Seattle Supersonics

Dear Mr. Stern:

Well, I hope you are happy. The Sacramento Kings are going to stay in town (via The Seattle Times) and you got your way...again.

Is that what this is all about Commissioner Stern? Is this about you getting your way?

I would hope that a professional such as yourself would be beyond this playground emotion, but throughout this entire process, there has seemed to be a tone of heavy-handed guidance from your office.

Frankly, I am still trying to figure out your motives.

Your motive here cannot be profit. The Seattle offer was better. It was better for the NBA, the owners and the overall branding of the product. Certainly, there is a loyal fan base in Sacramento, and it would have been very sad for them to lose their team.

However, as a pure money-making venture, the Chris Hansen package was going to put the league in a better situation to maximize revenue. Don’t tell me that your focus has suddenly shifted from entrepreneurialism to altruism.

Was it your undying career commitment to preventing teams from moving? Oh, wait...you don’t seem to have that commitment. I seem to recall that one or two franchises have moved during your tenure.

You stood by and let Clay Bennett walk out of the Emerald City with a team that had been there since 1967. Then, when a very motivated Chris Hansen put together an impressive financial package, you were suddenly a fierce advocate for the Kings.

Where was this sense of loyalty when Clay Bennett was outright lying to the city of Seattle?

Of course, you are going to deny that you made this happen. I can’t prove that you facilitated this outcome, but I think it is safe to say that few people believe you when you hint that you were not an influencing factor.

It may be a little strange, Mr. Stern, to have a tweet put in an open letter, but it is the modern age. You understand...I think.

Steve Kyler of The USA Today tweeted this:

Sources said that Seattle group was compelling and that more owners were probablyin favor of Seattle vote, but that Stern swayed the vote.

— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) May 16, 2013

Is that true, Mr. Stern? Did you impose your will on the owners yet again? Again, why the sudden loyalty for Sacramento when you seemingly had little care for the fans in Seattle just a few years ago?

I would say that you are fortunate that you were able to compel the Maloofs to sell the Kings to the hastily-constructed local group. If this ends up in court and a judge starts examining antitrust law, things could probably get ugly for you and your legacy.

Can I make one small request? Could you please give the fans of Seattle just a little bit of transparency? I realize that you have spent your whole career presenting carefully-rehearsed rhetoric to the media, but now that you are at the end of your career, how about a little honesty?

Do you just not like Seattle? Did they not show you the same love that other cities have? Are you not a fan of drizzly rain? Lattes? Pearl Jam?

There are certainly things that you did well during your career as commissioner, but in the minds of many fans, the events of the last few years have tainted your legacy. Before you slip away in 2014, do the right thing.

Return to the basketball fans in Seattle what they very clearly deserve. Facilitate the return of the Seattle SuperSonics.

Sincerely,

No one you know

Follow @tpheifer

Could the Sacramento Kings still become the Seattle SuperSonics? Is there still hope?

One thing is for sure. Chris Hansen is not going away. Hansen and Steve Ballmer are not giving up. In fact, they seem all the more determined that this is going to work.

As recently tweeted by the investment group:

These things take time. Know your passion for the #Sonics does more than inspire us. It sends a strong message the NBA belongs in Seattle.

— Sonics Arena (@sonicsarena) April 20, 2013

Undeterred by the decision of the Clay Bennett-led Relocation Committee to deny a move, Hansen upped his offer for the Kings to a reported $625 million (via ESPN). He is apparently testing the truth of the old adage, “money talks.”

Granted, this is not just about money. It is about rules, territories, egos and the complexities of big-boy business. Backroom deals, rhetoric and politics have all been a part of this process.

The challenge for the fans is that the whole situation is not exactly transparent. The ESPN article notes this about the competing offer from the Sacramento group, led by Vivek Ranadive:

In a backroom deal cut just before the relocation committee vote two weeks ago, Ranadive sweetened his offer considerably when he promised to forfeit tens of millions in revenue sharing to fellow owners in the coming years.

Sound a little fishy? It gets better (or worse):

While it wasn't an outright bribe, it was a direct path to the voting owners' pockets that leveled the playing field between the bids. The Seattle group was confident it presented the better financial offer because of the larger market.

The word “bribe” should obviously be used with some caution, and while ESPN didn’t say it was a bribe, the word still found its way into the sentence. Translation? It was a bribe...even though it wasn’t. Confused yet?

Why do I have a feeling that this might end up in court at some point in the future? And I’m not talking about the hardwood court. Major sports leagues walk a very fine line when it comes to the principles of collusion. In theory, the Maloofs own a business and they would like to sell that business to someone else. The Maloofs are in favor of the Seattle group.

One assumes that the bylaws of the NBA have been scrutinized by teams of high-priced lawyers to make sure that any risk of legal challenges are avoided. Still, sports leagues have ended up in court before. It seems reasonable that they might again.

Despite setbacks, Hansen does not appear to be giving up. At the moment, the Kings still represent the best opportunity to get a team in Seattle. It seems very unlikely that the NBA would expand, given that one could make an argument that shedding a few teams would not be a bad idea.

Hansen can keep doing this because people are behind him. Pete Carroll is one:

We see you Chris Hansen! Competing like crazy for the fans in Seattle! #AlwaysCompete #Sonics

— Pete Carroll (@PeteCarroll) May 11, 2013

Can Hansen overwhelm the owners with cash or will commissioner David Stern quietly stop the move while saying all the right things to the camera?

The plot thickens. Hansen is not going quietly into the night.

Follow @tpheifer

There are times in life when the truth hurts, but with a little time and perspective things sometimes start to make sense. 

Case in point, earlier this week when the NBA voted unanimously to deny a group of Seattle investors the right to move the Sacramento Kings to Seattle, I was disappointed to say the least. 

How could the NBA, just five years removed from allowing a group from Oklahoma the right to move the Sonics, suddenly have a soul?

It seemed ridiculous to punish the fans of Seattle for the second time in five years, especially given all of the time, money and effort Chris Hansen and his fellow investors had made in recent years to put together what appeared to be a rock-solid proposal. 

Then over the course of this week after a good deal of reading and contemplation, I came to a simple conclusion: two wrongs don't make a right. 

Beyond the money, politics, and last-minute deals, the simple truth is that David Stern did not wish to make the same mistake twice. 

While I fully understand that David Stern is many things to many people, he's not stupid.  Over the course of this battle I'd imagine that Stern realized that he had to fight for Sacramento just as he did for New Orleans back in 2010. 

"But how can you choose Sacramento over Seattle?"

To answer a question with a question, why alienate yet another team's fanbase and, by extension, put the rest of the league on notice, if you can work out a deal that spares you the hassle and embarrassment?

While it would have been easy to take Hansen's money in the short-term, Stern and the voting owners considered the long-term in protecting their loyal markets while avoiding the potential of opening Pandora's box.

By rejecting the deal between Hansen and the Maloof brothers, Gavin and Joe, Stern essentially stops any carpetbagger from rolling into town and waving his checkbook while either hijacking the town for a new arena or moving the team to the destination of their choice. 

Meanwhile if there is one small positive to glean from this vote it's that hopefully other cities don't have to live in fear of ending up like Seattle, but, of course, this victory for the fans comes five years too late for the Sonics.

"That's just great, so now what?"

I'm not sure the battle is over and can see three potential scenarios moving forward:

1. Hansen accepts the vote and waits patiently to see if the Sacramento deal falls apart.

2. Hansen sets his sights elsewhere.

3. Hansen digs in and fights.

With the onus now on the Sacramento group to actually deliver tangible results, I'd imagine Stern will make sure to remind mayor Kevin Johnson that Hansen is still waiting in the wings.  Besides, option No. 1, while plausible, seems a bit too passive, especially with 50 percent of the money promised by the Sacramento group now in escrow as of Friday (via The News Tribune).

As for option No. 2, the idea of poaching the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks or Charlotte Bobcats is not only unappealing in more ways that I have the time or energy to describe here, but highly unlikely given the the fact that the Sacramento deal is not yet final. 

So basically that leaves us with option No. 3, which, based on Hansen's response (Sonicsarena.com) to Monday's vote, makes the most sense.  

What's funny is that up until now, everyone has maintained a fair level of civility in this process, yet after this week you get the feeling now that the real fight is about to begin. 

Oddly enough, though, I don't know who or what to root for anymore. 

Prior to this week, the Seattle bid made the most sense in my mind from a financial standpoint, but for selfish reasons as well.  Once upon a time I loved basketball and over the past few months I've been intrigued by the potential of resurrecting the Sonics.  At the same time I've also felt a bit conflicted in both debating and defending the ethics of the situation. 

This week for me though was the tipping point, though, not so much with the vote, but the response to it.  

Between the cries of hypocrisy (Tacoma News Tribune), to the suggestion of poaching the Bucks (seattlepi.com) and even questioning whether Seattle has been "too nice" in the process (Seattle Times), left me to question whether everyone had lost their minds.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still disappointed, but I also feel we look petty in having lost this round while perhaps losing sight that we still have a ways to go before this matter is resolved. 

Even worse is all the venom seen on message boards between both Sacramento fans or even among ourselves, not to mention the endless blame of David Stern for all of our troubles.

Fact is, it's not like anything is going to change suddenly the day after he retires next winter.  

Stern is and forever will be a hated man in Seattle, no matter how this deal turns out.  Deep down I'm almost certain he knows that and that nothing short of turning back the hands of time will change that. 

With that in mind, he did everything he could to make sure it didn't happen again, this time in Sacramento. 

"Ok, but did he do so in an honest and fair manner?"

Some day a judge and jury may get to decide that, but does it really matter for now?

Unfortunately, odds are only one of us will win, unless Hansen somehow manages to get an expansion team out of this mess either by suing or as a going away gift from Stern.

Regardless, everybody needs to hang tight, hopefully remain civil in the process and understand that Seattle and Sacramento are not at war with each other.  (I know I'm kidding myself here, but feel free to amuse me for just a minute or two.)  Having been on both sides of this debate now over the course of the past five years, I can safely say that we are merely pawns being played against each other in a game well beyond our control. 

Understanding that now has helped me accept that whatever the league decides, whether I like it or not.  For as much as I'd love to see the Sonics return to Seattle, I can appreciate the league's desire to maintain some form of continuity while hopefully keeping the fans' best interests in mind. 

It's a damn shame that it took them five years to figure that out and involved crushing our hopes and dreams, not once, but two times in the process. 

The Sacramento Kings will not be moving to Seattle (via ESPN), at least not anytime soon. On April 29, the Relocation Committee voted unanimously against the move. Something is amiss.

Honestly, this is a head-scratcher. The NBA, like any other league, is about making money. Period.

Why would the NBA keep a team in Sacramento? Is it really a better business decision to leave a team in a town where the ownership wants to sell, the city has not built a new arena and the fans have not filled the seats?

Hey, at least Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson is happy:

I've never been prouder of this city. I thank the ownership group, city leaders, but most of all the BEST FANS IN THE NBA!!!

— Kevin Johnson (@KJ_MayorJohnson) April 29, 2013

Before people start talking about the loyal fans, let’s look at the average attendance over the last five years:

2013: 13,749 (30th)

2012: 14,508 (27th)

2011: 13,890 (29th)

2010: 13,254 (29th)

2009: 12,571 (30th)

By the way, the arena seats over 17,000 people.

Supportive fan base? Not exactly. Once the Maloofs announced that the team was being sold and moved to Seattle, there was suddenly a flurry of activity.

A mystery counteroffer “that was said to be competitive” (via The Seattle Times) was put together. All of a sudden, the momentum shifted. If I didn’t know better, I would say that something was going on behind the scenes.

What is frustrating for Seattle fans is that something seemed awry with this whole process. Something smelled. Something was out of place.

Could it be...David Stern? Was he applying a bit of pressure in a quiet, but forceful way?

In a recent article, The Seattle Times noted:

NBA Commissioner David Stern had said his preference was to not relocate a team, and his support of Sacramento’s offer was likely a critical part of the team staying put.

Interesting. Did Mr. Stern feel that way when the Sonics were being taken away by Clay Bennett? Where was Mr. Stern when the city of Seattle was taking Mr. Bennett to court? Not on the side of the city or its fans, that is for sure.

This just feels personal. There is not necessarily any hard and public evidence to support that theory, but we are talking about people with egos. Agendas. The ability to hold grudges.

Somehow, some way, Mr. David Stern does not like Seattle. This is now the second time where the Seattle fans have been treated badly by the NBA.

David Stern is, shall we say, a confident man. He does not give the appearance of someone who is going to be bullied into doing anything. Therefore, he may be willing to sacrifice cash in order to win his particular fights.

Besides, he is leaving. Does he care whether Seattle ever gets a team again?

Of course, there is also the reality that Mr. Clay Bennett is the chairman of the Relocation Committee. Can you say, “conflict of interest?” This is a man who was caught lying to the city of Seattle (via The Seattle Times). If anything, Mr. Bennett should have probably recused himself from this particular issue.

This was not a business decision. The NBA would make more money by moving the team to Seattle, allowing Chris Hansen to build a new arena and taking advantage of the larger metropolitan area.

One thing is for sure. The NBA has set a precedent. If they are consistent, they can never let a team move ever again. The Relocation Committee should be permanently disbanded, and all owners should be told that each team is part of the civic framework in their respective cities.

No one may move.

The city of Sacramento and their fans should be congratulated. The Kings are staying...for now. Something tells me that there may be some issues ahead between the Maloofs, the city of Sacramento and the NBA.

For Seattle fans, there is some hope. As tweeted by Dave Softy Mahler of Sports Radio KJR:

Caller on KJR: "I'm crushed." Ditto friend. Time to get back to work. MOUgood for 5 years. Chris isnt going anywhere

— Dave Softy Mahler (@Softykjr) April 29, 2013

David Stern is still very much in control...allegedly.

Follow @tpheifer

Will the Seattle Supersonics be returning to the Emerald City? That is the $341 million question. Actually, the question keeps getting upped in price.

The tough part of this issue is David Stern. Fans in Seattle are obviously still a little bitter about how Stern allowed the team to get moved to Oklahoma City. Now, there is a general vibe that perhaps he is running interference. If the team stays in Sacramento, there will likely be an assumption that Stern poisoned the owners against the Pacific Northwest.

At this point, the Maloofs have publicly called (via ESPN) for the team to get sold to the Chris Hansen-Steve Ballmer group. The reality is that Stern may not care a great deal what the Maloofs think.

What is slightly baffling is why the NBA would want to keep the Kings in Sacramento. In terms of making money, Seattle is arguably a much more vibrant marketplace in terms of fan population and complimentary sports teams.

Something feels fishy to fans, particularly since Stern has been accused of being arrogant (via Bleacher Report) in the past. Now, does this mean that he would block the team moving to Seattle just because he can? One never knows what truly goes on behind the scenes.

Complicating this issue is the conflicting information. As noted by The Seattle Times, Stern is saying one thing, while the Maloofs are saying another. Whenever the phrase “Stern also disputed” is involved, you know that the rhetoric is flying fast and furious.

NBA Insider Sam Amick tweeted this:

With Stern saying net result to Maloofs is same, would love to know their motivation in fighting so hard for Seattle. Something missing.

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) April 19, 2013

Tony Bizjak of The Sacramento Bee tweeted this:

Maloofs in letter to NBA: "We see no reason to continue any dialogue with the Sacramento group."

— Tony Bizjak (@TonyBizjak) April 19, 2013

Finally, Dave “Softy” Mahler tweeted this:

Stern just made it obvious. Giving Sac time to win this. U don't see that now you're blind. As a bat.

— Dave Softy Mahler (@Softykjr) April 19, 2013

Something doesn’t add up. There are games afoot, and they may not benefit Seattle.

Follow @tpheifer

In three days time we should know, at least that's what we were told to expect.

Or perhaps not, according to Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn (via Seattlepi.com):

'(Stern) informed me then that he does not expect a decision out of the NBA Friday — that’ll be sometime after the meeting that we’ll get a decision made,' McGinn told reporters Tuesday at an impromptu news conference in front of KeyArena. 'So don’t expect something Friday; that’s what I heard. But they will tee-up the decision by the Board of Governors within a week or two after that.

Yet for as much as I would like to believe that the powers that be at the NBA will sort out and render a final verdict on the ownership of the Sacramento Kings some time in the next two weeks, I still have some doubts.  

On the other hand, when you think about it, the whole situation seems to be unfolding rather quickly when you consider that it was only back in January that Chris Hansen agreed to buy the Maloofs' 65 percent controlling interest in the Kings.

But even while Hansen continues to sweeten the pot with another $25 million, will it be enough?

Then again, is money even an issue anymore?

I suppose I'm just getting a little antsy while feeling like we've been here before. 

Who could forget waiting back in June 2008 for U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman to hand down a decision on whether the Sonics would stay or not in their fight over the lease at Key Arena?  Only to have the city sell out to Clay Bennett just hours before the verdict was to be announced.

I'm still more than a little bitter about the fact we never got to know the verdict, but this time, for better or worse, we should get an answer. 

Right now, it would seem to come down to two votes from all the owners, the first in which Hansen needs a three-fourths majority to approve the buy, followed by a majority to green light the move to paraphrase Nick Eaton at the seattlepi.com. 

But does today's delay change anything?

The more time that this decision takes, the more I'm inclined to believe that the NBA is giving the city of Sacramento the opportunity to work out a deal, as Tony Bizjak and Dale Kasler at the Sacramento Bee reported, "The news came minutes after the Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said his investment team is ready to submit a bid to buy the team that it believes can win favor with both the NBA and the Maloof family."

That seems like a strange coincidence, doesn't it?

Meanwhile, in Seattle we keep waiting for someone, somewhere to yell, "Pencils down!" but today is just another instance where commissioner David Stern refuses to do so.  

It's a bit of a helpless feeling right now twisting in the wind, but I can sympathize with how the folks in Sacramento are probably feeling in having been there five years earlier. 

In many ways, the situation reminds me of the old saying, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me," where Sacramento is dealing with this for the first time, while Seattle is dealing with it once again.   

I guess the question I will continue to ask myself in the coming days (and likely weeks) is: What happens if the shame does fall on Seattle this time?

Jerry Brewer at the Seattle Times believes, "If the NBA wants to return to Seattle, this isn't just the right time. It may be the only time," and goes as far as saying, "If Seattle does not get the Kings, then it needs the NBA to provide a clear path to another franchise, with a clear timetable."

However, I see that as wishful thinking. 

If this deal with this ownership group isn't good enough, then honestly, what more could Seattle do?

This group has dotted every "i" and crossed every "t" in getting this deal sorted. 

Would it help if they took down the Space Needle and replaced it with a statue of David Stern of the same height in it's place made entirely of 24 carat gold?

Joking aside, I'm just not convinced this game is ever going to end, and if it does, I get the feeling that it won't end well.

The meetings earlier this month should have set the stage for a decision at the end of this week, but instead we keep getting delays mixed with excuses.

While I fully understand this is no easy decision by any means, the time to make one needs to happen. 

Let's hope the powers that be choose wisely, because nobody likes to be made to look like a fool twice. 

It's not uncommon for fleeting players in the NBA to strike it rich quick, and then slide just as quickly into bankruptcy, which is just the path that former Seattle SuperSonics center Robert Swift took, and has recently come to light (via KOMO News).

Swift was drafted by the SuperSonics as a lottery pick back in 2004. He had no college experience, coming straight from high school as a big, goofy-looking center who had plenty of room to grow, just not a lot to offer a team right out of the gate.

Still, Seattle drafted him in hopes that his height would at least translate to some sort of production on the court, and it did, for a minute or two.

His second year in the league was one that showed the promise the Sonics were looking for, as he averaged six points and six rebounds in 20 minutes a game. Only that was that, nothing else came of his career.

Swift tore his right ACL in the following preseason after earning the starting center spot, and eventually limped his way out of the league.

He made it just four years in the NBA before his services in the league were no longer wanted, and he disappeared into relative obscurity, until recently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL5HfZgjMK8

After facing foreclosure last year, Swift refused to leave his house and was living there until recently when he up and left, facing legal action.

When Swift finally left, the new owners found the house filled with garbage, empty beer bottles and holes in the wall thanks to everything from fists to bullets.

While Swift hasn't been a part of the league for over three years now, it's still sad to see a former player end up like this.

Did you hear that?

Sounded to me like the grinding of gears on the Seattle SuperSonics' return to the NBA Thursday night, as Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson announced a plan for 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov and billionaire Ron Burkle to bid for the Kings. 

Sports Illustrated's Ben Golliver reported that Johnson, during his State of the City address:

Pledged to keep the Kings in Sacramento in the wake of a purchase and sale agreement between the Maloof family and an investment group led by Valiant Capital’s Chris Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer that has filed paperwork to relocate the franchise to Seattle.

“With all due respect to Seattle,” Johnson said. “Let me be perfectly, crystal clear: it is not going to be this team. Not our team. No way.”

In many ways we expected this day to come and kudos to Johnson for continuing his fight. 

But now what?

The Seattle Times Bob Condotta added that specifics on the actual offer are hard to come by at the moment:

Johnson did not offer details of Mastrov's offer other than to say "my understanding is that it will be a very strong and competitive bid."

The Seattle group paid $341 million to purchase 65 percent of the team and also put down a $30 million nonrefundable payment.

Thursday, no specifics were announced about the funding or the cost of an arena, though it is expected the city of Sacramento would contribute more than $200 million, which will still need approval from the Sacramento City Council.

By knowing what Hansen and Ballmer bid, doesn't this technically give Mastrov and Burkle a bit of an advantage?

Will the Mastrov and Burkle group be subjected to similar terms and conditions as Hansen and Ballmer?

If the Sacramento bid is higher, will Hansen and Ballmer be offered a chance to counter?

Will the Maloofs continue to accept non-refundable payments from bidders without actually selling the team?

Could Hansen and Ballmer, and by extension the city of Seattle, end up with egg on their face thanks to the NBA?

Will David Stern and the NBA allow all of this to happen while laughing all the way?

For today the answers to most, if not all, of these questions are hard to find.  What's funny is that Stern doesn't think the final decision will be based on money, yet seems keen on watching the drama unfold as the owners decide in a few weeks.  SI's Golliver explains:

“I don’t see any scenario in which both cities are happy here,” Stern said, ruling out the possibility of expansion to accommodate both cities’ desire to have a franchise.

The NBA’s Board of Governors will meet in New York City on April 18 and 19 to vote on the sale agreement between the Maloofs and the Seattle-group as well as the application for relocation. Johnson said he will be in attendance at the meetings to make his pitch.

“I’ve been assured by the commissioner of the NBA that we will be given full consideration,” Johnson said.

Stern said in Houston that it was “plausible” that a Kings over could win out over Seattle’s agreement but cautioned against this turning into a bidding war, saying that the owners would have a “very open mind” as they weighed the two offers.

“I don’t believe it’s going to come down to economics,” Stern said of the Board of Governors’ consideration of two possible offers. “I think the owners are going to have a tough issue to decide. … We don’t have the predicate for that tough decision yet. It’s going to wait upon Mayor Johnson making good on his statement that there will be an offer. And it’s going to be upon the Sacramento area, a number of the regional municipalities and the various people who have been saying they’ll give the mayor the support he needs.”

Does having a "very open mind" really mean having a "very open wallet?"

The whole ugly spectacle is basically an invitation for all of the owners to choose how they want to maximize and leverage their investment. 

Regardless of which city they choose, it opens the door for owners to hold their respective teams hostage as a means of getting whatever deal they wish.  Otherwise they can phone up the loser from the Sacramento/Seattle tussle and talk to them. 

It's wickedly fiendish, but brilliant from a business standpoint.  

"You don't want to help build a new arena?  Well, the folks in ..."  

What should be upsetting to us is that two cities, both filled with loyal fans, are going to be stuck on the sidelines having to watch this soap opera/game show play out while knowing the loser's future will be the punchline in the aforementioned quote.

How do you feel knowing that your heart will be used and leverage?

The "open mind" of Clay Bennett and the rest of his fellow owners possesses the power to rip your heart right out of your chest in a matter of weeks.

What happens if the unthinkable happens again?

How many more times can Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer, or someone like them, write the Maloofs a non-refundable check?

When Chris Hansen came out of the woodwork a little over a year ago I was skeptical to say the least, but to his credit he has slowly but surely made significant strides on all fronts in making the Sonics' return a reality.

Will he stay true to the course if this deal falls through?

Given that we've come so far during the past year I can't help but have a few doubts, perhaps a little guilt, and wonder, is it all worth it?

I also can't help but wonder, how many more times can one city have David Stern and his "open-minded" owners twist the knife in our backs?

Perhaps time heals all wounds, but when those wounds keep getting cut open they can either make you feel worse than before or become scars that change you forever. 

How you deal with them is up to you, but if this deal dies, so with it does my hope for Seattle ever getting the Sonics back. 

Longtime Supersonic Gary Payton retired in 2007, meaning he is eligible for election into the Naismith Hall of Fame this year.

Should he get in?  Probably.  Here are a number of reasons why.

Let's look at his hardware.

Payton has been selected to the NBA All-Star Game roster nine teams. Every player who has appeared that many times and is Hall of Fame-eligible is in the Hall of Fame. 

He has been selected to the All-NBA First Team twice and the All-NBA Second Team five times.  Only Paul Westphal and Max Zaslofsky have more All-NBA First Team selections and aren't in the Hall of Fame.  (Payton also has won a Defensive Player of the Year Award and been selected to a number of All-Defensive Teams, but those don't correlate to Hall of Fame consideration).

Though Payton never won an MVP and only finished in the top three once, he is 39th all-time in MVP Award shares.  Everybody with that many who has been retired long enough is in the Hall of Fame.

Now for his stats:

• He is 22nd all-time in win shares.  Everyone in the top 35 who is Hall of Fame-eligible has been enshrined.    
• He is one of eight players in the history of the NBA with 8,000 or more assists—four of those are in the Hall of Fame and two more are active.  He is fourth all-time in steals—seven of the top ten in steals (including the three ahead of him) have been inducted.  

• He is 28th all-time in points scored.  Every eligible player in the top 35 has been enshrined.  Payton is also one of only two players to be in the top 30 in points and the top 10 in assists—the other is Oscar Robertson, widely considered one of the 10 or 15 greatest players in the game (and yes, a Hall of Famer).

Looking at similarity scores, the five players who are closest in similarity score and have been retired five-plus seasons are Clyde Drexler, Reggie Miller, George Gervin, Jerry West, and John Stockton.  All five are Hall of Famers. 

Payton also won a championship with the Miami Heat late in his career, so that's another box checked off.  He also is arguably the greatest player in the history of the Supersonics.

Bottom line: Looking at the metrics, anybody who's done as much as Gary Payton in any one category is in.  Since Gary Payton did as much as Gary Payton in all categories, he's in.