Suns Owner Threatens Seattle or Vegas Move

Could it be? The NBA returning to Seattle? Don't get your hopes up, but the Phoenix Suns' Owners has reportedly threatened to move the team to Seattle or Las Vegas if funding in Arizona is not secured.

As Roberts writes from the above article, "Phoenix Mayor Thelda Williams and Councilwomen Laura Pastor and Debra Stark have asked for a postponement of this afternoon's City Council vote on whether to spend $150 million upgrading the Suns arena. This, because the deal will go down in defeat if it's put to a vote."

A vote has been scheduled today, December 12, for 2:30pm and the expectation is that the spending will be denied, meaning an uncertain future for the Phoenix Suns.

Owner Robert Sarver is reportedly threatening council members that he will take the team to Seattle or Las Vegas as a reaction to the vote in Phoenix. So once again, Seattle is being used as a leverage city by another NBA franchise. Most basketball fans here remember the Kings situation from earlier this decade.

While Las Vegas is a real threat with new T-Mobile Arena, where the NHL's Knights play, Seattle has no good option for an NBA team, at least until 2020 when Key Arena is finished being rebuilt.

UW's Alaska Airlines Arena, where the Huskies play? A 10,000 seat college arena not suited for the NBA?

ShoWare Center in Kent? A 6,500 seat building primarily used for the WHL Thunderbirds?

The Tacoma Dome, where the Sonics once played?

There's no great option for pro basketball in Seattle until the Fall of 2020, so Sarver doesn't appear to have much leverage with a threat of a Seattle move. But crazier things have happened in this world.


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