NBA Seattle: Prospect of NBA Returning to Seattle Looks Extremely Promising

Posted on October 25, 2016 by kingdome

It has been eight long year since the Seattle SuperSonics left the Pacific Northwest.

Now, it seems Seattle is closer to getting the Sonics and the NBA back in Seattle.

Back in mid-October, the fine people at SB Nation’s Sonics Rising reported that expansion was “on the table” for the NBA with a new CBA widely reported to be in the works. After seeing the Kings rescued and new arenas being built in other cities, this has been Seattle’s best shot to reenter the league.

Within the week, news came out about Chris Hansen (the driving force behind bringing back the Sonics) buying even more land in SoDo.

So things were obviously looking positive for Seattle’s efforts to restore professional men’s basketball to the Emerald City.

There was also this nugget from a David Aldridge article about the subject of basketball in the Pacific Northwest’s largest city. The writer quoted “a very high ranking executive of one of the league’s 29 teams.” Said executive was quoted as saying “Seattle is a far better market than at least 10 NBA cities.”

So hey, we’ve got that going for us.

While there was obvious caution seeing as we’ve swung and miss with the league before, things were looking up.

Then this wonderful (at least for those who want to see the National Basketball Association back in the Pacific Northwest) news broke. King 5’s Chris Daniels reported that Hansen and company are offering to privately fund the new SoDo arena, as well as helping to fund the Lander Street overpass.

Additionally, Daniels’ reports also states that the offer is “conditioned on the city agreeing to vacate a one-block stretch of Occidental Avenue and the addition of several tax credits.”

The website behind Hansen’s efforts to build a new arena also announced the news.

What’s more, according to a tweet from Daniels, Seattle Council president Bruce Harrell calls the offer to privately fund the arena a “game changer.” You can see the entire tweet below.

NEW: @SeattleCouncil President @bruceharrell on #SeattleArena private offer: “game changer”, will look to reconvene committee to discuss it.

— Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels5) October 25, 2016

It is extremely positive news for hoop fans in Seattle. While it by no means ensures that a team will come, it is a massive step forward in the grand scheme of things if Hansen is able to privately fund the arena and the overpass.

For more on Seattle and the NBA, click here.

“Back to Work” Inspires Hope for Seattle’s NBA Future

Posted on June 19, 2013 by kingdome

Chris Hansen’s NBA team, or team of people trying to bring the NBA back to Seattle, are back to work according to their Twitter feed.

Back to work.

— Sonics Arena (@sonicsarena) June 13, 2013

Expansion is looking more and more like an option. Well, it kind of has to be unless you want to count on Sacramento’s arena folding by 2017, in which case the NBA can arrange a sale to a new ownership group who would move the team out of California’s capitol. Meaning that unless another city comes along, not completely out of left field, but close, Seattle would be looked at as a front runner.

So there is that option, or Seattle could twiddle its collective thumbs until Franchise X in City Y runs into a brick wall out of nowhere.

I like expansion better.

Expansion probably isn’t going to happen this offseason, unless Hansen and friends have been in a huddle with Stern and his many cronies discussing it recently. Even then, there is the issue of the draft. Or drafts. The expansion draft would have to happen, and the normal NBA draft. Which, if Seattle got a team this year, their front office would go into the draft completely blind, not having done a whole lot of homework.

So, maybe the Sonics come back next year. I can wait. At least it’s not 2017.

Semi-Often Sonics Skims

Posted on May 5, 2013 by kingdome

As the Sonics news continues to trickle in, here is the latest.

There is an online petition urging David Stern to give Seattle an expansion team.

Chris Hansen is still hoping to buy the Kings.

Sorrow for NBA diehards in Seattle.

Seattle nice is not the NBA way.

Here’s Why the NBA Is Trying to Force the Sacramento Kings’ Owners to Accept a Low Bid.

Denied in Sacramento, Seattle NBA group may look to Bucks.

Is expansion really an option for NBA, Sonics group?

And finally, my take on Sacramento’s supposed understanding of heartbreak.

Latest Sonics Links: Keeping You Up to Date

Posted on April 30, 2013 by kingdome

The Sonics situation is getting more unpredictable by the hour. Here’s the latest from around the web to keep you up to date.

A Message From Chris Hansen.

SB Nation- Kings sale- Seattle investor Chris Hansen vows to fight NBA decision.

Ian Thomsen- NBA’s Loyalty to Sacramento Could Prove Costly Financially.

From David Aldridge- Kings Might Stay in Sacramento.

Also from Aldridge, looking at the 12 Owners on the Relocation/Financial Committee.

King 5’s Take.

SuperSonicSoul on the Seattle SuperSonics vs. the NBA.

Jerry Brewer- NBA Changes the Rules, Breaks Hearts of Seattle Fans Again.

King 5’s Timeline of the Sonics Situation So Far.

Also from the Seattle Times, Heartbroken Sonics Fans React to Bad News from the NBA.

The PI’s Take on It All.

Finally, Seattle SuperSonics Relocation: The Hypocrisy of David Stern from Bleacher Report’s Todd Pheifer.

Speculative/Potential Sonics Coaches

Posted on April 25, 2013 by kingdome

The Kings had a poor season. They struggled on the court and needed a truly miraculous effort by Kevin Johnson to even give the city a small chance to keep the team. The Kings had a poor season, and regardless of the move to Seattle, are likely in for some changes.
This is why this is here, not to blow smoke on the matter, but to give you, my fellow Northwesterners, a look at who might be in the realm of possibility.

Phil Jackson. Everyone would like to have the Zen Master as their coach. But likely, no one will get him. Jackson is retired and will probably stay that way. We Sonics fans can dream, right?
(That isn’t to say that the rest of the list are garbage candidates, but there are few current coaches who can compete with the Zen Master, and we aren’t getting Popovich, Doc Rivers or George Karl. Wait a minute…)

George Karl. A dark horse at this point, probably more of a long shot. There is no thought process that the Nuggets can have that convinces them to let him go. Denver would probably want compensation for Karl if he left, big “if,” I know. They would also probably ask for the world, all of its moons, and half of Chris Hansen’s income next year. If Andre Iguodala leaves in free agency, Tyreke Evans isn’t a bad fit to replace him on the wing, from a “tools” stand point. He (Evans) could be a better defender, I know.

Brian Shaw. If Jackson is hired as a potential “czar” and/or advisor of the Sonics’ front office, then Shaw would make a whole lot of sense as the head coach. Shaw is widely regarded as one of the better assistant coaches in the league, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around why the Lakers didn’t give him the head coaching gig when the Zen Master retired.

Source says almost living lock Phil Jackson will become front office face of Seattle-bound Kings’ franchise. Won’t coach. Will mentor choice

— Peter Vecsey (@PeterVecsey1) January 21, 2013

Nate McMillan. Having Mr. Sonic back on the side lines would be a hand-in-glove fit. Insert Reign Man and Downtown puns here.
It’s all speculative at this point. Regardless of who the coach is, we’re getting basketball back in Seattle.
Who would you add to the list? Let me know in comments below.

Get on the Sonics Priority Ticket Waitlist Now and Support the Sonics!

Posted on March 14, 2013 by kingdome

Are you interested in getting on a waitlist to have the opportunity to buy Sonics tickets before everyone else does? Check out the waitlist over at sonicsarena.com. I’ve already signed up, it’s super easy. Join me in supporting the NBA coming back to the greatest city in the world: Seattle.

All you have to do is enter your phone number, email, zip code and a few other minor details.

You don’t have to give them your credit card, and you don’t have to buy anything. You simply sign up to get on the waitlist so you have the opportunity to buy Sonics tickets when they become available.

It’s a simple survey, it takes five minutes and the end result is the opportunity to get Sonics tickets in the future. And who doesn’t want that?

The last question in the survey is “Who is your favorite Sonic?”

So I’m asking you, who is your favorite Sonic?

Kingdome of Seattle Sports

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