When Will Seattle Get an NBA Team?
Contents
Still waiting for an NBA team in Seattle? We might have to wait a little longer. Here’s the latest on when (or if) the city might get a team.
The NBA in Seattle
The history of the NBA in Seattle
The NBA in Seattle is a history of the Seattle SuperSonics, a now-defunct professional basketball team that played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1967 until 2008. The SuperSonics were based in Seattle, Washington for their entire 41-year history. They played their home games at KeyArena, originally known as the Seattle Center Coliseum, for 33 of those years.
The club was founded by Sam Schulman on March 1, 1966, as an expansion team set to begin play in the 1967–68 NBA season. Schulman purchased the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League for $ million with the intention of moving them to Seattle to share the arena (which was also home to the WHL’s Seattle Totems at the time) and play as a co-tenant. On October 13, 1966, the Vancouver Canucks changed their name to “The SuperSonics”, after a “Name The Team” contest garnered 20,365 entries and over 1 million votes.
In their inaugural season, led by head coach Al Bianchi and star players Tom Meschery and Dick Snyder, the expansion SuperSonics won just 27 games and finished last place in the Western Division. The team’s struggles continued through their first decade in existence; they finished last place six times and never managed to win more than 39 percent of their games during this time. In 1976–77, veteran head coach Bill Russell took over for Lenny Wilkens; Russell’s defensive-minded style would lead to gradually improving results over his five years at helm. The Sonic’s fortunes began to turn around when they acquired superstar center Dennis Johnson from Phoenix in February 1980; they also drafted guard Dale Ellis later that year.
With Johnson and Ellis leading the way, the Sonic compiled a 50–34 record during the 1980–81 season—their first winning season since 1977–78—and made it back to playoffs after a one-year absence. They eventually lost in the 1981 Western Conference Semifinals to eventual conference champion Houston Rockets]]. The following season saw further improvement with standouts Jack Sikma (an All-Star power forward acquired from Milwaukee), Johnson (an All-NBA First Team selection), and Gus Williams (an All-Star point guard) leading Seattle to a 52–30 record—the Sonic’s best ever up to that point—and back-to-back trips to Conference Semifinals. After being swept by eventual NBA Finals runner up Kansas City Kings], Sikma departed for Milwaukee while Williams became renowned for his scoring exploits en route to being named co-winner of league’s Most Improved Player Award]. Nevertheless, due largely in part due these two key departures as well as injuries which decimated much of remainder roster], regression occurred and by 1984–85 campaign was over almost before it started due 15–67 finish—worst record in franchise history].
The current situation with the NBA in Seattle
The current situation with the NBA in Seattle is that there is no NBA team located in the city. The city had an NBA team previously, but the team left for another city. The city is currently trying to get an NBA team back.
The Potential for an NBA Team in Seattle
The market for an NBA team in Seattle
Seattle has been without an NBA team since the Sonics left for Oklahoma City in 2008, but there has been talk off and on about the possibility of a team returning to the city. The market for an NBA team in Seattle is strong, with a large fan base and a new arena set to open in 2021.
The ownership group that is trying to bring an NBA team back to Seattle is led by investment fund manager Chris Hansen. Hansen has been working on this effort for several years, and he has the support of the city of Seattle and King County. The group has already secured land for a new arena, and they are in the process of finalizing their plans.
The biggest obstacle to Hansen’s plan is finding an existing NBA team that is willing to relocate to Seattle. There have been no serious discussions with any team so far, but it is still early in the process. Hansen has said that he is willing to spend $1 billion to buy an existing team and build a new arena, so it is just a matter of finding the right opportunity.
The potential ownership groups for an NBA team in Seattle
In order to bring an NBA team back to Seattle, there must first be an ownership group in place. There are currently two groups that are vying for the chance to own an NBA team in Seattle. The first group is led by Steve Ballmer, the former CEO of Microsoft. The second group is led by Chris Hansen, a hedge fund manager.
These two groups have been competing for the right to own an NBA team in Seattle for several years now. However, it appears that Ballmer’s group has the upper hand at this point. They have put together a more complete bid and they also have the support of the NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver.
Hansen’s group is not giving up though. They remain committed to bringing an NBA team back to Seattle and they believe that they can still make it happen. It is unclear what will happen next, but it appears that we may finally see an NBA team in Seattle within the next few years.
The potential arena for an NBA team in Seattle
Tod Leiweke, the chief executive of the Oak View Group, which is redeveloping KeyArena, said in an interview that the group had “an agreement in principle” with the National Basketball Association to bring a team back to Seattle. The agreement is contingent on the redevelopment project, which is estimated to cost $850 million, being completed.
The N.B.A., which has been looking to expand its footprint in the United States and internationally, had no comment.
Mr. Leiweke said that the hope was to have a team playing in Seattle by the fall of 2020, but he added that it was not certain that would happen. He said he expected to make a formal announcement about the agreement within a month or so.
A return of professional basketball to Seattle — which lost the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008 — has been a goal of civic boosters for years, and it appeared at one point as if it might happen last year when another group tried to buy and relocate the Sacramento Kings. But that deal fell apart at the last minute.
The Likelihood of an NBA Team in Seattle
It’s been over five years since the Seattle SuperSonics left for Oklahoma City, and the city of Seattle has been trying to get an NBA team ever since. The city has made attempts to attract NBA teams to move to Seattle, but so far they have been unsuccessful. There have been a few rumors lately that a team might finally be coming to Seattle, but nothing has been confirmed. Let’s take a look at the likelihood of an NBA team coming to Seattle in the near future.
The probability of the NBA expanding to Seattle
As the NBA looks to expand its footprint, Seattle has emerged as a leading contender for a new team. The city has a rich basketball history and a passionate fan base, making it an attractive option for the league.
The NBA has not expanded since 2004, when the league added the Charlotte Bobcats. At that time, Seattle was also considered a top candidate for an expansion team, but the league ultimately decided to awarding the franchise to Charlotte.
since then, there have been no serious discussions about expansion, but that could change in the next few years. commissioner Adam Silver has said that the league is open to expanding again at some point, and Seattle is considered to be at the top of the list of potential cities.
There are a number of factors working in Seattle’s favor. The city has a proven track record as a basketball market, with both the NBA’s SuperSonics and WNBA’s Storm enjoying success there in the past. Additionally, there is already an arena in place that could be used for an NBA team, as well as strong corporate support from companies such as Starbucks and Amazon.
All of these factors make Seattle a strong candidate for an NBA expansion team. However, it’s important to remember that no decisions have been made and there is no guarantee that the city will be awarded a franchise in the near future.
The probability of the NBA relocating a team to Seattle
At this time, there is no plan for the NBA to expand or relocate any of its teams. The last time the NBA expanded was in 2004, when the league added the Charlotte Bobcats. The most recent team relocation occurred in 2008, when the Seattle SuperSonics became the Oklahoma City Thunder.
While there has been no formal announcement from the NBA regarding future expansion or relocation, there has been much speculation about the possibility of a team moving to Seattle. The city has been without an NBA team since 2008, when the SuperSonics left to become the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The most likely scenario for Seattle receiving an NBA team is through relocation. There are several teams that have been rumored to be considering a move to Seattle, including the Sacramento Kings and the New Orleans Pelicans. However, no formal announcements have been made by any team regarding a move to Seattle.
It is unknown when or if an NBA team will relocate to Seattle. However, the city remains a strong contender for a team due to its large market and passionate fan base.
The probability of the NBA awarding an NBA franchise to Seattle
The Seattle SuperSonics left for Oklahoma City in 2008, and the city has been without an NBA team ever since. There have been a few attempts to bring a team back to Seattle, but none have been successful. However, there is still hope that the city will one day have an NBA team again.
The main obstacle to Seattle getting an NBA team is that there are no available franchises. All 30 of the current NBA teams are owned by private individuals or corporations, and there are no plans for any new franchises to be created in the near future. However, it is possible that an existing franchise could relocate to Seattle.
There are a number of reasons why a franchise might choose to relocate to Seattle. The city has a large population and is geographically located near other major cities in the Pacific Northwest, making it an attractive market for an NBA team. Additionally, Seattle has a strong economy and is home to several major corporations that could potentially become sponsors or partners of a local NBA team.
Despite these factors, it is still unlikely that an NBA franchise will relocate to Seattle in the near future. There are several other cities that are more likely candidates for relocation, such as Louisville or San Diego. Additionally, it would be very expensive for an NBA team to relocate to Seattle, as the city does not currently have an arena that meets NBA standards.
Even ifSeattle is not ableto attractanNBAteamin the immediatefuture,thereisstillhopethatthecitywill eventuallyhaveateamagain. ThedesireforprofessionalbasketballinSeattleremainsstrong,andithasbeenshownthatthecityhaswhatittakessupportanNBAfranchise. With patienceandpersistence,it’sPOSSIBLEthatSeattlewillonceagainhaveanNBAteamofitsown.