What's really annoying about all this is that I heard from two people very closely connected to Tom Ward and Bill Cameron last spring, on two separate occasions and from two people who don't even know each other, that they were fine with keeping the Sonics in Seattle. Tom Ward said he was planning on flying up to games, and both he and Bill Cameron apparently said they thought having a team in Seattle would be good for business, as they could make new contacts. I was told the Tom Ward info right before the legislature adjourned and the Bill Cameron info was given to me in late spring or early summer. So, I know that regardless of what they hoped, they were prepared to stay in Seattle.

To my way of thinking, Schultz is behaving no more ethically than he is accusing Bennett et al of doing. He had already had discussions with several cities about moving the Sonics. He knew, when he allowed the one year time frame to be put in the side letter that the owners clearly were thinking about moving the team unless the got a new arena and a good lease. It should have been no concern of his if they sold the team if they got a new arena in Seattle, because his purported concern was keeping the team there. Of course, if he'd already had discussions with other cities, I would assume that implies either intent to or interest in moving the team. He's said nothing during this entire process. If he actually thought Bennett presented his arena plan to the legislature too late, or if he thought the cost of the arena was too high, why wasn't he calling Bennett telling him so. Why wasn't he calling Stern complaining? Why wasn't he giving interviews in the Seattle newspapers? He's had the extra $150 million from Bennett for almost two years now, and if he can manage to get the team back, he'll get to sell it again for at least that much. He has nothing to lose, but it's not ethical behavior. He knows Bennett would have kept the team in Seattle if an arena had been built, because he would have to have done so by NBA rules.