WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statements after the NBA's Board of Governor's voted to allow Clay Bennett to move the 41-year old Seattle Sonics franchise to Oklahoma City. On Wednesday, Cantwell and Murray sent a letter to NBA Commissioner David Stern urging him to allow good faith efforts aimed at keeping the Sonics in Seattle to move forward before holding a vote to relocate the franchise.

 

"For decades the Sonics have been part of the Seattle community and its culture," said Senator Cantwell. "As an avid sports fan, I'm dismayed to see the NBA rewarding such unsportsmanlike conduct. The Sonics ownership misrepresented their true intentions to the community and yet the NBA gives them a bonus for this bad-faith effort."

"I'm disappointed that NBA leadership has ignored calls for good-faith efforts to keep the Sonics in Seattle and rewarded the bad-faith behavior of Clay Bennett and his ownership group,” said Senator Murray. “Violating the public's trust with empty promises is unacceptable, and the NBA's decision today sets a poor precedent.”

 

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