Rumors Are Swirling About NBA Expansion
With talks heating up due to the current CBA opt out clause quickly approaching, one of the latest topics to make its way to the top is one of the NBA’s hottest issues. Expansion. With all the money coming in from every direction, it’s no surprise that word has started to spread about additional NBA teams in new markets. This all came up when Adam Silver was asked about the potential return to Seattle if the league ever decides to expand while at SXSW Sports. As it stands now, this is the list of potential new markets based on what I’ve seen floating around..
Seattle, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Omaha, Las Vegas, Vancouver, and Mexico City
This shouldn’t even be a question. If the NBA is adding another team, it HAS to return to Seattle. If you’re a #gopresgo guy and don’t remember what happened, it was maybe the shadiest, most despicable thing to ever happen to a city.
In 2006 the SuperSonics and Storm were trying to get the city of Seattle to publicly fund a $220M expansion to their arena. You might be thinking it’s bullshit that taxpayers should have to pay, but at the time KeyArena was outdated and the smallest arena in the league. When that failed, ownership was forced to sell the team, and when they couldn’t find a local buyer, had to settle for a group out of Oklahoma City and a man named Clay Bennett for $350M.
Bennett had been trying to get an NBA team ever since OKC hosted the Hornets due to Katrina, but the way he got one was downright shameful. In 2007 Bennett again tried to get a new arena built, and when that failed he basically said “fuck it” and moved the franchise to where it now resides in OKC. This was a problem because they were still under a lease to play in KeyArena, but Bennett filed for arbitration so they could get out before the 2010 season. They ended up settling in 2008 and the rest is history.
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But that isn’t what makes it shady. What makes it shady is within this new ownership group, some of the members were strong about always returning the team to OKC, and Seattle argued that they bought this team under false pretenses. It got so serious that Seattle tried to sue to get the team back, but as an ultimate kick to the groin, the NBA rejected the claim since the previous Seattle owners had signed an agreement to not sue Bennet, and from there, there was nothing the league could do.
The SuperSonics were gone, just like that.
So if the rumors are true and the NBA does end up expanding, who in their right mind can argue it should be anywhere but Seattle. One of the best NBA crowds in the league, they are a fanbase that loves their team and didn’t deserve to lose them like they did. Do the right thing Adam.