OT: Sonics back to Seattle

[4XPIPS]

I know there has been rumblings for sometime about the Sonics coming back to Seattle. I remember watching this sit down with Kevin Durant, responding to being part of the Sonics coming back to Seattle.

https://x.com/Iconic_sonics/status/1760 ... nsion-team

It was over a year ago. Kevin is like most superstars, would probably have interest in part ownership of a future NBA franchise.

However, I apologize for not paying much attention back in the day as I was younger when the Sonics were shipped off to OKC. What prompted us to lose the franchise, was it a venue issue? Did OKC give the owner a big tax break? Did Seattle put up a fight to keep them in Seattle? All I can remember back in the day(I couldn't afford cable at the time) was the team was shipped off quickly, and it just happened quickly.

[trents]

Mostly, it was a case that the owner wanted to move the team to OKC because that was where he was from and the conditions he put before the city for keeping the franchise in Seattle were deemed by the city fathers as being unreasonable. Those conditions included the city picking up the full tab for building a new arena for the team to play in. At the same time I think, the city leaders were not especially sports-minded people who did not feel having a pro basketball franchise was necessary to the success of the city. In other words, they had different priorities so they said, "Good riddance, we're not playing ball with you. We want a high speed rail system instead." At least, that's how I remember it. So, the team owner did what he wanted to do with the team all along anyway and I think Seattle still does not have a high speed rail system.

[jshawaii22]

Once the Commish of the NBA at that time, David Stern, got behind the sale and blew off the promise of "we're not moving the team from Seattle"... it was all over. OKC, with the oil $$$ built the team a nice stadium and they are one of the better franchises. Can't attract top FA's, but neither could the Sonics.

[River Dog]

My interest in the NBA had begun to wane years before the Sonics moved. The last game I watched from whistle to buzzer was in the late 90's when Michael Jordan and the Bulls were playing the Utah Jazz for the championship. Once the Sonics left, I had no interest in re-kindling my love affair with them. Except for the fact that I know that there are a lot of fans out there that would love to see the NBA move back into the Evergreen State, I could care less.

[Aseahawkfan]

Wow. That is the last game I watched as well, Riverdog. Primarily because I was a huge Michael Jordan fan. Even picked up DISH network because they showed the two local Chicago channels so I could watch every game.

After Basketball Heroin retired, I couldn't get any enjoyment from the games. I watched them and was bored. No one was as fun to watch or as good as Michael Jordan.

I wouldn't mind getting a team back in Seattle at this point. Though the NBA isn't very fun to watch with players moving so much, acting like hired guns, and the easy formation of super teams with no real hard salary cap. It seems whatever owner feels like paying a bunch of money can somehow get all the best players on one team and win a championship. Hard to enjoy with all the player movement.