Owners willing to leave Sonics name in Seattle

Sonics chairman Clay Bennett said he's willing to leave the team's name, logo, colors and history in Seattle to settle a dispute with the city, allowing him to relocate the NBA team to Oklahoma City, according to the Seattle Times.

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During a breakfast meeting for team sponsors last week in Southern California, Bennett told several sponsors that he wants to negotiate a settlement in which the city retains nearly everything associated with the Sonics except the players and coaches, the newspaper reported.

Sonics spokesman Dan Mahoney confirmed Bennett's statement on Monday.

"That's an accurate assessment," Mahoney told the Seattle Times. Mahoney said the ownership group told the city last month it was willing to leave behind the Sonics name, logo and history.

The NBA commissioner David Stern and representatives from the league's relocation committee are in Oklahoma City Tuesday. The group will tour the Ford Center and hear presentations from local business and government leaders. The Sonics relocation application must be approved by the NBA Board of Governors and will be considered at the April 17-18 meetings in New York.

In its $26.5 million settlement offer, which was rejected and panned by city officials, the ownership group sent a letter to city attorney Tom Carr that read: "We understand the city's desire to reserve the Sonics name for a future franchise and will support the city's effort with the NBA on this issue."