Sonics’ move approved; arena lease key

NEW YORK (AP) — NBA owners approved the Seattle SuperSonics’ move to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season Friday, pending the resolution of litigation between the team and the city of Seattle.

The Sonics could begin playing in owner Clay Bennett’s hometown as early as next season if they can get out of the remaining two years of their lease at Key Arena.

Owners voted 28-2 in favor of the move, with Dallas and Portland voting against. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has previously expressed concerns about the market size, and commissioner David Stern said the Trail Blazers, owned by Paul Allen, didn’t say why they voted the way they did.

Stern said although owners understand the move from a larger market to a much smaller one, they “focused on the likelihood of success in Oklahoma City.”

Seattle has filed suit trying to force the Sonics to remain in the city until the lease expires in 2010, while Bennett wants to buy out the remainder.

The city already has rejected Bennett’s $26 million to settle the lease dispute.

A trial is set to begin in federal court June 16.

The city’s hope is to keep the Sonics in town for what would appear to be two lame duck seasons, to buy time for a group led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to find an arena solution and eventually purchase the team from Bennett to keep them in town.

Ballmer’s group already has proposed paying for half of a $300 million expansion of KeyArena, with the other half coming from the city and from county tax revenues.