He was fired during the 2011-12 season. During the 2007 season, as the Sonics struggled on the court, their ownership struggled (whether their hearts were in it or not – we’ve all seen the emails, they weren’t interested in Seattle) to secure public funding for a new stadium. "It's just the fact that I played there and I get so much love there," Durant said. The Kings agreed to the deal in principle, so long as the league approved the sale. “Big Smooth” or “Sleepy Sam” served as the Vice President of Player Relations for the Indiana Pacers from 2008 to 2010. His last NBA team was the Sixers in 2012. After leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009, he played for the Pacers, Jazz and Blazers before retiring in 2014. Head coach George Karl, who led the team to Space Needle heights in the 1990’s, was out the door thanks to a disagreement with the front office on the direction of the team. Allen definitely had game, as he led the team back to the playoffs in 2005, beating the Kings in the first round and losing to the eventual champion Spurs in the second round. He also played for the Timberwolves, Hawks and Pistons after leaving OKC in '09. 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In 1996, the Sonics were one of the best teams in the league, returning to the Finals for the first time since 1978, losing in 6 games to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. With this agreement in place and the team still on a lease to play in Key Arena through the 2010 season, a move would not only be unlikely, but financially unrealistic. In other words, it meant that Clayface was about to pull one sickening joke over on the Seattle faithful. Select Options. As the league and the new local investors worked together, the Kings stayed in Sacramento and have a new stadium that opened in 2016, that is located on David J Stern Walk. Alternatively use it as a simple call to action with a link to a product or a page. He’s appeared on a radio show with CSN in Oregon, and his LinkedIn profile lists him as a regional rep for the NBPA. He departed the Canadian outfit in 2011. Still going strong at the age of 37, Wilkins is now plying his trade in the Development League with Greensboro Swarm. Because who wants to own a team in that place (Modern Family is cool though). We all know Gary Payton is in the Hall of Fame, but what about players like Hersey Hawkins, Shawn Kemp and Sam Perkins? Currently, there are not any NBA teams considering relocating, and the league has no plans to expand. Add to Cart. "More than any city in the league probably. Has bounced around the league throughout his whole career. If you have any information on this case, write to us at Unsolved Mysteries… You need not give your name. “Like David Wingate, who never played for me in Seattle. Seattle SuperSonics Green and Red Space Needle Snapback Hat. After leaders in Seattle brought on a lawsuit and a failed attempt by a new group of investors to purchase the team back, on August 29th, new team owner Clay Bennett held a press conference to introduce his new team to the world, in a new city, with new fans. The city passed a new measure that would make securing funding for stadiums very unlikely, and with pressure from the league to build a stadium that met current standards and capacity (Key Arena was the smallest venue in the league), Bennett and his extremely wealthy partners decided not to fund their own stadium, and instead began working on a newer, and darker plan. Wingate enjoyed a 14-year career in the NBA, with his stint with the Sonics coming towards the tail-end of his playing days. He’s currently the head of player development for the Portland Trail Blazers. L.A Lakers star LeBron James buys his daughter an insane playhouse for her birthday. There’s not much news of what Kemp’s doing these days. Askew’s four-year stint with the Sonics was also his longest with any team before or afterwards. Returns, Exchanges, and Shipping Insurance. Shutterstock. The Sonics played their final home game on April 13th, 2008, a win over the Dallas Mavericks. Their group intended to purchase the Sacramento Kings and relocate them to Seattle. Except, there were not any years to come, because that was the last time Seattle did anything in the NBA. His LinkedIn profile says he’s entertaining “new ventures or job opportunities” in basketball. Petro is currently with Miami Heat's affiliate Sioux Falls Skyforce. $70.00. He joined the team in 2016 having started his coaching career in 2008 as part of the Bucks staff. Site made by Jefte Sanchez. Select Options. Their stellar lineup of Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Sam Perkins, and aging vets Nate McMillian and Detlef Schrempf appeared ready to take a title in the next 2-3 years, and everything was perfect in Seattle. He seems to keep a pretty private life these days. Ford was a first-round pick of the Sonics, but couldn’t find much playing time on a team full of great guards like Nate McMillan, David Wingate and of course Glove. He did play sparingly in the Finals, however. All Rights Reserved. And just like that, the Sonics, after being in the league for 41 years, disappeared without a trace, with many wondering if they will ever see them again. Scheffler was kind of a victory cigar in Seattle, mostly only gathering playing time late in games during blowouts. They had two owners from 1967-2001, and in one stretch of 8 years under bad ownership, everything fell apart. It's been nine years since the team moved to Oklahoma City, and we look at what happened to the last Seattle SuperSonics team to play in the NBA. Any opportunity that comes around where I could become [part of] an ownership group or a front office or anywhere I could just help the team as of right now in my life I would go for it, but who knows what will happen at the end of my career?" He then played in the Development League and on the international stage before retiring in 2014.