Silent Partner: NBA Wants Public Sonics Relocation Talks To End

NBA Hopes Fine Will End Statements About Possible Relocation Of Sonics

The NBA “does not want to hear any more public statements” about the relocation of the Sonics in the wake of a $250,000 fine the league levied against investor Aubrey McClendon for comments about moving the team to Oklahoma City, according to Gary Washburn of the SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER.  While NBA VP/Basketball Communications Tim Frank confirmed the fine, neither he nor Commissioner David Stern would comment on it; the Sonics ownership group also had no comment.  Stern has not commented publicly about the Sonics' situation since the All-Star Game in February (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 8/24). Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis said, “The league ultimately is going to have to enter into this in one fashion or another.” In Seattle, Art Thiel writes the Sonics are a “floundering operation further embarrassed by a commissioner having to do what he hates to do. Publicly fining an owner is a mortifying exercise for any pro sports league. ... That implies a lack of discipline and order, which is an acutely troubling development for a league desperate to establish discipline and order among brawling players and reckless referees.” The NBA “privately wants to keep Seattle in the league, if for no other reason than its own ambitious plans to internationalize industry revenues in part by creating a basketball empire in China” (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 8/24). ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said, “It’s tough for me to see the NBA wanting to move out of Seattle. I mean Seattle is a big city that has supported basketball.” But ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser said, “Don’t sell it to people from Oklahoma City if you’re worried about them moving to Oklahoma City” (“PTI,” ESPN, 8/23).