NBA returning to Seattle?

Throwdown · May 15, 2013

Sounds like George Maloof & David Stern have been chopping it up this morning.

Chris Daniels ‏@ChrisDaniels5 57s
Spotted in hotel lobby: NBA Commish David Stern and George Maloof having serious discussion. #NBAKings

Dale Kasler ‏@dakasler 13m
David stern and George Maloof have been chatting for quite a few minutes in a sitting area off the lobby. That's your mid morning update

The Outfield · May 15, 2013

Throwdown":2yoz3zq8 said:
Sounds like George Maloof & David Stern have been chopping it up this morning.

Chris Daniels ‏@ChrisDaniels5 57s
Spotted in hotel lobby: NBA Commish David Stern and George Maloof having serious discussion. #NBAKings

Click to expand...

Dale Kasler ‏@dakasler 13m
David stern and George Maloof have been chatting for quite a few minutes in a sitting area off the lobby. That's your mid morning update

Click to expand...

Not sure what to think of that.... but honestly, I'm not sure what to think of anything anymore. God, I want this whole thing to be over.

Throwdown · May 15, 2013

I'm not gonna think anything about it, just to keep myself sane today.

Hawkfan77 · May 15, 2013

They were meeting with a third person, one of the NBA's lawyers

:stirthepot:

The Outfield · May 15, 2013

Hawkfan77":a8426wbu said:
They were meeting with a third person, one of the NBA's lawyers

:stirthepot:

A hitman?

Jason Puckett ‏@JasonPuckettKJR 36s
Interesting site at the hotel where David Stern sat and chatted with George Maloof and another unidentified man for 45 minutes. #NBABOG

bbq · May 15, 2013

The Outfield":io3ykxhj said:
Hawkfan77":io3ykxhj said:

They were meeting with a third person, one of the NBA's lawyers

:stirthepot:

Click to expand...

A hitman?

Jason Puckett ‏@JasonPuckettKJR 36s
Interesting site at the hotel where David Stern sat and chatted with George Maloof and another unidentified man for 45 minutes. #NBABOG

Click to expand...

Que up the Soprano's intro

Hawknballs · May 15, 2013

Going to be interesting today. I just can't see how the NBA owners could get together and vote against Seattle since that would be a vote against their own best interests as business owners, but at the same time that seems to be how it will go.

I'm going to be surprised though if the door is not left wide open for expansion talks within the next few months if seattle is denied today.

Hawknballs · May 15, 2013

news is now coming out that each city presented to the league last night but no details about whom and what was presented.

Hawkfan77 · May 15, 2013

Yep, both sides presented to Relo/Finance committees last night. Still expected to present to entire BOG today

TheRealDTM · May 15, 2013

NBA denies there was meetings last night (yeah right), BOG meeting starts in an hour!

Yoonhawk · May 15, 2013

vedthree":3tsz3qhw said:
I think this is a definite sign that the NBA is going to cave and avoid litigation by guaranteeing HBN an Expansion team for the '14-'15 season. We probably won't hear the announcement tomorrow, but it will be coming soon.

That's the NBA's only exit strategy - because HBN are poised to scorch the earth in Sacto and in Court. The only way the NBA saves their sweet public $$ subsidy deal in Sacto is by giving HBN what they want.

Now, I have no doubt this info was deliberately spoon-fed to Montemayor by someone in the the NBA (who probably got the script straight from Stern) - but why? First of all, we know that it's BS. What are the 2 things Stern has consistently said during this whole process? 1) Expansion's not on the table. 2) One of the cities is going to walk away disappointed. Now we're supposed to believe that expansion's always been an option H/B/N knew about? Yeah, right - doesn't even pass the smell test. And secondly, we know that HBN were working closely with the NBA to make the initial offer for the Kings and that the League pre-approved - so it's obvious that HBN was told all along that if they wanted a team they had to take an existing one

But from a PR standpoint, there's no way the NBA is going to admit that HBN bent them over a rail and leveraged a team from them. So this is the story they'll create to spin it ... Everyone dislikes the Maloofs already, so just throw them under the bus some more and blame all the complications on them. Say the only reason HBN fought for the Kings is because they were being conned by the Maloofs. Paint Stern as the master negotiator who was able to step in and sort everything out.

The NBA will act like "Oh, we were always going to do expansion, it's just those stupid Maloofs led HBN astray and got them mixed up with the Kings ..." when the truth of the matter is that Stern just thought he could keep HBN in play to extract new arenas from Sacto, Milwaukee, etc, but it blew up in his face and HBN just curb-stomped him.

The only question I have about this possible scenario is, who is going to make the Maloofs whole? I doubt the SAC group has close to enough money to match Hansen's most recent bid. Are they just going to relent and take the SAC offer so the SEA group will be open for expansion?

TheRealDTM · May 15, 2013

Tony Stark and Rhodey just showed up, ready to dole out some justice.

Yoonhawk":36mbarmo said:
The only question I have about this possible scenario is, who is going to make the Maloofs whole? I doubt the SAC group has close to enough money to match Hansen's most recent bid. Are they just going to relent and take the SAC offer so the SEA group will be open for expansion?

NBA could offer to drop the current debt, which would almost make the offers equal.

Hawkfan77 · May 15, 2013

TheRealDTM":1pu388e3 said:
Tony Stark and Rhodey just showed up, ready to dole out some justice.

HAHAHAHA, that's awesome! :th2thumbs:

CANHawk · May 15, 2013

Hawkfan77":13799ug0 said:
TheRealDTM":13799ug0 said:

Tony Stark and Rhodey just showed up, ready to dole out some justice.

Click to expand...

HAHAHAHA, that's awesome! :th2thumbs:

No, it's racist. Are you saying all white people look alike? I'm offended.....

Hawkfan77 · May 15, 2013

CANHawk":3vedu0ct said:
No, it's racist. Are you saying all white people look alike? I'm offended.....

Yes

hawkcrazzed · May 15, 2013

lol well im really offended omg time to go jump of the cn tower.

TheRealDTM · May 15, 2013

Warriors owner Lacob asking Jennie Buss if he should be the first male owner to pose naked.

Sonics fans show up! After Stern waived to Kings fans and entered the room 20 minutes ago :X, wake up earlier boys.

More expansion speculation!

http://blog.seattlepi.com/sonics/2013/0 ... sion-team/

SeaTown81 · May 15, 2013

vedthree":1i4wll0v said:
I think this is a definite sign that the NBA is going to cave and avoid litigation by guaranteeing HBN an Expansion team for the '14-'15 season. We probably won't hear the announcement tomorrow, but it will be coming soon.

That's the NBA's only exit strategy - because HBN are poised to scorch the earth in Sacto and in Court. The only way the NBA saves their sweet public $$ subsidy deal in Sacto is by giving HBN what they want.

Now, I have no doubt this info was deliberately spoon-fed to Montemayor by someone in the the NBA (who probably got the script straight from Stern) - but why? First of all, we know that it's BS. What are the 2 things Stern has consistently said during this whole process? 1) Expansion's not on the table. 2) One of the cities is going to walk away disappointed. Now we're supposed to believe that expansion's always been an option H/B/N knew about? Yeah, right - doesn't even pass the smell test. And secondly, we know that HBN were working closely with the NBA to make the initial offer for the Kings and that the League pre-approved - so it's obvious that HBN was told all along that if they wanted a team they had to take an existing one

But from a PR standpoint, there's no way the NBA is going to admit that HBN bent them over a rail and leveraged a team from them. So this is the story they'll create to spin it ... Everyone dislikes the Maloofs already, so just throw them under the bus some more and blame all the complications on them. Say the only reason HBN fought for the Kings is because they were being conned by the Maloofs. Paint Stern as the master negotiator who was able to step in and sort everything out.

The NBA will act like "Oh, we were always going to do expansion, it's just those stupid Maloofs led HBN astray and got them mixed up with the Kings ..." when the truth of the matter is that Stern just thought he could keep HBN in play to extract new arenas from Sacto, Milwaukee, etc, but it blew up in his face and HBN just curb-stomped him.

This is pretty much exactly where I stand. I have never for once bought the "NO EXPANSION! IT ISN'T HAPPENING!" line. Expansion is something that you don't offer until you absolutely have to. And hinting that it is a possibility does you no favors.

My only wonder is can the NBA make a concrete expansion promise to Seattle as long as Sac's ownership group has yet to put up 100% of their money and Sac's arena deal continues to be non-binding. Seattle has been used as a hammer to get Sac in line. It's worked up til now. But what happens when Seattle is promised expansion, and the threat is gone? Does Sac back off on it's hastily thrown together arena deal? Does Vivek and friends take 50 million off their offer? I think this might be why the NBA has urged the Sac group to put 100% in escrow.

I've been VERY guarded in my optimism on this the entire way. But I'm really starting to believe that expansion is a possibility. I've always thought it was doable, just a matter of whether or not HBN could twist the NBA's arm enough to get it. I think they are very close. Hope I'm not setting myself up for yet another disappointment. Oh well. Here we go.

And no. I really want nothing to do with a drawn out lawsuit that in the end might only get you awarded monetary damages, while forever burning bridges. To me, it's Kings or expansion. Expansion preferred. That's it.

GO SONICS!

dunceface · May 15, 2013

POSITIVE ENERGY!!!!!!! LOUD NOISES!!!!!!!!!! GO SONICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SeaTown81 · May 15, 2013

Also, I wanted to thank you guys here for having some really solid conversation about this whole thing. It's been very refreshing to read. Sonics Rising has turned into a bit of a clown show ever since joining SB Nation. That's what you get when you increase your profile and up your traffic big time. Gone are the days of the die hard fans who stuck with Sonics Central throughout the years holding smart and on the ball discourse. Now it's just like everywhere else on the internet. The lowest, dumbest people making the most noise, dominating the conversation. Screaming down opinions they don't agree with. Reminds me of what happened with the main forum here.

Good job guys. Keep it up!

Go Supes!

NBA returning to Seattle?

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