Bank shot? No good
Financing Sonics' move would tarnish city's image

And if need be, Shinn said, he would ask Oklahoma City — elected officials, business leaders, presumably anyone who lives or works in OKC, you, me — to pay his way free.

Shinn eventually changed his mind. Decided the right thing to do was go back to the Big Easy and give it the old pro try.

But Shinn's plan was resurrected last weekend with a different owner and a different franchise, according to the Tacoma News-Tribune, which reported that SuperSonics chairman Clay Bennett told employees Oklahoma City is willing to pay the freight, quite literally, to bring the NBA franchise here.

A spruced-up Ford Center, followed soon by a new arena. But also, the anonymous source reported, relocation fees, which figure to be around $30 million. And legal fees for negotiating out of the KeyArena lease. And moving costs for the franchise and its employees.

Fix up the Ford Center? Fine. Build a glittering new arena next door? Grand.

But jump in the car with what everyone in Seattle believes is the Barrow Gang and bankroll the removal of the Sonics from their 40-year home? Bad idea.

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