Washington governor meets NBA commissioner over Sonics return

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson is set to meet with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday.

The meeting will be held virtually.

Ferguson confirmed the meeting Wednesday during a press conference at the state Capitol in Olympia.

It follows two earlier meetings between the governor and Silver this year.

The first meeting took place on February 5.

Ferguson requested that virtual introduction himself.

They met again in March as the NBA moved closer to formally exploring expansion.

Seattle has been without an NBA franchise since 2008.

That year the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder.

The Sonics won the NBA championship in 1979.

Ferguson said his role in the process is to maintain communication with the commissioner.

“My role in this is to maintain communication with the commissioner,” Ferguson said Wednesday.

“My suspicion is, we reached out to make sure that I’m doing what I can to be helpful in that process, to bring a team back to Seattle.”

The governor’s office initiated this latest meeting.

Ferguson said he still remains optimistic about Seattle’s chances.

“I think what I would say is I still remain optimistic,” Ferguson said.

“I read all the same news that you do about what is going on with Las Vegas and Seattle.”

He acknowledged he does not have a crystal ball on the outcome.

“I don’t pretend to have a crystal ball on that and those conversations going on with NBA owners,” Ferguson said.

The governor pointed to Seattle’s deep basketball history.

“What I do know is Seattle has a deep history here with Sonic basketball,” Ferguson said.

“I lived it as a kid, living close to the old Coliseum.”

He said NBA fans and players across the country understand the league needs to return to Seattle.

“Look, I think fans and NBA players across the country understand that NBA basketball needs to return to Seattle,” Ferguson said.

He argued Seattle’s bid is strong on every measure.

“Our bid is strong, we have the right arena,” Ferguson said.

“I mean, we check each and every box that the NBA could possibly hope to have for someone bidding for a new team.”

The bid from One Roof Sports and Entertainment has been viewed as the only viable bid for Seattle from the outset.

In Las Vegas, a bidding war has developed between three groups.

A decision on the winning group in Las Vegas is expected soon.

The NBA has said it still intends to make a final decision on expansion before the end of the calendar year.

In March, the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to explore expansion into Seattle and Las Vegas.

The league also hired an investment bank to evaluate both markets.

The evaluation includes their arenas and potential ownership groups.

Any expansion would still require approval from the league’s current owners.

Silver has acknowledged that the NBA could decide against expansion entirely.

The expected price tag for the potential franchises has started to climb significantly.

Ferguson first used his State of the State address in January to call for the SuperSonics’ return.

That address came a month before his first meeting with Silver.

Fans responding to news of the latest meeting were largely pessimistic.

“Well that seals it… Sonics ain’t comin’ back,” one fan wrote.

Another fan added, “It’s over.”

“Oh, we’re doomed,” a third fan commented.

One observer was particularly critical of Washington state.

“We all know there is zero chance of the Sonics coming back to this mess of a state,” that person wrote.

Other reactions focused on what Ferguson could accomplish during the meeting.

“Don’t screw this up, please,” a fan remarked.

Another made a direct appeal to the governor, telling him to “bring it home.”

Ferguson previously had conversations with Silver in February during Super Bowl week.

They met again in March to show his support for bringing the NBA back to Seattle.

Those meetings happened before the NBA said it was focused solely on Las Vegas and Seattle as expansion possibilities.

They also happened before the expected price tag for the potential franchises started to make significant climbs.

Ferguson was asked about the meeting at the conclusion of his postelection media availability on Wednesday.

The meeting was first reported by KOMO News senior reporter Chris Daniels.

Ferguson said his role is to be helpful in the process.

“I think what I would say is I still remain optimistic,” Ferguson repeated.

Seattle’s NBA future remains uncertain as the league continues to explore expansion.