NEW YORK — David Stern gave another warning that the SuperSonics could eventually leave Seattle, saying Thursday that the city is, "not interested in having the NBA there."
The NBA commissioner also touched on the situations regarding the Trail Blazers and Hornets during a conference call, but his strongest words were saved for the Sonics' future in Seattle.
Stern has said the Sonics' lease with the city is the worst in the NBA, and he went to Seattle in February to ask Washington state lawmakers for tax money to renovate Key Arena.
Sonics owner Howard Schultz, the chairman of Starbucks Corp., has threatened to move or sell the team if state lawmakers don't approve a sales-tax package to pay for a new or renovated arena. But state lawmakers last month said there would be no deal this year.
"I would say that the city is making it pretty clear of what they want us to do, and we'll accommodate them," Stern said.
Asked what that meant, Stern responded: "What I mean is they're not interested in having the NBA there. We understand that, we understand that there are competing issues, and the mayor is free to make whatever decisions he needs to make and I support that.
"But that's a pretty strong signal and I think that the existing ownership has said they don't want to own a team that's not in Seattle, so I know what they're in the process of doing. So we'll just see how this play ends."
Marianne Bichsel, spokeswoman for Mayor Greg Nickels, said the city wants the Sonics to remain in Seattle.
But once the lease expires in 2010, it doesn't sound as if the league would stand in the way if ownership wants to move the franchise.
"It's not a very good lease, to say the least it's the worst in the league," Stern said. "The city says they're not prepared to do anything to improve it. I don't think this is a difficult choice."
KNICKS COACH HOSPITALIZED: New York Knicks coach Larry Brown will be hospitalized overnight in Cleveland after becoming ill in the third quarter of Thursday night's game against the Cavaliers. The 65-year-old Brown was taken from Quicken Loans Arena on a stretcher following New York's loss. He appeared alert and was sitting upright with oxygen tubes in his nose as he was wheeled out to an emergency vehicle. Team spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz said Brown was examined by Cavaliers team doctors after leaving the bench in the third quarter complaining of an upset stomach.