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Oklahoma City officials have told the former owners of the Seattle SuperSonics that the team must relocate to Oklahoma City by contract "regardless of who owns the team."

Starbucks chief executive officer Howard Schultz and other former owners sued in April to have the 2006 sale of the team overturned. They asked a federal judge to have the team sold "to an honest buyer who desires to keep the Sonics in Seattle."

In a nine-page letter sent Thursday, an assistant municipal counselor for Oklahoma City wrote "there is an expectation by City leadership and citizens that the owners of the Team, whomever they may be, will honor all of the Team's contractual obligations with the City — including the contractual obligation to relocate to Oklahoma City and to play home games at the Ford Center for the duration of the term of the lease."

Oklahoma City's attorney, Assistant Municipal Counselor Wiley L. Williams, wrote the city is prepared to sue if the team doesn't relocate.

The Oklahoma-based owners of the Sonics want to play in Oklahoma City, starting next season. They face two hurdles, the former owners' lawsuit and a separate lawsuit filed by the city of Seattle.

Seattle is suing to force the team to play two more seasons at Seattle's KeyArena. A trial on Seattle's lawsuit is set to start June 16 in Seattle.