Trailblazers leave ROOT Sports

[Donn Beach]

Looks like it could be coming to a decision, if the league expands it be interesting them passing on the seattle market with a new arena built to their specifications

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday night the league will consider this fall whether to enter a process of expanding beyond the current 30 teams.

“I think we will engage this fall, in earnest, in the process of making those determinations,” Silver told reporters at a news conference in Las Vegas in which he confirmed a new 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal had been ratified by the league’s board of governors. “Should we expand? And if we were to expand, how many teams should we expand? And which markets should we be looking at?”

Silver had previously said the league would consider expansion once it completed its media rights negotiations. Reports said the deal was tentatively reached last week and approved overwhelmingly Tuesday by the NBA’s board.

Seattle is widely considered among the front-runners to land an expansion franchise, with Las Vegas also expected to be awarded a team. International bids are expected as well from Mexico City, Montreal and Vancouver.

[D-train]

"Should we expand?"

Haven't even decided whether or not to expand yet yesterday I was guaranteed the Sonics will return shortly.

[D-train]

Imagine Sonics return fans if they put a team in Vancouver instead. lol

[Donn Beach]

Yeah, in my mind the fix is in, but maybe im just cynical lol

That revamping of the facility was undertaken by the Los Angeles-based Oak View Group (OVG), co-founded by Tim Leiweke — who has a longstanding relationship with the NBA and with Silver specifically. Leiweke has served in key executive roles with the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves and oversaw construction of what was then known as Staples Center and the surrounding LA Live entertainment district during the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O’Neill championship runs by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Leiweke in his prior role as president and CEO of the Anschutz Entertainment Group also personally worked alongside then-deputy commissioner Silver on joint NBA-AEG arena ventures overseas. The pair have known each other for more than 30 years.

OVG and the Kraken are also partnered in a $150 million Memorial Stadium upgrade and Leiweke’s younger brother, Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke, is said to be heavily involved in the creation of an umbrella company that would encompass that project, an NBA expansion bid and any resulting Sonics franchise. The team is still working out who will serve as the umbrella franchise’s CEO and is expected to announce more details later this summer

[D-train]

I don't know, I think Stern was an evil vindictive creature and the WA state legislature pissed him off. Wouldn't be surprised if his last words on his deathbed were to Silver making him promise to never give Seattle a team. lol