Seattle mayor makes strong case for SuperSonics return ahead of NBA expansion vote: "Seattle is ready to welcome the Sonics home"
A new day is dawning in the NBA, as the league's board of governors is set to vote on whether to explore adding two more teams. The two locations discussed most are Seattle and Las Vegas. And if the NBA agrees to the much-anticipated expansion, the city appears ready to welcome the Seattle SuperSonics back.
Expanding the league from 30 to 32 squads is easier said than done. There are plenty of factors to consider, and a major one is how willing the potential sites are to bear the cost of hosting an NBA franchise. Seattle mayor Katie Wilson has left no doubt about the Emerald City's stance on the subject.
"Seattle is ready to welcome the Sonics home. We never stopped being a basketball city, and the fans have never given up. You see it in our parks, in our schools, in packed gyms in every neighborhood, and in our Seattle Storm championships. We built a world-class arena. We have a strong economy and a dedicated workforce. We are prepared, we are united, and we are ready for the next chapter of our Sonics," Wilson said in an official statement from her office.
Perfect timing for Seattle
It was back in 2008 when the Sonics had to relocate and rebrand to the Oklahoma City Thunder. For diehard basketball fans in Seattle, it might seem like a lifetime ago already.
The way NBA basketball was taken away from Seattle fans may also have left a bad taste in their mouths.
When the former ownership group led by Howard Schultz couldn't secure $220 million in public funding from the Washington state government to upgrade KeyArena in 2006, the franchise was sold to an investment group led by Oklahoma City-based businessman Clay Bennett. One of the conditions of the sale was a "good-faith effort" that Bennett would secure funding for a new arena for the Sonics in Seattle.
Following another failed negotiation with the local governments, the decision to move the team was made. Bennett's ownership group was then accused of buying the franchise with the intention of bringing it to Oklahoma City all along. After a couple of lawsuits that went for naught for Seattle, the Sonics effectively became the Thunder beginning in the 2008-09 season.
Fast forward to today, Seattle boasts of a "world-class arena," as the mayor put it. It also appears that various groups are willing to submit bids, which could exceed the Thunder's current valuation of $4 billion, to establish an NBA franchise in the city.
Based on how things are progressing, the SuperSonics' return can take place as early as the 2028-29 campaign — exactly 20 years after they left.
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Waiting on the expansion
Fans can only hope the expansion sails smoothly, though. As it stands, there does not appear to be a heavy pushback from the other owners, especially since they stand to benefit from it financially.
Given that Seattle and Las Vegas are hoops hotspots, the expansion fee could range from $7 to $10 billion, per Shams Charania. That fee will be divided among the current 30 owners, so it makes sense for them to agree to the introduction of two more teams as soon as possible.
It's worth noting that the vote results on Wednesday will not be binding. A more definitive resolution might come in July, instead, when the board of governors convenes again. Still, we cannot blame Seattle fans for looking forward to rooting for the Sonics again as early as now. After all, they have had to deal with nearly two decades of frustration.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
