NBA

• NBA owners approve Sonics move to Oklahoma City

  
  

  New York, NY (Sports Network) - The NBA's board of governors overwhelmingly voted to approve the move of the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season, despite the controversy surrounding the move that includes two lawsuits against the current ownership group.

  The endorsement is subject to the resolution of any pending litigation, however.

  "The support for the NBA demonstrated by the fans, government leaders and business community of Oklahoma City over the last three years has been extraordinary," said NBA commissioner David Stern. "The Board of Governors is confident that level of local support will result in success for the Sonics franchise in Oklahoma."

  The City of Seattle has already filed suit trying to force the Sonics to remain until their current lease expires in 2010, while team owner Clay Bennett wants to buy out the remainder of the lease and move to his hometown of Oklahoma City as quickly as possible.

  Meanwhile, former Sonics owner Howard Schultz announced plans to sue the current ownership to get the team back, on the basis that the new owners violated the sale contract by not making a good-faith effort to keep the Sonics in Seattle.

  E-mails between Bennett and his co-owners were released showing that, two weeks after the sale from Schultz, they were discussing moving to Oklahoma City as soon as possible.

  04/18 16:26:46 ET