--The Sonics' future in Seattle remains uncertain. NBA owners voted overwhelmingly approving the team's application to move to Oklahoma City on April 18 in New York. However, the city of Seattle has filed a lawsuit against the Sonics over a specific performance clause in the team's lease with KeyArena that states the team must play all games in the Seattle arena until the lease expires in September 2010.

The Sonics made a $26.5 million offer to buy out the lease in February, but the city rejected the offer, saying it was too low. The trial between the city and the Sonics will be held in federal court in Seattle June 16.

If the city of Seattle wins the suit, the Sonics would have to stay in Seattle until 2010.

Former Sonics owner Howard Schultz also has filed a lawsuit against Sonics chairman Clay Bennett and his Oklahoma City-based ownership group, claiming the ownership group breached a "good faith, best effort" clause in the sales agreement between the two parties that Bennett's group would try to get an arena deal done in Seattle for 12 months after the sale.

Schultz's suit claims recently released e-mails suggest Bennett's group never intended to keep the team in Seattle. A court date has yet to be scheduled for the Schultz lawsuit.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"We've been saying all year our guys have done a good job dealing with the situation, and for the most part -- not 82 times -- but the majority of times, have come and given us a good effort. ... I think they've hung in, in a very difficult year." -- Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo, about the resilience of his team this season.

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