Will we ever see a team from Seattle again

[mon23]

Will we ever see a NBA team relocating in Seattle someday, I know some NBA fans do miss that green jerseys of the Supersonics.

the Utah Jazz were first relocated in New Orleans, now we have the New Orleans Hornets. that team itself started at Charlotte, and now the city of Charlotte, North Carolina had a different squad in the Bobcats.

The City of Oklahoma first joined forces with New Orleans, brought by the Hurricane incident, now Oklahoma has its own team, somehow they opted for Thunder instead of the Sonics of Seattle.

[mvblair]

Will we ever see a NBA team relocating in Seattle someday, I know some NBA fans do miss that green jerseys of the Supersonics.

If the NBA expands again in the US, it will probably be in St. Louis, Seattle, or Kansas. I hope it doesn't expand again though.

[BBallfanJ]

I'm still hoping the NBA returns to Vancouver. The Grizzlies were never given a fair shake in Vancouver, especially thanks to Bennedict err I mean Michael Heisley.
If not Vancouver, then maybe give Calgary a shot.
But yes it would be good to see the NBA back in Seattle. I miss the days of the short-distance rivalry between Vancouver and Seattle.
I know St. Louis has been wanting a team for ages, but I don't know if Bill Laurie is still personna non gratta to David Stern and league officials because of the whole Grizzlies debacle, where Laurie wanted to buy the team with letting everyone know he planned to move them to St. Louis.

[CKR13]

Cheer up Seattle, you still have the Mariners and the SeaHawks.

I just want the Roanoke Dazzle back in the fold on the D-League. Is that so much to ask?

[dxjayrock2008]

Seattle is known for aviation technology. The best way to name a basketball team in Seattle is related to aviation. Air Force? High-flyers? Avionics?

[CKR13]

You'll never see this jerseys on the rafters... presumably not within the near future.

Ray Allen #34

A supposed tribute to the one of the league's best shooters ever.

Gary Payton #20

Hall of Famer. The man named "The Glove" was among the best defensive guards ever.

And the other previously retired jerseys from the Seattle SuperSonics franchise:

* 1 Gus Williams, G, 1977–1984 (Number Retired March 26, 2004)
* 10 Nate McMillan, G, 1986–1998; Head Coach, 2000–2005 (Number Retired March 24, 1999)
* 19 Lenny Wilkens, G, 1968–1972; Head Coach, 1969–1972 & 1977–1985 (Number Retired October 19, 1979)
* 24 Spencer Haywood, F, 1971–1975 (Number Retired February 26, 2007)
* 32 Fred Brown, G, 1971–1984 (Number Retired November 6, 1986)
* 43 Jack Sikma, C, 1977–1986 (Number Retired November 21, 1992)
* Microphone Bob Blackburn, Broadcaster, 1967–1992

[dxjayrock2008]

You'll never see this jerseys on the rafters... presumably not within the near future.

Ray Allen #34

A supposed tribute to the one of the league's best shooters ever.

Gary Payton #20

Hall of Famer. The man named "The Glove" was among the best defensive guards ever.

And the other previously retired jerseys from the Seattle SuperSonics franchise:

* 1 Gus Williams, G, 1977–1984 (Number Retired March 26, 2004)
* 10 Nate McMillan, G, 1986–1998; Head Coach, 2000–2005 (Number Retired March 24, 1999)
* 19 Lenny Wilkens, G, 1968–1972; Head Coach, 1969–1972 & 1977–1985 (Number Retired October 19, 1979)
* 24 Spencer Haywood, F, 1971–1975 (Number Retired February 26, 2007)
* 32 Fred Brown, G, 1971–1984 (Number Retired November 6, 1986)
* 43 Jack Sikma, C, 1977–1986 (Number Retired November 21, 1992)
* Microphone Bob Blackburn, Broadcaster, 1967–1992

Hopefully the OKC Thunder will just keep those jerseys as mementos.

[CKR13]

Hopefully the OKC Thunder will just keep those jerseys as mementos.

So far, I haven't seen relics of the Seattle SuperSonics on the Oklahoma City Thunder's rafters as primarily, the Thunder are an entirely new franchise.

[dxjayrock2008]

So far, I haven't seen relics of the Seattle SuperSonics on the Oklahoma City Thunder's rafters as primarily, the Thunder are an entirely new franchise.

Too bad.

[Alvertis4]

When Stern steps out of the NBA, you might see a team back in Seattle, hopefully named the SuperSonics

[mvblair]

I'm still hoping the NBA returns to Vancouver.

Vancouver is another big possibility that I didn't even think about. Vancouver might be a better candidate than Seattle or Kansas City. The Vancouver metro area is enormous. So is the Calgary/Edmonton metro area.

For a while, I thought that the another NBA team might go to Guadalajara or Monterrey, but I seriously doubt there is a market in those cities. Nobody there wants to pay $20 for bad tickets for a bad game.

But honestly, I hope the NBA doesn't expand again. I would much rather see a team move. Perhaps Charlotte or Miami (which will do well in ticket sales this year, but is always a weak sports market).

[bobo81]

Seattle >> Las Vegas. Vegas is a disaster waiting to happen. Seattle is one of the nation's most sport city. I lived there for 2 years and it is extremely evident. They need an NBA team there now!

[Lewis]

I'm still waiting for the "Louisville Kings" and "Anaheim Clippers"

[CKR13]

Lenny Wilkens Wants to Bring NBA Franchise Back to Seattle

Lenny Wilkens Wants to Bring NBA Franchise Back to Seattle

Lenny Wilkens might be 73, but he knows nothing about the word retirement.

The Hall of Famer as both a player and a coach isn't slowing down these days. He just got back from Guangzhou, China, after serving as a consultant during South Korea's run to an Asian Games silver medal. And he's working on trying to bring the NBA back to Seattle.

The SuperSonics bolted in 2008 for Oklahoma City, and Wilkens was heartbroken. Wilkens, a Seattle resident who ended his 32-year NBA coaching run in January 2005, directed the SuperSonics to their only NBA crown in 1978-79.

Wilkens played for Seattle from 1968-72 and had two stints as head coach there, from 1969-72 (as player-coach) and from 1977-85. He also was in the team's front office in 2006-07.

"Yeah, I've been talking to some people that I know,'' Wilkens said in a telephone interview Tuesday, but said he wasn't at liberty to identify others involved in the effort to bring hoops back to Seattle.

Regardless of whether it's an expansion or an existing team, Wilkens said it's clear what it will take for an NBA return after Seattle's 41-year run ended with the move to Oklahoma City.

"We've got to get a building first,'' Wilkens said of a replacement for antiquated Key Arena. "Nobody is going to come if we don't have a building.''

Wilkens is working toward getting that done. Oklahoma City had the modern Ford Center already in place, one reason it was able to lure away the SuperSonics.

"They had a building,'' Wilkens said. "Key Arena was great, but its time has passed.''

Former NBA player and coach Paul Silas, who played for Wilkens on Seattle's 1978-79 title team, speaks to his old coach often. He admires Wilkens' efforts to try to bring a team back to the Emerald City.

"I was so disappointed when (the SuperSonics) left, with the success they had,'' Silas said. "It was a special place for basketball. I couldn't understand why they wouldn't build a new arena to keep the franchise going. But it's going to be tough getting a new arena now, with the economy. ... I'm glad to see Lenny is trying to get it done. They really admire him in Seattle.''

Wilkens is still going 50 years after he began a Hall of Fame 15-year NBA playing career in 1960 as a St. Louis Hawks' point guard. Wilkens has been an effective consultant for South Korea, which went from fifth in the 2006 Asian Games to getting the silver after a 77-71 loss last Friday to China.

"I was so very happy,'' Wilkens said. "It was a huge achievement for them.''

Wilkens has rated players for the team and recommended it play pressing defense. He worked with South Korea in 2010 at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and at the Los Angeles Summer League.

"I think they could,'' Wilkens said of whether South Korea, which never has produced an NBA player, can make great strides in basketball. "They need to keep working. They have some good young kids (coming up).''

Wilkens was the NBA's winningest coach with 1,332 victories until Don Nelson passed him last April. Nelson, who departed as Golden State's coach last September, has 1,335.

-AOL-NBA-Fanhouse by Chris Tomasson

[CKR13]

City of Seattle working to bring NBA back

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.”

A Seattle native who now lives in San Francisco, 44-year-old hedge-fund manager Christopher Hansen, approached the city about his desire to buy an NBA team and build an arena south of Safeco Field, the documents show. Hansen told city officials an arena could be built with minimal impact on taxpayers.

-Hoopsworld