'Today is the most tangible sign' the SuperSonics will return to Seattle

If sports fans are superstitious, then they've probably noticed that a week after Howard Schultz moved out of Seattle, the city got the first serious indication that the SuperSonics could return.

"Today is the most tangible sign that NBA basketball, not only could be returning to Seattle, but that there is a timeline expected for the return," said Danny O'Neil with The Dang Apostrophe sports newsletter.

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The NBA's board of governors is meeting March 24-25 in New York. On the agenda is a vote to allow an expansion of two new teams — one for Seattle and another in Las Vegas. Ever since the SuperSonics left Seattle in 2008 (moved to Oklahoma City and rebranded as the Thunder), there has often been hearsay and plenty of speculation of a return, but nothing concrete. A Seattle mayor even teased the city about a potential return (the joke was not well received).

O'Neil notes that a vote on an NBA expansion has been expected for years, but hasn't happened for various reasons. But with actual business in front of the NBA's leadership this month, it is the first official indication that Seattle could get the Sonics back.

According to ESPN, there is now momentum for an expansion. The upcoming vote is just a first step, but if ultimately approved, a new Seattle team would begin playing in the 2028-29 season. The cost of a new NBA team could range from $7 to $10 billion. It is unknown who would step up to pay that sum, but O'Neil speculates that an investment group linked to the development of Climate Change Arena would be most likely.

"If, later this month, this is brought to a vote in front of the NBA board of governors, and they have 23 of the 30 owners who vote in favor of expansion, you will see a headline that says, 'Seattle is going to be offered an expansion franchise,' 'NBA OKs expansion'," O'Neil said. "The next step is to set the price tag ... somebody is going to get the privilege to offer a whole ton of loot in order to be awarded this expansion franchise."

When the Sonics were sold to Oklahoma, part of the deal was that if Seattle ever got an NBA team again, it could again use the name SuperSonics. O'Neil is more curious about whether there will be a return of the Squatch, however.

"This is a return of the Sonics," O'Neil said. "Once a franchises changes its nickname, it loses its continuity, in my opinion ... we're just going to have a 20 year gap."

"Most people don't know that NBA mascots actually have contracts with the franchise, and at the time the Sonics left in 2008, we had a tremendous mascot named Squatch. Squatch relocated with the franchise. To the best of my understanding the Squatch pelt was taken by that under-contract mascot and was relocated ... I would like to see a return of Squatch."