Sonics Owners’ Not-So-Secret Plan Revealed
It has never been much of a secret that Clay Bennett and the rest of the Sonics’ ownership group never truly intended to stay in Seattle when they took over the club. Even when Bennett said he would do everything to stick around the Emerald City, nary a soul believed him.
Which is why the following should surprise absolutely no one
Lawyers for the city of Seattle have revealed damning emails between Bennett and his partners proving that these guys were dying to leave Seattle.
“Is there any way to move here [Oklahoma City] for next season or are we doomed to have another lame duck season in Seattle?” Ward wrote.
Bennett replied: “I am a man possessed! Will do everything we can. Thanks for hanging with me boys, the game is getting started!”
Ward: “That’s the spirit!! I am willing to help any way I can to watch ball here [in Oklahoma City] next year.”
McClendon: “Me too, thanks Clay!”
It’s like a scene from a bad political thriller.
Though the e-mails themselves reveal nothing that we all haven’t suspected from day one, they remain pretty entertaining. These Oklahoma guys sure like their Caps lock and exclamation points.
23 Responses to “Sonics Owners’ Not-So-Secret Plan Revealed”
Apr.10 at 12:02 pm
horsey says:
no way….wish i was more surprised. durant should have shot more in an attempt to get them into the playoffs. maybe in three years…
Apr.10 at 12:44 pm
RiseKing says:
Not a surprise. Yesterday a guy on Seattle’s sports radio station (KJR) said that this is the 1st season in his 18 years on the air that not one Sonic player or coach has been on his show. The PR department informed the radio station that “it’s not in their best interest” to go on the air to promote the team. Pretty symbolic of ownership group’s overall effort to numb the Seattle fanbase into submission.
Apr.10 at 12:52 pm
Ken H. says:
not sure what the city of seattle is fighting for? i understand they want to keep the team there, but even if bennett honors the lease, stays there for the rest of the time, the fact is he wants an NBA team in OK city and he OWNS the team. Unless he wants to trade for the grizzlies, I think seattle needs to accept the inevitable instead of sifting thru Clay Bennett’s emails…
Apr.10 at 1:09 pm
TMT says:
Maybe they need to lose the team… Payton and Kemp must be rolling in there almost graves.
Apr.10 at 1:25 pm
Danny says:
Well, we all knew this in ‘06. Seattle’s star boy Howard Schultz knew their intentions. This is old stuff so nobody should be surprised.
Apr.10 at 1:31 pm
SFan says:
I would really like to see someone approach the Sonics situation from the position that Bennett’s original Purchase & Sale Agreement is INVALID. It contained a clause stipulating that he would make a “good faith effort” to keep the team in Seattle and he has CLEARLY not done so. His every move since Day 1 has been designed and aimed at moving the team to Oklahoma City.
Apr.10 at 1:31 pm
eric says:
OK Sonic Boom??
really? is their mascot gonna be Guile?
Apr.10 at 2:04 pm
hoodoo says:
What’s the big deal? Who ever thought they wanted to keep the team in Seattle? But “wanted” and “have to” are two different things. If Seattle had wanted to keep the Sonics, all they had to do was build an arena. If they didn’t want to build an arena, they could have asked David Stern if a significant remodel would suffice. Bennett would have been forced to stay no matter what he “wanted”. He was upfront about that from the day he bought the team.
Apr.10 at 2:52 pm
underdog says:
Shiiieeeet!
Apr.10 at 3:08 pm
Mos says:
It may not be surprising, but it’s still depressing. It’s just concrete proof of Bennett’s devious, Stern-ass-kissing ways. What a bastard. I’m actually going to the game on Sunday … possibly the Sonics’ last game in Seattle. I’ll be chanting ‘Save Our Sonics.’
Apr.10 at 3:23 pm
riggs says:
can someone help me understand something?, the sonic name and history are going to stay in seattle right? the only things actually moving are the players,coaches etc.?
Apr.10 at 5:48 pm
Stikz says:
This sucks and Stern is a jackass for letting, actually encouraging, this crap to happen.
Apr.10 at 5:59 pm
Bro. D. says:
Sonic Boom? Damn, i was hoping for the OK City Hadoukens
Apr.10 at 9:26 pm
Mark Z says:
Ridiculous. Stern is ok with this?!
Hopefully the internet Billionaires hanging out in the Northwest can buy this team back. Moving a team, because the city refuses to build a new arena (they did a 90 million dollar renovation in 1995) is ridiculous.
Apr.10 at 10:15 pm
DJ Leon Smith says:
hoodoo so you approve of owners demanding a half a billy for a new arena (when they’re moving into a $100mil arena in OKC), getting offered $200mil worth of renovations, and still moving the team? What’s to stop any owner demanding a ridiculously expensive arena, paid for entirely by taxpayers, then moving the team to their hometown to look like a hero? Bennett has even admitted he expects the team to make less money in OKC, he just wants to move the team there because it’s his hometown.
Apr.11 at 1:04 am
Boochoac says:
I am so done with the NBA. If they move my team I will not latch on to another team. I don’t want us to steal another city’s team and I will not for damn sure become a Blazer fan. If the NBA lets my team move after all these lies to the Hell with them. They won’t get a second look from me and I won’t bring my kids up on there product either. They are going to loose 2 generations from my house and mine is not the only one.
Apr.11 at 9:21 am
hursty says:
what a triple P by the sonics. di(ks. btw, 3xP is p!ss poor performance.
Apr.11 at 12:34 pm
albie1kenobi says:
was D stern on that email trail?
Apr.11 at 10:52 pm
The Promise says:
Dstern is a pathetic little weasle
Apr.13 at 9:33 pm
Holy Baller says:
DJ Leon Smith, u piss me off. First of all I’m pretty sure your number are off as far as how much they were asking for and how much the Ford Center is worth, especially since the Ford Center is over twice the size of the current Sonics arena. Second of all I want to know where u got the info. from about Bennett saying he didn’t expect to make as much money.
Apr.14 at 12:27 am
okie says:
hey your guys dint want em we will take em with open arms, heck i wish we still had the hornets, which i personally would rather have
Apr.14 at 4:42 am
DJ Leon Smith says:
Holy Baller, tell ‘em why u mad doggie (get off my d**k no homo Killa Cam in the building etc). Everything I’ve said is correct, google it yourself to check. The only number I was incorrect about was the amount offered to renovate Key Arena - it was $300mil, not $200mil.
Apr.15 at 11:42 pm
SLAM ONLINE | » See You in Court, Clay Bennett says:
[…] David Stern, curiously enough, sees nothing wrong with the fact that Clay Bennett lied to everyone about his true intentions when he purchased the Seattle Sonics. Thankfully, not everyone feels the same way. […]