lost it's team and then got another one. It will be a difficult sale for the NBA. People can hold on to hate for a long time.

[slamtheking]

by all rights, Sonics should have stayed put so they could enjoy what OKC is enjoying right now.

since that's not happening, they should get either the Hornets, Raptors or Bobcats.  all 3 franchises suck right now but they're not getting the support they'd get in Seattle.

[jimmehx]

Weird. It would explain why there are Seatle Supersonics caps for sale at the local Footlocker.

They're probably now 'retro'...

On that topic I asked a guy yesterday in brisbane walking down the street in a Pats hat if he knew the score of the superbowl. He had literally no idea. solid aus!

[Kiorrik]

Weird. It would explain why there are Seatle Supersonics caps for sale at the local Footlocker.

They're probably now 'retro'...

On that topic I asked a guy yesterday in brisbane walking down the street in a Pats hat if he knew the score of the superbowl. He had literally no idea. solid aus!

Weird. It would explain why there are Seatle Supersonics caps for sale at the local Footlocker.

In Australia?!!

They are probably not aware that the Sonics ever left Seattle in the first place.

LOL @ Both of yas. Yeah, clueless.

[jambr380]

I definitely like the idea of Seattle getting a team again - they certainly deserve one. And, while I love the name, 'Supersonics', I don't think they should bring back the name. It's like they would be pretending that they never lost their team in the first place - kind of like how the Cleveland Browns got a new franchise, but their real team is in Baltimore. What's really annoying is when they talk about past Browns statistics and compare them to now. We all know it's not the same franchise.

What they 'should' do is move the Kings to OKC and bring the Thunder back to Seattle, but that would be a little ridiculous.

[LarBrd33]

I definitely like the idea of Seattle getting a team again - they certainly deserve one. And, while I love the name, 'Supersonics', I don't think they should bring back the name. It's like they would be pretending that they never lost their team in the first place - kind of like how the Cleveland Browns got a new franchise, but their real team is in Baltimore. What's really annoying is they talk about past Browns statistics and comparing them to now. We all know it's not the same franchise.

What they 'should' do is move the Kings to OKC and bring the Thunder back to Seattle, but that would be a little ridiculous.

It would be exactly like the Cleveland Browns situation.  They'd definitely be called the Sonics.  Frankly, it would be easier to sell Seattle fans on rooting for the "SOnics" than a brand new franchise. 

I don't really see the Kings as having much of an identity at this point anyways.  It's not like Chris Webber and Vlade Divac would suddenly be the "Sonics" when everyone knows they are really Kings.  Luckily the Kings are so young and (to the general public) unknown that I think Seattle would get on board with Tyreke Evans, Demarcus Cousins and whoever they take in the lotto.  It would be irritating seeing the Thunder dominate, though while the "Sonics" continue to be a bottom dweller for the foreseeable future.

Ray Allen is a free agent... maybe they can sign him to be a mentor.  Maybe they can hire Gary Payton as the coach.  Who knows... they can do something to make the team feel like the Sonics.

[syfy9]

Ray Allen is a free agent... maybe they can sign him to be a mentor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_SI2EDM6Lo