Rumor: Kings moving to Seattle, will become Sonics

[HooverDam]

http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2013/01/maloofs-close-to-selling-kings-to-seattle-group.html

Nothing finalized yet, but it sounds like the wheels are in motion for the Maloofs to finally unload the Kings, and for the Sonics to return to the NBA.

I have mixed feelings on this. Seattle obviously should have a NBA team, but its sad to see them get one back at the expense of Sacramento. But if I had to choose between Sacramento and Seattle having a team, I'd pick the later. Its a better market and the team has more tradition, Sacramento has just been a doormat except for the short Vlade/Webber/Bibby years.

It'll be interesting to see what they do with the divisions if this happens. Obviously Seattle would make the most sense in the NW, with Portland, but you'd have to slide a bunch of teams around. I imagine they'll likely just stay in the Pacific, which is fine, the Suns used to play the Blazers & Sonics all the time in the old Pacific division.

 

[Superbone]

If they have to move, I'm glad it's not somewhere stupid like LA or Vegas. Plus, I'd be happy for the Sonics fans to get a team back.

 

[slinslin]

I like the idea of a team in Vegas. They should put expansion teams in Vancouver and Vegas and move Minnesota to the Eastern Conference.

Divisional realignment is overdue anyway.

Portland, Seattle, LAL, LAC, GSW should be in one division

Or they should do away with divisions completely.

 

[HooverDam]

I like the idea of a team in Vegas. They should put expansion teams in Vancouver and Vegas and move Minnesota to the Eastern Conference.

Memphis would make more sense if youre going to knock someone into the East.

I imagine Kansas City and Virginia Beach would be more likely expansion Cities than Vegas or Vancouver (though the latter do have more sizzle/excitement). KC already has a gorgeous new arena and Virginia Beach is trying to get one.

Though I do think the idea of the NBA in Virginia Beach seems odd, the NBA does do well in smaller markets. Plus it could mean the return of the Squires

 

[BC867]

How ironic it will be when Sacramento, whose mayor is KJ, loses its NBA team.

Franchise, Jr., as the Chuckster used to call him, comes up short again.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Well, this just sucks. I think Phoenix should get an NBA team before Seattle.

Steve

 

[BC867]

Well, this just sucks. I think Phoenix should get an NBA team before Seattle.

Steve

LOL

 

[Errntknght]

Now that was funny, Steve

 

[JS22]

Man, sucks to be a Sonics fan! I mean, I guess it's good that they're getting a team back. But seriously, going from the talent that the Thunder have to the Kings? Ugh.

 

[Griffin]

Wish teams weren't allowed to change their franchise names. I would much prefer the Oklahoma City Sonics and the Seattle Kings. Makes it easier to track the history of a franchise.

 

[Phrazbit]

Wish teams weren't allowed to change their franchise names. I would much prefer the Oklahoma City Sonics and the Seattle Kings. Makes it easier to track the history of a franchise.

Disagree strongly. I think when teams cruely abandon their home they should leave all the history behind. What do OKC fans care if the franchise won a title 34 years ago in a different city?

And the trump card in this debate:

"New Orleans Jazz" vs "New Orleans Pelicans"

No contest.

 

[HooverDam]

Disagree strongly. I think when teams cruely abandon their home they should leave all the history behind. What do OKC fans care if the franchise won a title 34 years ago in a different city?

And the trump card in this debate:

"New Orleans Jazz" vs "New Orleans Pelicans"

No contest.

Agreed 100%. With the internet its not really hard to "track the history of a franchise", just type their name into Wikipedia.

Sports is one of the last strong bastions of Civic pride we have in this country. My feeling is when a pro sports team leaves a City, they leave the name, colors and record books behind them and start a new.

No one in Oklahoma City cares about Gary Peyton and Shawn Kemp just like no one in Arizona cares about Dick Night Train Lane.

Franchise, Jr., as the Chuckster used to call him, comes up short again.

That seems a little harsh. A lot of HoF and All Star level players came up short against Jordan when he reached his zenith.

 

[Chaplin]

Man, sucks to be a Sonics fan! I mean, I guess it's good that they're getting a team back. But seriously, going from the talent that the Thunder have to the Kings? Ugh.

To be fair, Seattle wasn't all that much better than the Kings when they left.

 

[JS22]

To be fair, Seattle wasn't all that much better than the Kings when they left.

Sure, but they at least had Durant to build around.

 

[Chaplin]

Sure, but they at least had Durant to build around.

Other than his attitude problems, Cousins isn't that far off. The big question for them is if he will get better and better as Durant did, or will his attitude problem hinder his development.

 

[Mainstreet]

When I think of the Seattle SuperSonics I think of their history and one time Championship. Also I think of players such as Gary Payton, Jack Sikma and Dennis Johnson. Seattle needs to keep their history and name deservedly. They were in Seattle from 1967 until 2008. Oklahoma deserves no part of their past. I just feel bad there has to be sacrificial lamb for Seattle to get a franchise again.

 

[JS22]

When I think of the Seattle SuperSonics I think of their history and one time Championship. Also I think of players such as Gary Payton, Jack Sikma and Dennis Johnson. Seattle needs to keep their history and name deservedly. They were in Seattle from 1967 until 2008. Oklahoma deserves no part of their past. I just feel bad there has to be sacrificial lamb for Seattle to get a franchise again.

Don't forget Detlef Schrempf, and, of course Shawn Kemp.

 

[Errntknght]

The other Johnson, John Johnson (I think)... Downtown Freddie Brown

 

[Griffin]

My feeling is when a pro sports team leaves a City, they leave the name, colors and record books behind them and start a new.

Except that they don't in reality. The records follow them along with current players so imo they might as well keep the name too. I'd prefer teams not be allowed to move at all, but when they do, they ought to either keep everything (as a continuing franchise) or keep nothing (and start as new franchise, including new roster).

No one in Oklahoma City cares about Gary Peyton and Shawn Kemp

Maybe not anyone in OKC, but I am sure OKC has fans from outside of Oklahoma and Seattle who followed the team before and after the move. To them it is the same franchise.

I guess how one feels about this really depends on whether they are a fan of a franchise because it plays in a certain city (most likely where they live) or not. If the Suns were to move and rename, would you stop following them? I wouldn't, but then I don't live in Arizona. But then if years later another team moved to Phoenix and was renamed "Suns", well I wouldn't know who to root for anymore

 

[Phrazbit]

Except that they don't in reality. The records follow them along with current players so imo they might as well keep the name too. I'd prefer teams not be allowed to move at all, but when they do, they ought to either keep everything (as a continuing franchise) or keep nothing (and start as new franchise, including new roster).
Maybe not anyone in OKC, but I am sure OKC has fans from outside of Oklahoma and Seattle who followed the team before and after the move. To them it is the same franchise.

I guess how one feels about this really depends on whether they are a fan of a franchise because it plays in a certain city (most likely where they live) or not. If the Suns were to move and rename, would you stop following them? I wouldn't, but then I don't live in Arizona. But then if years later another team moved to Phoenix and was renamed "Suns", well I wouldn't know who to root for anymore

If some other city hijacked the Suns then whatever they became would be dead to me. And no one in the new city would give a squirt about players like KJ, Hawkins, Marjerle. Teams should leave their past behind. Period.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

If the Suns were to move and rename, would you stop following them? I wouldn't, but then I don't live in Arizona. But then if years later another team moved to Phoenix and was renamed "Suns", well I wouldn't know who to root for anymore

I think i've seen pretty much every team i've followed either move or be rumored to move.

If the seahawks moved I would not follow the new team.

I refuse to identify that there is even a team in that wasteland north of Texas and overall interest in the NBA has greatly vanished.

However, if the Marlins ended up moving instead of not getting a new park - I probably would have followed along. Mainly in part because it would have been 3 different ownership groups over a period of close to 15 years that failed to secure their future.

I don't and haven't lived in any of those cities - so it comes to something like this .... if the kings move to Seattle and the Sonics are reborn - will I care? .... I really don't know - they aren't my Sonics ... i'm sure there will be some comfort, nostalgia, etc .... but that's not my franchise .... only semi-saving grace would be that growing up I would see their championship banner hanging in Rochester and knew of the Royals and their travels

 

[BC867]

It is interesting that in baseball, when teams move they retain their identity and we don't think twice about it. It is still the same franchise in a different city.

Boston Braves/Milwaukee Braves/Atlanta Braves
Brooklyn Dodgers/Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Giants/San Francisco Giants
Philadelphia A's/Oakland A's

Perhaps because, in most cases, the names are more generic and fit elsewhere just as easily. The Dodgers were originally called the Trolley Dodgers. Well, L.A. had just as many trolleys as Brooklyn once upon a time.

It is more of an issue in the NBA, where teams tend to be named for something in their original locale.

The Phoenix Suns in the Valley of the Sun
The Philadelphia 76'ers where the Liberty Bell from 1776 resides
And, most of all, the New Orleans Jazz, home of jazz.

Utah Jazz makes absolutely no sense. They should have been given a new identity to fit their new environment. The Utah Salt?

Then there's the Lakers, named after Minnesota, the land of 10.000 lakes. Of course, since their move it could mean the L.A.'kers.

 

[hcsilla]

The other Johnson, John Johnson (I think).

Wasn't it Ervin (Tragic) Johnson?

Sam Perkins was also a quite unique player from that Sonics team. Hersey Hawkins was their sharpshooter.

 

[Errntknght]

Wasn't it Ervin (Tragic) Johnson?

Sam Perkins was also a quite unique player from that Sonics team. Hersey Hawkins was their sharpshooter.

I know there was an Ervin (Unmagic) Johnson in the league and he may have played for the Sonics some time later but thats not the guy. John Johnson was a starting forward on the Sonics title team. About 6'7-8, very solidly built and strong. A rarity, a dirt worker small forward, good defender and rebounder and an adequeate scorer (very unlike Ervin). Lonnie Shelton was the power forward and Sikma the center. Paul Silas was a member of that team and Lenny Wilkins coached it - his second stint.

I'm pretty sure Freddie Brown was the sharp shooter on the title team (a rather streaky sharp shooter) - I don't think Hershey Hawkins was with them yet. Actually Brown was a sixth man, Dennis Johnson and Gus Williams were the starting guards. The Lakers beat them in the Conf finals the next year then they traded DJ to us and Gus Williams went someplace - they went into eclipse until the Payton-Kemp years.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I know there was an Ervin (Unmagic) Johnson in the league and he may have played for the Sonics some time later but thats not the guy. John Johnson was a starting forward on the Sonics title team. About 6'7-8, very solidly built and strong. A rarity, a dirt worker small forward, good defender and rebounder and an adequeate scorer (very unlike Ervin). Lonnie Shelton was the power forward and Sikma the center. Paul Silas was a member of that team and Lenny Wilkins coached it - his second stint.

I'm pretty sure Freddie Brown was the sharp shooter on the title team (a rather streaky sharp shooter) - I don't think Hershey Hawkins was with them yet. Actually Brown was a sixth man, Dennis Johnson and Gus Williams were the starting guards. The Lakers beat them in the Conf finals the next year then they traded DJ to us and Gus Williams went someplace - they went into eclipse until the Payton-Kemp years.

If you're talking about the year the Sonics beat the Bullets in the championship, I remember that squad well. A longtime friend (and ASU classmate) was a diehard Sonics fan and we watched the playoffs together. A difficult playoffs to watch too as they knocked us out and I've always felt it was one of our best chances to win it all. Anyway, John Johnson was definitely on that team along with a couple of ex-Suns, Paul Silas and Dennis Awtrey. I think Wally Walker was also there but I only remember him because my friend pretty much blamed him for every bad thing that ever happened to the Sonics.

Steve