Seattle SuperSonics - wikipedia Seattle SuperSonics Seattle SuperSonics Conference Western Division Western ( 1967 -- 1970 ) Pacific ( 1970 -- 2004 ) Northwest ( 2004 -- 2008 ) Founded 1967 History Seattle SuperSonics 1967 -- 2008 Oklahoma City Thunder 2008 -- present Arena Seattle Center Coliseum / KeyArena at Seattle Center ( 1967 -- 1978, 1985 -- 1994, 1995 -- 2008 ) Kingdome ( 1978 -- 1985 ) Tacoma Dome ( 1994 -- 1995 ) Location Seattle, Washington Team colors Green, gold, white Team manager Full list Head coach Full list Ownership Sam Schulman ( 1967 -- 1983 ) Barry Ackerley ( 1983 -- 2001 ) Basketball Club of Seattle ( Howard Schultz, Chairman ) ( 2001 -- 2006 ) Professional Basketball Club LLC ( Clay Bennett, Chairman ) ( 2006 -- 2008 ) Championships 1 ( 1979 ) Conference titles 3 ( 1978, 1979, 1996 ) Division titles 6 ( 1979, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005 ) The Seattle SuperSonics, commonly known as the Sonics, were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington. The SuperSonics played in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member club of the league 's Western Conference Pacific and Northwest divisions from 1967 until 2008. After the 2007 -- 08 season ended, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and now plays as the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sam Schulman owned the team from its 1967 inception until 1983. It was then owned by Barry Ackerley ( 1983 -- 2001 ), and then Basketball Club of Seattle, headed by Starbucks chairman, president and CEO Howard Schultz ( 2001 -- 2006 ). On July 18, 2006, the Basketball Club of Seattle sold the SuperSonics and its Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) sister franchise Seattle Storm to the Professional Basketball Club LLC, headed by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett. The sale was approved by the NBA Board of Governors on October 24, 2006, and finalized on October 31, 2006, at which point the new ownership group took control. After failing to find public funding to construct a new arena in the Seattle area, the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City before the 2008 -- 09 season, following a $45 million settlement with the city of Seattle to pay off the team 's existing lease at KeyArena at Seattle Center in advance of its 2010 expiration. Home games were played at KeyArena, originally known as Seattle Center Coliseum, for 33 of the franchise 's 41 seasons in Seattle. In 1978, the team moved to the Kingdome, which was shared with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) and the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League ( NFL ). They returned to the Coliseum full - time in 1985, moving temporarily to the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, for the 1994 -- 95 season while the Coliseum was renovated and rebranded as KeyArena. The SuperSonics won the NBA championship in 1979. Overall, the franchise won three Western Conference titles : 1978, 1979, and 1996. The franchise also won six divisional titles, the most recent being in 2005, with five in the Pacific Division and one in the Northwest Division. Settlement terms of a lawsuit between the city of Seattle and Clay Bennett 's ownership group stipulated the SuperSonics ' banners, trophies, and retired jerseys remain in Seattle ; the nickname, logo, and color scheme are available to any subsequent NBA team. The SuperSonics ' franchise history, however, would be shared with the Thunder. Contents 1 Franchise history 1.1 Team creation 1.2 1968 -- 1975 : The Lenny Wilkens era 1.2. 1 Arrival of Spencer Haywood 1.3 1975 -- 1983 : The championship years 1.4 1983 -- 1989 : A period of decline 1.5 1989 -- 1998 : The Payton / Kemp era 1.6 1998 -- 2008 : A decade of struggles 1.6. 1 2007 -- 08 : Arrival of Kevin Durant 1.7 Relocation to Oklahoma City 1.8 Possible new franchise 1.8. 1 Sacramento Kings 1.8. 2 Milwaukee Bucks 1.8. 3 Atlanta Hawks 1.8. 4 Future arena talks 2 Season - by - season records 3 Home arenas 4 Uniforms 5 Rivalries 6 Players 6.1 Retired numbers 6.2 Basketball Hall of Famers 6.3 FIBA Hall of Famers 7 Coaches 8 General managers 9 High points 9.1 Individual leaders 9.2 Franchise leaders 9.3 Individual awards 10 See also 11 References 12 External links Franchise history This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. ( April 2016 ) Team creation Tom Meschery and Bob Rule during the SuperSonics expansion season. On December 20, 1966, Los Angeles businessmen Sam Schulman and Eugene V. Klein and a group of minority partners were awarded an NBA franchise for the city of Seattle. Schulman would serve as the active partner and head of team operations. He named the SuperSonics after Boeing 's recently awarded contract for the SST project, which was later canceled. The SuperSonics were Seattle 's first major league sports franchise. Beginning play in October 1967, the SuperSonics were coached by Al Bianchi and featured All - Star guard Walt Hazzard and NBA All - Rookie Team members Bob Rule and Al Tucker. The expansion team stumbled out of the gates with a 144 -- 116 loss in their first game, and finished the season with a 23 -- 59 record. 1968 -- 1975 : the Lenny Wilkens era Lenny Wilkens with the SuperSonics. Hazzard was traded to the Atlanta Hawks before the start of the next season for Lenny Wilkens. Wilkens brought a strong all - around game to the SuperSonics, averaging 22.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game for Seattle in the 1968 -- 69 season. Rule, meanwhile, improved on his rookie statistics with 24.0 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game. The SuperSonics, however, only won 30 games and Bianchi was replaced by Wilkens as player / coach during the offseason. Wilkens and Rule both represented Seattle in the 1970 NBA All - Star Game, and Wilkens led the NBA in assists during the 1969 -- 70 season. In June 1970 the NBA owners voted 13 -- 4 to work toward a merger with the ABA ; SuperSonics owner Sam Schulman, a member of the ABA -- NBA merger committee in 1970, was so ardently eager to merge the leagues that he publicly announced that if the NBA did not accept the merger agreement worked out with the ABA, he would move the SuperSonics from the NBA to the ABA. Schulman also threatened to move his soon - to - be ABA team to Los Angeles to compete directly with the Lakers. The Oscar Robertson suit delayed the merger, and the SuperSonics remained in Seattle. Early in the 1970 -- 71 season, however, Rule tore his Achilles ' tendon and was lost for the rest of the year. Arrival of Spencer Haywood Wilkens was named the 1971 All - Star Game MVP, but the big news of the season came when owner Sam Schulman managed to land American Basketball Association Rookie of the Year and MVP Spencer Haywood following a lengthy court battle ( see Haywood v. National Basketball Assn. ). The following season, the SuperSonics went on to record their first winning season at 47 -- 35. The team, led by player - coach Wilkens and First Team forward Haywood, held a 46 -- 27 mark on March 3, but late season injuries to starters Haywood, Dick Snyder, and Don Smith contributed to the team losing eight of its final nine games ; otherwise, the 1971 -- 72 team might very well have become the franchise 's first playoff team. For the 1972 -- 73 season, Wilkens was dealt to Cleveland in a highly unpopular trade, and without his leadership the SuperSonics fell to a 26 -- 56 record. One of the few bright spots of the season was Haywood 's second consecutive All - NBA First Team selection, as he averaged a SuperSonics record 29.2 points per game and collected 12.9 rebounds per game. 1975 -- 1983 : the championship years Jack Sikma in 1978. The legendary Bill Russell was hired as the head coach in the following year, and in 1975 he coached the SuperSonics to the playoffs for the first time. The team, which starred Haywood, guards Fred Brown and Slick Watts, and rookie center Tommy Burleson, defeated the Detroit Pistons in a three - game mini-series before falling to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in six games. The next season, the SuperSonics traded Haywood to New York forcing the remaining players to pick up the offensive slack. Guard Fred Brown, now in his fifth season, was selected to the 1976 NBA All - Star Game and finished fifth in the league in scoring average and free throw percentage. Burleson 's game continued to strengthen, while Watts led the NBA in both assists and steals and was named to the All - NBA Defensive First Team. The SuperSonics again made the playoffs, but lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games in spite of strong performances from both Brown ( 28.5 ppg ) and Burleson ( 20.8 ppg ) during the series. Russell left the SuperSonics after the 1976 -- 77 season, and under new coach Bob Hopkins the team started the season dismally at 5 -- 17. Lenny Wilkens was brought back to replace Hopkins, and the team 's fortunes immediately turned around. The SuperSonics won 11 of their first 12 games under Wilkens, finished the season at 47 -- 35, won the Western Conference title, and led the Washington Bullets three games to two before losing in seven games in the 1978 NBA Finals. Other than the loss of center Marvin Webster to New York, the SuperSonics roster stayed largely intact during the off - season, and in the 1978 -- 79 season they went on to win their first division title. In the playoffs, the SuperSonics defeated the Phoenix Suns in a tough seven game conference final series to set up a rematch with the Washington Bullets in the finals. This time, the Bullets lost to the SuperSonics in five games to give Seattle its first, and only, NBA title. The championship team roster included the powerful backcourt tandem of Gus Williams and Finals MVP Dennis Johnson, second year All - Star center Jack Sikma, forwards John Johnson and Lonnie Shelton, and key reserves Fred Brown and Paul Silas. The 1979 -- 80 season saw the SuperSonics finish second in the Pacific Division to the Los Angeles Lakers with a strong 56 -- 26 record. Fred Brown won the NBA 's first three - point shooting percentage title, Jack Sikma played in the second of his seven career All - Star Games for Seattle, Gus Williams and Dennis Johnson were both named to the All - NBA Second Team, and Johnson was also named to the All - NBA First Defensive Team for the second consecutive year. The SuperSonics made it to the Western Conference Finals for the third straight season, but lost to the Lakers in five games. It was the last time that the backcourt of Williams and Johnson would play together in SuperSonics uniforms, as Johnson was traded to the Phoenix Suns before the start of the 1980 -- 81 season and Williams sat out the year due to a contract dispute. As a result, the SuperSonics fell to last place in the Pacific Division with a 34 -- 48 mark, so far the only time they have ever finished in last place. Williams returned for the 1981 -- 82 season, and Seattle managed respectable 52 -- 30 and 48 -- 34 records during the next two years. In 1981, the Sonics also created the Sonics SuperChannel, the first sports subscription cable service. 1983 -- 1989 : a period of decline Over most of the franchise 's history, Seattle played its home games at Key Arena. In October 1983, original team owner Sam Schulman sold the SuperSonics to Barry Ackerley, initiating a period of decline and mediocrity for the franchise. 1984 saw Fred Brown retire after playing 13 productive seasons, all with Seattle. His career reflected much of the SuperSonics ' history to that time, having been on the same team roster as Rule and Wilkens during his rookie season, playing a key role on Seattle 's first playoff teams, and being the team 's important sixth man during the championship series years. In recognition of his many contributions to the team, Brown 's number was retired in 1986. Lenny Wilkens left the organization following the 1984 -- 85 season, and when Jack Sikma was traded after the 1985 -- 86 season, the last remaining tie to the SuperSonics ' championship team ( aside from trainer Frank Furtado ) had been severed. Among the few SuperSonics highlights of second half of the 1980s were Tom Chambers ' All - Star Game MVP award in 1987, Seattle 's surprise appearance in the 1987 Western Conference Finals, and the performance of the power trio of Chambers, Xavier McDaniel, and Dale Ellis. In 1987 -- 88, the three players each averaged over 20 points per game with Ellis at 25.8 ppg, McDaniel at 21.4, and Chambers at 20.4. In the 1988 -- 89 season, with Chambers having signed with Phoenix, Ellis improved his scoring average to 27.5 points per game and finished second in the league in three - point percentage. The SuperSonics finished with a 47 -- 35 record, and made it to the second round of the 1989 playoffs. 1989 -- 1998 : the Payton / Kemp era George Karl served as Seattle 's head coach for six seasons ( 1992 -- 1998 ). The SuperSonics began setting a new foundation with the drafting of forward Shawn Kemp in 1989 and guard Gary Payton in 1990, and the trading of Dale Ellis and Xavier McDaniel to other teams during the 1990 -- 91 season. It was George Karl 's arrival as head coach in 1992, however, that marked a return to regular season and playoff competitiveness for the SuperSonics. With the continued improvement of Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, the SuperSonics posted a 55 -- 27 record in the 1992 -- 93 season and took the Phoenix Suns to seven games in the Western Conference Finals. The next year, 1993 -- 94, the SuperSonics had the best record in the NBA at 63 -- 19, but suffered a first round loss to the Denver Nuggets, becoming the first # 1 seed to lose a playoff series to an 8th seed. The Sonics moved to the Tacoma Dome for the 1994 -- 95 season while the Coliseum underwent renovations and went on to earn a second place 57 - 25 record. Again, the Sonics were eliminated in the first round, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. The team returned to the rebuilt Coliseum, renamed KeyArena for the 1995 -- 96 season. Perhaps the strongest roster the SuperSonics ever had was the 1995 -- 96 team, which had a franchise best 64 -- 18 record. With a deep roster of All - NBA Second Team selections Kemp and Payton, forward Detlef Schrempf, forward Sam Perkins, guard Hersey Hawkins, and guard Nate McMillan, the team reached the NBA Finals, but lost to the Michael Jordan - led Chicago Bulls in six games. Seattle continued to be a Western Conference powerhouse during the next two seasons, winning 57 games in 1996 -- 97 and 61 games in 1997 -- 98 for their second and third straight Pacific Division titles. At the end of the 1997 -- 98 season long - time Sonic and defensive specialist Nate McMillan retired, and disagreements with management led Karl to end his tenure as head coach despite him winning the 1997 - 98 Coach of the Year. He was replaced by former Sonic Paul Westphal for the 1998 -- 99 season. 1998 -- 2008 : a decade of struggles Vin Baker was an NBA All - Star with the SuperSonics during the 1997 -- 98 season. The 1998 -- 99 season saw the SuperSonics again descend into an extended period of mediocrity. Westphal was fired during the 2000 -- 01 season and replaced by then - assistant coach Nate McMillan on an interim basis, eventually losing the `` interim '' label the next year. The 2002 -- 03 season saw All - Star Gary Payton traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, and it also marked the end to the SuperSonics 11 - year streak of having a season with a winning percentage of at least. 500, the second longest current streak in the NBA at the time. The 2004 -- 05 team surprised many when it won the organization 's sixth division title under the leadership of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, winning 52 games and defeating the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs and advancing to the 2005 Western Conference Semifinals where the Sonics would proceed to lose in 6 games to the established trio of Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginóbili and the San Antonio Spurs, who would later go on to defeat the Detroit Pistons in the 2005 NBA Finals. This appearance also marked the last time that this incarnation of the SuperSonics would make the playoffs. During the off - season in 2005, head coach Nate McMillan left the Sonics to accept a high - paying position to coach the Portland Trail Blazers. After his departure, the team regressed the following season with a 35 -- 47 record. 2007 -- 08 : arrival of Kevin Durant On May 22, 2007, the SuperSonics were awarded the 2nd pick in the 2007 NBA draft, equaling the highest draft position the team has ever held. They selected Kevin Durant from the University of Texas. On June 28, 2007, the SuperSonics traded Ray Allen and the 35th pick of the 2nd round ( Glen Davis ) in the 2007 NBA draft to the Boston Celtics for rights to the 5th pick Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West. On July 11, 2007, the SuperSonics and the Orlando Magic agreed to a sign and trade for Rashard Lewis. The SuperSonics received a future second - round draft pick and a $9.5 million trade exception from the Magic. On July 20 the SuperSonics used the trade exception and a second - round draft pick to acquire Kurt Thomas and two first - round draft picks from the Phoenix Suns. In 2008, morale was low at the beginning of the SuperSonics season as talks with the City of Seattle for a new arena had broken down. The Sonics had gotten a franchise player with second overall pick in the NBA draft with Durant. However, with the Allen trade the Sonics did not have much talent to surround their rookie forward, as they lost their first eight games under coach P.J. Carlesimo on the way to a 3 - 14 record in the first month of the season. Durant would live up to expectations, as he led all rookies in scoring at 20.3 ppg and won the Rookie of the Year. However, the Seattle SuperSonics posted a franchise worst record of 20 - 62. It would end up being the final season in Seattle as Bennett ended up getting the rights to move the team after settling all the legal issues with the city. Relocation to Oklahoma City Main article : Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City Further information : Oklahoma City Thunder From 2001 to 2006, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was the majority owner of the team, along with 58 partners or minor owners, as part of the Basketball Club of Seattle LLP. On July 18, 2006, Schultz sold the SuperSonics and its sister team, the Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) 's Seattle Storm, to the Professional Basketball Club LLC ( PBC ), a group of businessmen from Oklahoma City for $350 million. The team relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, and now plays as the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kevin Durant, who was drafted by the SuperSonics in 2007. In 2006, after unsuccessful efforts to persuade Washington state government officials to provide funding to update KeyArena, the Basketball Club of Seattle LLP, led by Howard Schultz, sold the team to the Professional Basketball Club LLC ( PBC ), an investment group headed by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett. The purchase, at US $350 million, also included the Seattle Storm WNBA franchise. Schultz sold the franchise to Bennett 's group because they thought that Bennett would not move the franchise to Oklahoma City but instead keep it in Seattle. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett was quoted as saying, `` I think it 's presumptuous to assume that Clay Bennett and his ownership group wo n't own that Seattle team for a long, long time in Seattle or somewhere else. It 's presumptuous to assume they 're going to move that franchise to Oklahoma City '', Cornett said. `` I understand that people are going to say that seems to be a likely scenario, but that 's just speculation. '' After failing to persuade local governments to fund a $500 million arena complex in the Seattle suburb of Renton, Bennett 's group notified the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) that it intended to move the team to Oklahoma City and requested arbitration with the city of Seattle to be released from the Sonics ' lease with KeyArena. When the request was rejected by a judge, Seattle sued Bennett 's group to enforce the lease that required the team to play in KeyArena through 2010. NBA owners gave approval of a potential SuperSonics ' relocation to Oklahoma City on April 18 in a 28 -- 2 vote by the league 's Board of Governors ; only Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks and Paul Allen of the Portland Trail Blazers voted against the move. The approval meant the Sonics would be allowed to move to Oklahoma City 's Ford Center for the 2008 -- 09 season after reaching a settlement with the city of Seattle. On July 2, 2008, a settlement was reached that allowed the team to move under certain conditions, including the ownership group 's payment of $45 million to Seattle and the possibility of an additional $30 million by 2013 if a new team had not been awarded to the city. It was agreed that the SuperSonics ' name would not be used by the Oklahoma City team and that the team 's history would be shared between Oklahoma City and any future NBA team in Seattle. The team began play as the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2008 -- 09 NBA season, after becoming the third NBA franchise to relocate in the past decade. The two previous teams to relocate were the Vancouver Grizzlies, which moved to Memphis, Tennessee and began play as the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2001 -- 02 NBA season ; and the Charlotte Hornets, which moved to New Orleans and began play as the New Orleans Hornets for the 2002 -- 03 NBA season. In months prior to the settlement, Seattle publicly released email conversations that took place within Bennett 's ownership group and alleged that they indicated at least some members of the group had a desire to move the team to Oklahoma City prior to the purchase in 2006. Before that, Sonics co-owner Aubrey McClendon told The Journal Record, an Oklahoma City newspaper, that `` we did n't buy the team to keep it in Seattle ; we hoped to come here '', although Bennett denied knowledge of this. Seattle used these incidents to argue that the ownership failed to negotiate in good faith, prompting Schultz to file a lawsuit seeking to rescind the sale of the team and transfer the ownership to a court - appointed receiver. The NBA claimed Schultz ' lawsuit was void because Schultz signed a release forbidding himself to sue Bennett 's group, but also argued that the proposal would have violated league ownership rules. Schultz dropped the case before the start of the 2008 -- 09 NBA season. In 2009, Seattle - area filmmakers called the Seattle SuperSonics Historical Preservation Society produced a critically acclaimed documentary film titled Sonicsgate -- Requiem For A Team that details the rise and demise of the Seattle SuperSonics franchise. The movie focuses on the more scandalous aspects of the team 's departure from Seattle, and it won the 2010 Webby Award for ' Best Sports Film '. Possible new franchise Main article : Sonics Arena See also : Failed relocation of the Sacramento Kings § Seattle Sacramento Kings This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2017 ) In 2011, a group of investors led by Valiant Capital Management hedge fund founder Christopher R. Hansen spoke with then - Seattle mayor Mike McGinn about the possibilities of investing in an arena in hopes of securing an NBA franchise and reviving the SuperSonics. An offer was made by McGinn to Hansen to obtain ownership of KeyArena for little to no money to aid in his efforts. As KeyArena was deemed unacceptable by the NBA and barely breaking even in operation, the facility would likely have needed to be leveled and a new one built on the site. Determining there were transportation concerns in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood around the Seattle Center, Hansen declined in favor of building a new arena at another location. Hansen began quietly purchasing available land near Safeco Field in Seattle 's SoDo industrial neighborhood, at the southern end of what was designated a Stadium Transition Overlay District housing both Safeco Field home of the MLB 's Seattle Mariners and CenturyLink Field home of the NFL 's Seattle Seahawks and MLS 's Seattle Sounders. A short time later, Hansen presented to McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine the proposal for a basketball, hockey, and entertainment arena at the SoDo site. McGinn employed a stadium consultant on the city 's behalf to study the viability of such a project. Local media took notice of the land purchases and began to postulate that it was for an arena. Rumors of meetings between McGinn and Hansen 's investment group began to circulate in late 2011 and were finally acknowledged in early 2012. At that time, rumors that Hansen would begin pursuing a vulnerable franchise to relocate to Seattle began making the rounds. Most of the discussion centered on the Sacramento Kings, a struggling franchise that had been trying to put together a plan to replace the aging Sleep Train Arena, then called the Power Balance Pavilion, for years with no luck. While Hansen had not spoken in public about his desires or pursuits for a specific team, the rumors were rampant enough that Think Big Sacramento, a community action group created by Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson to develop solutions for the Kings, composed an open letter to Hansen asking him not to pursue the city 's team. Meanwhile, negotiations between McGinn, Constantine, and Hansen continued on development of a memorandum of understanding that would lay out the relationship for a public - private partnership on the new arena. On May 16, 2012, after coming to agreement, McGinn, Constantine, and Hansen presented the proposed Memorandum of Understanding to the public. McGinn and Constantine had insisted on a number of protections for the citizens of Seattle and King County, specifically that no public financing on the project would be committed until Hansen and his investors had secured an NBA team to be primary tenant. The MOU proposal included a financial model that made the project `` self - financed '', in which no new taxes would be levied to provide funds and city bonds issued would be paid back by taxes and revenue generated solely by the new arena. The proposal was turned over to the Seattle City Council and the King County Council for review and approval. The King County Council voted to approve the MOU on July 30, 2012, adding amendments that provided for work with the Port of Seattle, securing the SuperSonics naming rights, offering reduced price tickets, support for the Seattle Storm WNBA franchise, and require an economic analysis. The approval was also on the condition that any changes made by the Seattle City Council, which still had yet to vote on the proposal, would need to be voted on and approved separately. The Seattle council had announced that morning that amendments of their own were intended and negotiations began. Hansen and the Seattle City Council announced on September 11, 2012, a tentative agreement on a revised MOU that included the county council 's amendments and new provisions, specifically a personal guarantee from Hansen to cover not only cost overruns of construction of the new arena but to make up any backfall for annual repayment of the city bonds issued. To address concerns of the Port of Seattle, the Seattle Mariners, and local industry, a SoDo transportation improvement fund to be maintained at $40 million by tax revenue generated by the arena was also included. Also, all parties agreed that transaction documents would not be signed and construction would not begin before the state required environmental impact analysis was completed. By a vote of 7 -- 2, the Seattle City Council approved the amended MOU on September 24, 2012. The King County Council reviewed the amended MOU and voted unanimously in favor of approval on October 15, 2012. The final MOU was signed and fully executed by Mayor McGinn and Executive Constantine on October 18, 2012, starting an effective period of the agreement of five years. In June 2012, it was revealed that Hansen 's investment partners included then - Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and brothers Erik and Peter Nordstrom of fashion retailer Nordstrom, Inc... Peter Nordstrom had been a minority owner of the SuperSonics under Howard Schultz 's ownership. Wally Walker, former Sonics executive, was also later revealed to be part of Hansen 's group. On January 9, 2013, media reports surfaced regarding the imminent sale of majority ownership of the Sacramento Kings to Hansen, Ballmer, the Nordstroms, and Walker for $500 million to relocate to Seattle as early as the 2013 -- 14 NBA season. On January 20, 2013, several sources reported that the Maloof family had reached a binding purchase and sale agreement to sell Hansen and Ballmer 's ownership group their 53 % majority stake in the Kings franchise, pending approval of the NBA 's Board of Governors. The next day, the NBA, Hansen, and the Maloofs all released statements announcing the agreement, which also included the 12 % minority stake of owner Robert Hernreich, and based the sale price on a team valuation of $525 million. Sacramento mayor Johnson offered a quick rebuttal to the announcement, stating that the agreement was not a done deal and that Sacramento would have the opportunity to present a counteroffer to the NBA. David Stern, then NBA Commissioner, confirmed on February 6, 2013, that the Maloofs had filed paperwork with the league office to officially request relocation of the Kings from Sacramento to Seattle on behalf of the potential new ownership group. Johnson, with guidance from Stern and the NBA league office, began to assemble an alternative ownership group that would keep the Kings in Sacramento and aid in getting a new arena constructed. On February 26, 2013, the Sacramento City Council voted to enter into negotiations with an unnamed group of investors revealed two days later to be headed by grocery magnate and developer Ron Burkle and Mark Mastrov, founder of 24 Hour Fitness. An initial counteroffer presented to the NBA by this new group was deemed `` not comparable '' as to merit consideration. Burkle eventually left the group because of a conflict with other business interests, but offered to be primary developer of lands around the planned downtown location of the new arena to aid in city council passage of public funding for the project. Mastrov took a backseat to Vivek Ranadivé, founder and CEO of TIBCO and a minority owner of the Golden State Warriors, brought in to assemble a stronger group of investors. Others, including Paul Jacobs, CEO of Qualcomm, Sacramento developer Mark Friedman, former Facebook executive Chris Kelly, and manufacturer Raj Bhathal, were added to the group to address team ownership and arena investment. Ahead of the annual Board of Governors meeting where they were expected to vote on approval of the sale of the Kings to Hansen and Ballmer 's group, as well as the relocation request, members of the NBA owners ' finance and relocation committees held a meeting in New York City on April 3, 2013, for the Seattle group and the Sacramento group to each present their proposals. Any vote would only be on the PSA presented by Hansen and Ballmer, and the Sacramento proposal was considered a `` backup offer ''. Coming out of that meeting, the NBA removed the vote from the agenda of the BOG meeting and postponed it for two weeks while information was reviewed. Despite stated desires to the contrary, a bidding war began between Hansen 's and Ranadivé 's groups, including Hansen raising the team valuation of their offer twice from $525 million to $550 million to $625 million, and Ranadivé offering to forgo the team revenue sharing that has frequently kept smaller market teams like the Kings financially stable. With the meeting of the Board of Governors to vote moved again to mid-May, the groups were asked to make another brief presentation to the full relocation committee on April 29, 2013. The committee voted to recommend rejection of the relocation request to the full board. When the Board of Governors finally convened in Dallas on May 15, 2013, they heard final presentations from both the Seattle and Sacramento groups. The BOG voted 22 - 8 against moving the Kings from Sacramento to Seattle. As the PSA for the sale of the team was, for all intents and purposes, dependent upon relocation, the NBA rejected the sale without vote. Though initially resistant to the idea, after negotiations, on May 17, 2013, the Maloof family and Hernreich formally agreed to sell their ownership stake in the Kings ( 65 % of the team, valued at US $535 million ) to Ranadivé 's ownership group. Part of the $348 million purchase was considered paid with a $30 million non-refundable deposit Chris Hansen had paid to the Maloofs to establish their business relationship, though Hansen has no ownership stake in the team. Milwaukee Bucks In September 2013, then - Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, in line to become the next commissioner upon David Stern 's retirement in February 2014, made the announcement that the Milwaukee Bucks would need to replace the aging BMO Harris Bradley Center because of its small size and lack of amenities. The team had recently signed a lease through the 2016 -- 17 NBA season, but the NBA made it clear that the lease would not be renewed past that point. With counties surrounding Milwaukee passing ordinances that they would not approve a regional tax option to fund a new arena, rumors began swirling that owner Herb Kohl would need to sell all or part of his ownership of the team. Though Kohl had repeatedly stated he would not sell to someone intent on moving the Bucks out of Wisconsin, many had pegged the team as a likely potential candidate to move to Seattle. On April 16, 2014, it was announced that Kohl had agreed to sell the franchise to New York hedge - fund investors Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens for a record $550 million. The deal included provisions for contributions of $100 million each from Kohl and the new ownership group, for a total of $200 million towards the construction of a new downtown arena. During sale discussions, it was revealed that Hansen and Ballmer had expressed interest in purchasing the team for more than $600 million but had not made a formal offer because of Kohl 's insistence that the team stay in Milwaukee. Atlanta Hawks On January 2, 2015, the Atlanta Journal - Constitution reported that Atlanta Spirit, then - owners of the Atlanta Hawks, would put the team up for sale. Initially, only majority owner Bruce Levenson would put his stake in the team up for sale ; however, the remaining minority owners announced that they would sell their stakes as well. On January 6, 2015, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that Chris Hansen and film producer Thomas Tull ( the latter a minority owner of the NFL 's Pittsburgh Steelers ) would put in separate bids to acquire the Hawks and move them to Seattle. However, the NBA stated that the Hawks were to remain in Atlanta as a condition of their sale ; additionally, any attempt to move the Hawks would have incurred a $75 million penalty from the city of Atlanta and Fulton County for breaking the Hawks ' lease at Philips Arena before 2017. The Hawks were sold to a group led by Tony Ressler on June 24, 2015. Future arena talks On May 2, 2016, the Seattle City Council voted 5 -- 4 against vacating a section of Occidental Avenue South, which connected property purchased by Hansen and was deemed critical to siting a future arena. The vote was seen as a significant setback to the memorandum of understanding between Hansen, the city and King County, which runs through November 2017. On October 25, 2016, Chris Hansen announced he will fund the arena without public funding. On November 14, 2016, Seattle Seahawks ' quarterback Russell Wilson announced that he would be investing in the NBA arena effort. Season - by - season records Main article : List of Seattle SuperSonics seasons Home arenas KeyArena ( formerly Seattle Center Coliseum ) 1967 -- 1978, 1985 -- 1994, 1995 -- 2008 The Kingdome 1978 -- 1985 Tacoma Dome 1994 -- 1995 ( During KeyArena Remodel ) Uniforms Squatch wearing the Sonics ' home uniform in 2005 The Seattle SuperSonics ' first uniforms had `` Sonics '' displayed in a font that was also used by the Cincinnati Royals ( now the Sacramento Kings ). The road jerseys were green and had the lettering displayed in yellow coloring, where the home uniforms were white and had the lettering green. In 1995, the SuperSonics changed their uniforms adding red and orange, removing yellow, to their new jerseys that would last six seasons. It displayed the new Sonics logo on the front and their alternate logo on the shorts. The home uniforms had green stripes on the right side of the jersey and shorts, while the green road jersey had red stripes. The final SuperSonics uniforms were worn from the 2001 -- 02 NBA season through the 2007 -- 08 NBA season. They were commissioned by owner Howard Schultz for design by Seattle design agency Hornall Anderson. The home jerseys were white with green and gold trim, displaying `` SONICS '' across the chest. Road uniforms were dark green with white and gold accents, with `` SEATTLE '' across the chest. The alternate uniform was gold with green and white trim, again with `` SONICS '' arched across the chest. These uniforms were a nod to a similar style worn from the 1975 -- 76 season through the 1994 -- 95 season. Rivalries The SuperSonics were traditional rivals with the Portland Trail Blazers because of the teams ' proximity ; the rivalry had been dubbed the I - 5 Rivalry in reference to Interstate 5 that connects the two cities, which are only 174 miles apart. The rivalry was fairly equal in accomplishments, with both teams winning one championship each. The all - time record of this rivalry is 98 -- 94 in favor of the SuperSonics. The SuperSonics were rivals of the Los Angeles Lakers, particularly due to the teams ' longstanding pairing in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Lakers ' sustained success meant regular season games often impacted NBA Playoffs seedings, with the teams matching up head - to - head for numerous playoff battles. Players Main article : Seattle SuperSonics all - time roster Retired numbers Seattle SuperSonics retired numbers No. Player Position Tenure Date Gus Williams 1977 -- 1984 March 26, 2004 10 Nate McMillan 1986 -- 1998 March 24, 1999 19 Lenny Wilkens 1968 -- 1972 October 19, 1979 24 Spencer Haywood 1971 -- 1975 February 26, 2007 32 Fred Brown 1971 -- 1984 November 6, 1986 43 Jack Sikma 1977 -- 1986 November 21, 1992 Bob Blackburn Broadcaster 1967 -- 1992 Notes : Also head coach from 2000 to 2005. Head coach during 1969 -- 1972 and 1977 -- 1985. Basketball Hall of famers Seattle SuperSonics Hall of Famers Players No. Name Position Tenure Inducted 19 Lenny Wilkens 1968 -- 1972 1989 44 David Thompson F / G 1982 -- 1984 33 Patrick Ewing 2000 -- 2001 2008 24 Dennis Johnson 1976 -- 1980 20 Gary Payton 1990 -- 2003 2013 30 Šarūnas Marčiulionis 1994 -- 1995 2014 24 Spencer Haywood F / C 1970 -- 1975 2015 Coaches No. Name Position Tenure Inducted -- Bill Russell Head coach 1973 -- 1977 -- K.C. Jones Head coach 1990 -- 1992 1989 -- Lenny Wilkens Head coach 1969 -- 1972 1977 -- 1985 1998 Notes : In total, Wilkens was inducted into the Hall of Fame three times -- as player, as coach and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team. In total, Ewing was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice -- as player and as a member of the 1992 Olympic team. Inducted posthumously. Inducted as player. Never played for the SuperSonics. FIBA Hall of Famers Seattle SuperSonics Hall of Famers Players No. Name Position Tenure Inducted 30 Šarūnas Marčiulionis 1994 -- 1995 2015 Coaches Coaching history Coach Seasons active Al Bianchi 1967 -- 1969 Lenny Wilkens 1969 -- 1972 Tom Nissalke 1972 -- 1973 Bucky Buckwalter 1972 -- 1973 Bill Russell 1973 -- 1977 Bob Hopkins 1977 Lenny Wilkens 1977 -- 1985 Bernie Bickerstaff 1985 -- 1990 K.C. Jones 1990 -- 1992 Bob Kloppenburg 1991 George Karl 1991 -- 1998 Paul Westphal 1998 -- 2000 Nate McMillan 2000 -- 2005 Bob Weiss 2005 Bob Hill 2006 -- 2007 P.J. Carlesimo 2007 -- 2008 General managers GM history GM Seasons active Don Richman 1967 -- 1968 Dick Vertlieb 1968 -- 1970 Bob Houbregs 1970 -- 1973 Bill Russell 1973 -- 1977 Zollie Volchok 1977 ( or 1978 ) -- 1983 Les Habegger 1983 -- 1985 Lenny Wilkens 1985 -- 1986 Bob Whitsitt 1986 -- 1994 Wally Walker 1994 -- 2001 Rick Sund 2001 -- 2007 Sam Presti 2007 -- 2008 High points Individual leaders Single Game Records Category Player Statistics Date Points Fred Brown 58 March 23, 1974 Rebounds Jim Fox 30 December 26, 1973 Assists Nate McMillan 25 February 23, 1987 Steals Fred Brown Gus Williams 10 December 3, 1976 February 22, 1978 Single Season Leaders Category Player Statistics Season Points Dale Ellis 2,253 1988 -- 89 Points per game Spencer Haywood 29.2 1972 -- 73 Rebounds Jack Sikma 1,038 1981 -- 82 Rebounds per game Spencer Haywood 13.4 1973 -- 74 Assists Lenny Wilkens 766 1971 -- 72 Assists per game Lenny Wilkens 9.6 1971 -- 72 Steals Slick Watts 261 1975 -- 76 Steals per game Slick Watts 3.18 1975 -- 76 Franchise leaders Points scored ( regular season ) ( as of the end of the 2007 -- 08 season ) 1. Gary Payton ( 18,207 ) 2. Fred Brown ( 14,018 ) 3. Jack Sikma ( 12,258 ) 4. Rashard Lewis ( 12,034 ) 5. Shawn Kemp ( 10,148 ) 6. Gus Williams ( 9,676 ) 7. Dale Ellis ( 9,405 ) 8. Xavier McDaniel ( 8,438 ) 9. Spencer Haywood ( 8,131 ) 10. Tom Chambers ( 8,028 ) 11. Ray Allen ( 7,237 ) 12. Detlef Schrempf ( 6,870 ) 13. Dick Snyder ( 6,507 ) 14. Derrick McKey ( 6,159 ) 15. Lenny Wilkens ( 6,010 ) 16. Bob Rule ( 5,646 ) 17. Vin Baker ( 5,054 ) 18. Sam Perkins ( 4,844 ) 19. Nate McMillan ( 4,733 ) 20. Dennis Johnson ( 4,590 ) 21. Lonnie Shelton ( 4,460 ) 22. Ricky Pierce ( 4,393 ) 23. Brent Barry ( 4,107 ) 24. Tom Meschery ( 4,050 ) 25. Hersey Hawkins ( 3,798 ) 26. Michael Cage ( 3,742 ) 27. Eddie Johnson ( 3,714 ) 28. John Johnson ( 3,608 ) 29. Slick Watts ( 3,396 ) 30. Al Wood ( 3,265 ) Other Statistics ( regular season ) ( as of the end of the 2007 -- 08 season ) Most minutes played Player Minutes Gary Payton 36,858 Jack Sikma 24,707 Fred Brown 24,422 Rashard Lewis 20,921 Nate McMillan 20,462 Most rebounds Player Rebounds Jack Sikma 7,729 Shawn Kemp 5,978 Gary Payton 4,240 Michael Cage 3,975 Spencer Haywood 3,954 Most assists Player Assists Gary Payton 7,384 Nate McMillan 4,893 Fred Brown 3,160 Gus Williams 2,865 Lenny Wilkens 2,777 Most steals Player Steals Gary Payton 2,107 Nate McMillan 1,544 Fred Brown 1,149 Gus Williams 1,086 Slick Watts 833 Most blocks Player Blocks Shawn Kemp 959 Jack Sikma 705 Alton Lister 500 Tom Burleson 420 Derrick McKey 375 Career Leaders Category Player Statistics Games Gary Payton 999 Minutes Played Gary Payton 36,858 Points Gary Payton 18,207 Field Goals Made Gary Payton 7,292 Field Goal Attempts Gary Payton 15,562 3 - Point Field Goals Made Rashard Lewis 918 3 - Point Field Goals Attempted Gary Payton 2,855 Free Throws Made Jack Sikma 3,044 Free Throws Attempted Shawn Kemp 3,808 Offensive Rebounds Shawn Kemp 2,145 Defensive Rebounds Jack Sikma 5,948 Total Rebounds Jack Sikma 7,729 Assists Gary Payton 7,384 Steals Gary Payton 2,107 Blocked Shots Shawn Kemp 959 Turnovers Gary Payton 2,507 Personal Fouls Gary Payton 2,577 Per - game averages Category Player Statistics Minutes Played Spencer Haywood 40.36 Points Ray Allen 26.44 Field Goals Made Spencer Haywood 9.72 Field Goal Attempts Spencer Haywood 21.01 3 - Point Field Goals Made Ray Allen 3.45 3 - Point Field Goal Attempts Ray Allen 8.37 Free Throws Made Lenny Wilkens 6.25 Free Throw Attempts Lenny Wilkens 7.99 Offensive Rebounds Marvin Webster 4.40 Defensive Rebounds Jack Sikma 8.32 Total Rebounds Marvin Webster 12.62 Assists Lenny Wilkens 9.02 Steals Slick Watts 2.47 Blocked Shots Alton Lister 2.09 Turnovers Marvin Webster 3.13 Personal Fouls Danny Fortson 4.01 Per 48 minutes Category Player Statistics Points Ricky Pierce 31.29 Field Goals Made Xavier McDaniel 12.18 Field Goals Attempted Walt Hazzard 27.31 3 - Point Field Goals Made Ray Allen 3.58 3 - Point Field Goal Attempts Ray Allen 9.20 Free Throws Made Danny Fortson 9.44 Free Throw Attempts Danny Fortson 10.93 Offensive Rebounds Danny Fortson 6.83 Defensive Rebounds Jack Sikma 11.56 Total Rebounds Pete Cross 19.39 Assists Avery Johnson 13.03 Steals Slick Watts 4.13 Blocked Shots Jim McIlvaine 5.38 Turnovers Mark Radford 6.89 Personal fouls Danny Fortson 12.38 Individual awards NBA Defensive Player of the Year Gary Payton -- 1996 NBA Rookie of the Year Award Kevin Durant -- 2008 NBA Finals MVP Dennis Johnson -- 1979 NBA Executive of the Year Zollie Volchok -- 1983 Bob Whitsitt -- 1994 NBA Most Improved Player Award Dale Ellis -- 1987 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award Slick Watts -- 1976 NBA Sportsmanship Award Hersey Hawkins -- 1999 Ray Allen -- 2003 NBA All - Star Game MVPs Lenny Wilkens -- 1971 Tom Chambers -- 1987 NBA All - Star Game head coaches Lenny Wilkens -- 1979, 1980 George Karl -- 1994, 1996, 1998 All - NBA First Team Spencer Haywood -- 1972, 1973 Gus Williams -- 1982 Gary Payton -- 1998, 2000 All - NBA Second Team Spencer Haywood -- 1974, 1975 Dennis Johnson -- 1980 Gus Williams -- 1980 Shawn Kemp -- 1994, 1995, 1996 Gary Payton -- 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002 Vin Baker -- 1998 Ray Allen -- 2005 All - NBA Third Team Dale Ellis -- 1989 Gary Payton -- 1994, 2001 Detlef Schrempf -- 1995 NBA All - Defensive First Team Slick Watts -- 1976 Dennis Johnson -- 1979, 1980 Gary Payton -- 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 NBA All - Defensive Second Team Lonnie Shelton -- 1982 Jack Sikma -- 1982 Danny Vranes -- 1985 Nate McMillan -- 1994, 1995 NBA All - Rookie First Team Bob Rule -- 1968 Al Tucker -- 1968 Art Harris -- 1969 Tom Burleson -- 1975 Jack Sikma -- 1978 Xavier McDaniel -- 1986 Derrick McKey -- 1988 Jeff Green -- 2008 Kevin Durant -- 2008 NBA All - Rookie Second Team Gary Payton -- 1991 Desmond Mason -- 2001 Vladimir Radmanović -- 2002 See also National Basketball Association portal Bob Blackburn, late primary play - by - play broadcaster, `` The Voice of the Seattle SuperSonics '' -- 1967 -- 1992 Kevin Calabro, primary play - by - play broadcaster, 1987 -- 2008 The Wheedle, team mascot, 1978 -- 1985 Squatch, team mascot, 1993 -- 2008 Save Our Sonics, grassroots organization dedicated to preventing the team 's move from Seattle in 2008. Sonicsgate, a 2009 feature documentary chronicling the SuperSonics ' history, sale and relocation Sonics Arena, a proposal led by American hedge fund manager Chris R. Hansen to build a new multi-purpose arena in the neighborhood south of downtown Seattle References Jump up ^ `` NBA History : Teams ''. National Basketball Association. February 25, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2017. Jump up ^ `` NBA.com/Stats -- Oklahoma City Thunder seasons ''. National Basketball Association. October 17, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Sonics Unveil New Logo and Official Colors ''. Seattle SuperSonics. August 25, 2001. Archived from the original on December 18, 2001. Retrieved June 18, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Basketball Club of Seattle Announces Sale of Sonics & Storm ''. National Basketball Association. July 18, 2006. Archived from the original on July 19, 2006. Retrieved July 19, 2006. Jump up ^ Allen, Percy ( October 24, 2006 ). `` NBA board approves sale of Sonics, Storm ''. 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External links Media related to Seattle SuperSonics at Wikimedia Commons Official Site ( February 2008 ) ( Archived ) Oklahoma City Thunder Founded in 1967 Formerly the Seattle SuperSonics ( 1967 -- 2008 ) Based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Franchise History 1967 Expansion Draft All - time rosters SuperSonics Thunder Draft history Franchise achievements Seasons Head coaches Current season Arenas KeyArena at Seattle Center Kingdome Tacoma Dome Chesapeake Energy Arena General Managers Richman Vertlieb Houbregs Russell Volchok Wilkens Whitsitt Walker Sund Presti G League affiliate Oklahoma City Blue Administration Owner Professional Basketball Club ( Clay Bennett, Chairman ) Executive Vice President & General Manager Sam Presti Head coach Billy Donovan Retired numbers 10 19 24 32 43 MIC NBA Championships ( 1 ) 1979 Western Conference Championships ( 4 ) 1978 1979 2012 Culture and lore Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City Howard Schultz Wheedle Squatch Rumble the Bison `` Supersonics '' Sonicsgate Thunderstruck `` Thunder Up '' `` Ca n't Hold Us '' Media TV Fox Sports Oklahoma Radio The Sports Animal ( 98.1 FM ) 640 ESPN Radio Announcers Brian Davis Michael Cage Matt Pinto Seattle SuperSonics seasons Franchise All - time roster 1960s 1967 -- 68 1968 -- 69 1970s 1969 -- 70 1970 -- 71 1971 -- 72 1972 -- 73 1973 -- 74 1974 -- 75 1975 -- 76 1976 -- 77 1977 -- 78 1978 -- 79 1980s 1979 -- 80 1980 -- 81 1981 -- 82 1982 -- 83 1983 -- 84 1984 -- 85 1985 -- 86 1986 -- 87 1987 -- 88 1988 -- 89 1990s 1989 -- 90 1990 -- 91 1991 -- 92 1992 -- 93 1993 -- 94 1994 -- 95 1995 -- 96 1996 -- 97 1997 -- 98 1998 -- 99 2000s 1999 -- 00 2000 -- 01 2001 -- 02 2002 -- 03 2003 -- 04 2004 -- 05 2005 -- 06 2006 -- 07 2007 -- 08 Bold indicates NBA Finals victory Seattle SuperSonics 1978 -- 79 NBA champions 1 Gus Williams 8 Lonnie Shelton 10 Joe Hassett 11 Dick Snyder 21 Dennis Awtrey 22 Jackie Robinson 23 Tom LaGarde 24 Dennis Johnson ( Finals MVP ) 27 John Johnson 32 Fred Brown 35 Paul Silas 42 Wally Walker 43 Jack Sikma Head coach Lenny Wilkens Assistant coach Les Habegger Regular season Playoffs Relocated National Basketball Association teams Tri-Cities Blackhawks -- Milwaukee Hawks ( 1951 ) Milwaukee Hawks -- St. Louis Hawks ( 1955 ) Fort Wayne Pistons -- Detroit Pistons ( 1957 ) Rochester Royals -- Cincinnati Royals ( 1957 ) Minneapolis Lakers -- Los Angeles Lakers ( 1960 ) Philadelphia Warriors -- San Francisco Warriors ( 1962 ) Chicago Zephyrs -- Baltimore Bullets ( 1963 ) Syracuse Nationals -- Philadelphia 76ers ( 1963 ) St. Louis Hawks -- Atlanta Hawks ( 1968 ) San Diego Rockets -- Houston Rockets ( 1971 ) Cincinnati Royals -- Kansas City -- Omaha Kings ( 1972 ) Baltimore Bullets -- Capital Bullets ( 1973 ) Kansas City -- Omaha Kings -- Kansas City Kings ( 1975 ) Buffalo Braves -- San Diego Clippers ( 1978 ) New Orleans Jazz -- Utah Jazz ( 1979 ) San Diego Clippers -- Los Angeles Clippers ( 1984 ) Kansas City Kings -- Sacramento Kings ( 1985 ) Vancouver Grizzlies -- Memphis Grizzlies ( 2001 ) Charlotte Hornets -- New Orleans Hornets ( 2002 ) New Orleans Hornets -- New Orleans / Oklahoma City Hornets ( 2005 ) New Orleans / Oklahoma City Hornets -- New Orleans Hornets ( 2007 ) Seattle SuperSonics -- Oklahoma City Thunder ( 2008 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seattle_SuperSonics&oldid=800653240 '' Categories : Seattle SuperSonics Basketball teams established in 1967 Sports clubs disestablished in 2008 Oklahoma City Thunder Relocated National Basketball Association teams Basketball teams in Washington ( state ) Sports in Seattle 1967 establishments in Washington ( state ) 2008 disestablishments in Washington ( state ) Hidden categories : Articles to be expanded from April 2016 All articles to be expanded Articles using small message boxes All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2017 Articles needing additional references from March 2017 All articles needing additional references Articles with unsourced statements from March 2017 All articles with specifically marked weasel - worded phrases Articles with specifically marked weasel - worded phrases from January 2017 Articles with unsourced statements from December 2012 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca বাংলা Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Bosanski Català Čeština Deutsch Español Euskara فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano ქართული Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Русский Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska தமிழ் Türkçe 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 14 September 2017, at 21 : 36. 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Question: where did the seattle supersonics get their name
Answer: after Boeing's recently awarded contract for the SST project, which was later canceled