OKC Sonics: It's a fair deal

The city of Seattle has an unexpectedly good settlement with the Sonics.

The financially rewarding terms appear fair to city taxpayers. We hope city leaders can translate their effective court action into a viable plan for restoring NBA basketball here.

The settlement certainly provides at least the beginning on that road. The Sonics' payments for getting out of their KeyArena lease could be significantly reduced if the city receives a new team quickly. Politicians are pushed forward by a reduction in the payout if the Legislature fails to act on a basketball arena package. That's potentially a hole, of course. It's time for Olympia to recognize that Seattle's interest and the state's interest are identical. Even the NBA has agreed that a renovation of KeyArena would be acceptable.

Sonics fans will be disappointed at the team's departure for Oklahoma City and the lack of assurance for getting another NBA team. Fair enough. But the settlement vindicates Mayor Greg Nickels' decision to reject an earlier Sonics' offer of $26.5 million to flee. City Council agreement will be a formality.

City Council President Richard Conlin praised the agreement and suggested there is a good chance of winning back a franchise. We hope so, but the odds will become clearer over time.

The city has an immediate chance to show its seriousness about rebuilding an NBA future by showing it can work well with the only assured professional basketball presence, the WNBA Seattle Storm. With $45 million in hand, the city has the means to start over on basketball and KeyArena's future.