Seattle Supersonics still benched as NBA ownership look to profits

By: J.A. Aleman

The sale of the Boston Celtics, one of the NBA’s historic franchises on March 20 for $6.1 Billion, makes more room to talk about a possible expansion to bring back the Seattle Supersonics (Sonics). That is this year’s golden nugget for hopeful basketball fans of the old franchise. 

Here’s the rub though, league owners have to see the profit they can make for themselves. The love of competition and history is not what drives sports teams to appear in a city. 

There are forums dedicated to speaking out for an NBA team to return to Seattle and honestly, it’s all just talk. There is no real steam behind it and ultimately the fans must leave it up to whoever has the money to build a franchise. 

Before being sold and moved to Oklahoma in 2008, the Sonics drafted a generational talent in Kevin Durant back in 2007 who now plays for the Phoenix Suns. Durant has since won 2 championships, league MVP, 4 gold medals, 14 All-Star selections and many more awards. He is a guaranteed first ballot hall of famer, so moving the team was a massive blow to NBA fans in Seattle. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are playing their best season with guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way and who will more than likely win MVP this season, leaving this journalist and fan to sigh big time because to fans like me, the Thunder are the Sonics. 

“These are the greatest fans in the world to me,” said Gary Payton, former Sonics guard on April 1 during the Mariners vs Tigers game where he threw out the ceremonial first pitch. “They want them back and we want to get it for them.” 

Payton and forward Shawn Kemp led the 95-96 Supersonics to a 64-18 season winning record and a trip to the NBA finals where they were defeated by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls 4-2. 

Payton added, “It’s coming you guys, its coming believe me. I’m going to be back here and be a big part of it.” 

What these comments could mean is anyone’s guess as Seattle has had no men’s basketball for 17 years. But according to an article by Sporting News, the Thunder would relinquish all the Supersonics history such as the 1979 championship and retired jerseys, if the team were to return and that’s a fun thought. 

However, there has been some light for basketball fans in general in the PNW with WNBA’s Seattle Storm winning championships in 2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020. All while having legendary players such as Breanna Stewart, and recently retired Sue Bird. 

The Celtics being sold gives NBA owners and potential new team owners a gauge to see how much a new team would cost. The Phoenix Suns were sold for $4 billion in 2022 which was a record at the time and with the newest record of $6.1 billion paid by Bill Chisholm and his group, the potential cost of a new team could land somewhere in the middle. 

 None of this, however, is a guarantee that either the Supersonics or a new NBA team will come to Seattle. 

“There are events that are clearly outside of my control,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at a press conference on March 27. “Trying to assess value in a way that’s both fair even to a potential owner and fair to the existing owners.” 

Silver went on to say there is no timeline for expansion, though the NBA is not being forthcoming publicly doesn’t mean they aren’t looking into the matter for Seattle. Again, being a fan is not what makes owners decide what to do. It’s how much money they can make that drives decisions. It’s an ugly truth but the truth, nonetheless. 

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harell during the 2025 State of the City Address held up a basketball and said he had an announcement to make and then said just kidding to resounding boos by those in attendance. He apologized for his actions later with KOMO News saying that it was just a joke. 

 “I’m openly trying to keep the buzz of the Sonics real,” Herell said. 

Whether basketball fans in Seattle love the WNBA or NBA better is a discussion on its own, but basketball is here and it’s here with a franchise that has won multiple championships, to add to the Supersonics one in 1979. I’d say we’re in good shape. 

Still, there is a whole generation of fans that grew older and a whole generation that is growing up without the Supersonics and that in itself is a shame.