Seattle Lawyer Wants Promise Of New NBA Team In Bennett Talks

Gorton Open To Settlement Talks With Sonics Owner If NBA Promises Seattle New Team

TOUGH SELL? In Seattle, Gary Washburn writes the NBA "appears to have no plans to expand anytime soon," and as a result, it "may be difficult" for Seattle to negotiate for a new team. The NBA BOG would have to approve expansion, which would mean "cutting another team in on the revenue-sharing pie." Stern and most NBA owners "would prefer to relocate a financially struggling team rather than create a new team that could also potentially flounder financially." Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban also "doesn't hesitate to express his disinterest in expansion." Cuban: "I would always vote against expansion because expansion's the worst economic move a league like the NBA can make. Expansion is nothing more than a loan because whatever (a new owner would) give you (in expansion fees), you pay them back in equity ownership of the NBA and share of the TV money" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 4/22).

WHOSE TEAM IS IT? In Oklahoma City, Darnell Mayberry reports the word Seattle is "nowhere to be found" on the Sonics official Web site, SuperSonics.com. But Sonics officials said that Seattle references were omitted February 28, when the site was "relaunched to introduce a new design." Sonics PR Dir Tom Savage said, "It's not like we took them off on Friday. It's an entirely different look. We never talked about (removing Seattle) because of the uncertainty surrounding the franchise" (DAILY OKLAHOMAN, 4/22).

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