• Home
• OKC Thunder Info
• OKC Thunder Schedule

Former Sonics get fresh start in Oklahoma City (AP)

After spending most of his NBA career in Seattle, Earl Watson thinks he's learned a lot about Oklahoma City in only two weeks in his new team's home. When he hasn't been playing pickup games with his Thunder teammates, he's had a chance to get out and explore -- even if that's not exactly what he had planned.

Westbrook Will Take Time

Westbrook Will Take Time

NBA Franchise Players: West Edition

Every team has one player who is the face of the franchise. Often this player also happens to be the best on his team, but not always. He is the player the coach talks to first about any issue, the player management may consult on possible roster moves, the one in the locker room after a game the local media congregates around because you have to get his sound bite, the player the fans think of first when talking about their team.

Mid-Day: Still No Trading Josh

It'll Be Tough to Trade Josh Howard: The Dallas Mavericks have been adamant all along they are not interested in trading forward Josh Howard. Still, ever since Howard's party issue in the playoffs this season and his revelation about recreational marijuana use, that hasn't stopped other teams from feeling out the Mavs.

Why the NBA Will Miss Seattle More Than Seattle Will Miss the NBA

They're gone, and they aren't coming back. Basketball fans in Seattle have realized that the SuperSonics are now history, and the Thunder are set to enter the league. Who knows if David Stern will grant Seattle another team, but one thing is for sure, Seattle doesn't need the NBA, but I think the NBA needs Seattle.

Since the departure of the oldest professional sports team in Seattle, sports in the Emerald City have stunk. The Mariners are on pace to be the first 100-loss team with over a $100 million pay-role.  The Seahawks are 0-2 and completely out of wide receivers, and the UW Huskies have gotten off to an 0-3 start, with a Jake Locker "unsportsmanlike conduct" penalty at the end of a potential victory against BYU that cost the Huskies the game.

However, one thing is for sure- the fans are still showing up to support their teams. Over the last three years, Sonics fans knew their team was leaving, but they still supported them, and regardless of the fact that Clay Bennett and Sam Presti purposely put a terrible team on the court, the fans still came out.

Seattle doesn't need this team. This is a city that has the NFL, MLB, WNBA, and coming next year, the MLS. Key Arena will miss out on 41 dates that were reserved for the Supes, but the Storm play there as well, not to mention all of the concerts that come through Seattle.

Oklahoma City deserves an NBA team, and season tickets have already sold out. Oklahoma City is the 42nd largest market in the NBA, while Seattle is 12th. Down the road, this could be a problem. The Vancouver Grizzlies moved to Memphis after six years in the league, and they're now threatening to move again.

The Charlotte Hornets began playing in 1985, and moved to New Orleans in 2001. Before the team's success last year, owner George Shinn was considering moving again. Charlotte's new franchise, the Bobcats ranked 24th in attendance in the league last year. Small market teams typically don't have the success or the attendance that larger cities have. After the first four seasons, I'd be surprised if Oklahoma can support a franchise that was supported in Seattle for forty.

Bennett never gave his "good faith best effort" to keep the team in Seattle. He's a liar, he's a villain, and he’s a carpetbagger. David Stern and him are buddies, and had no problem leaving one of the league's oldest franchises in the dust. But what happens down the road when the majority of the NBA fan-base from the Northwest doesn't exist? His betrayal of Seattle will affect Stern more than he thinks.

So now, Seattle joins the list of forgotten NBA cities. Vancouver, Buffalo, San Diego, Kansas City, St. Louis- they're all there. Years later, I'm sure these cities are still missing their teams, but they got over it, and so will Seattle.
No matter what Stern says or does, he can't take our championship banner, he can't take our retired jerseys, and he can't take our memories from the playoff runs of the 90's.

The city of Seattle will never forget the Sonics, but they don't need them. Someday, the Mariners and Huskies will be good again, the Seahawks might be able to rejuvenate their season, and the Sonics will be a great memory. The NBA will be missing out on a city that loved the NBA. In a couple of years, it wouldn't surprise me if David Stern realizes that he misses Seattle, and he might also realize that he needed their fan-base more than he thought.

Why The NBA Will Miss Seattle More Than Seattle Misses The NBA

They're gone, and they aren't coming back. Basketball fans in Seattle have realized that the SuperSonics are now history, and the Thunder are set to enter the league. Who knows if David Stern will grant Seattle another team, but one thing is for sure, Seattle doesn't need the NBA, but I think the NBA needs Seattle.

Since the departure of the oldest professional sports team in Seattle, sports in the Emerald City have stunk. The Mariners are on pace to be the first 100-loss team with over a $100 million pay-role.  The Seahawks are 0-2 and completely out of wide receivers, and the UW Huskies have gotten off to an 0-3 start, with a Jake Locker "unsportsmanlike conduct" penalty at the end of a potential victory against BYU that cost the Huskies the game.

However, one thing is for sure- the fans are still showing up to support their teams. Over the last three years, Sonics fans knew their team was leaving, but they still supported them, and regardless of the fact that Clay Bennett and Sam Presti purposely put a terrible team on the court, the fans still came out.

Seattle doesn't need this team. This is a city that has the NFL, MLB, WNBA, and coming next year, the MLS. Key Arena will miss out on 41 dates that were reserved for the Supes, but the Storm play there as well, not to mention all of the concerts that come through Seattle.

Oklahoma City deserves an NBA team, and season tickets have already sold out. Oklahoma City is the 42nd largest market in the NBA, while Seattle is 12th. Down the road, this could be a problem. The Vancouver Grizzlies moved to Memphis after six years in the league, and they're now threatening to move again.

The Charlotte Hornets began playing in 1985, and moved to New Orleans in 2001. Before the team's success last year, owner George Shinn was considering moving again. Charlotte's new franchise, the Bobcats ranked 24th in attendance in the league last year. Small market teams typically don't have the success or the attendance that larger cities have. After the first four seasons, I'd be surprised if Oklahoma can support a franchise that was supported in Seattle for forty.

Bennett never gave his "good faith best effort" to keep the team in Seattle. He's a liar, he's a villain, and he’s a carpetbagger. David Stern and him are buddies, and had no problem leaving one of the league's oldest franchises in the dust. But what happens down the road when the majority of the NBA fan-base from the Northwest doesn't exist? His betrayal of Seattle will affect Stern more than he thinks.

So now, Seattle joins the list of forgotten NBA cities. Vancouver, Buffalo, San Diego, Kansas City, St. Louis- they're all there. Years later, I'm sure these cities are still missing their teams, but they got over it, and so will Seattle.
No matter what Stern says or does, he can't take our championship banner, he can't take our retired jerseys, and he can't take our memories from the playoff runs of the 90's.

The city of Seattle will never forget the Sonics, but they don't need them. Someday, the Mariners and Huskies will be good again, the Seahawks might be able to rejuvenate their season, and the Sonics will be a great memory. The NBA will be missing out on a city that loved the NBA. In a couple of years, it wouldn't surprise me if David Stern realizes that he misses Seattle, and he might also realize that he needed their fan-base more than he thought.

Morning Report: Extending Granger

Extending Granger: Another day has gone by and the Indiana Pacers still have not rewarded Danny Granger with a contract extension. And apparently they have no plans to do so before the end of October. Granger is poised to become a restricted free agent next July. This is the same Danny Granger who led the Pacers in scoring last season (19.6 points per game). The same Danny Granger who wants to stay in Indiana. The same Danny Granger who has now become the face of the organization with the summer departure of Jermaine O'Neal to Toronto. With the Pacers obviously rebuilding – both on the court and in character – wouldn't locking-up Granger now be the right thing to do? The answer is "yes." It would not only send the right message to Granger, but also the community of Indianapolis. Reports out of Indiana are the Pacers and Granger's representation have been in minor talks, but Larry Bird is no rush to make a major financial move. Clearly there is no obligation by the Pacers to immediately extend Granger and both sides want to make sure just not any deal gets done. It has to be the right deal. But all signs point to extending Granger now as the "right deal." It can't hurt.

Mid-Day: Suitor for Livingston?

Livingston in Portland? The Portland Trail Blazers are reportedly thinking about signing free agent point guard Shaun Livingston after a workout Friday in Tucson, Arizona. Livingston has not played in a year and a half after a devastating left knee injury.

Oden and Durant: Year 2

Last year at this time Greg Oden and Kevin Durant entered the NBA unaware what would come of their first season in the league.

Next Page »