OKLAHOMA CITY -- The NBA wants to intervene in former SuperSonics owner Howard Schultz's bid to regain control of the team, claiming it would interfere with the stable operation of the franchise.

Schultz is trying to reverse his 2006 sale of the NBA franchise to Clay Bennett, claiming the Oklahoma City businessman failed to follow through on a promise to negotiate in good faith to keep the team in Seattle.

The league filed a motion Tuesday to intervene in Schultz's lawsuit in Seattle's federal court.

Last week, Bennett announced he had reached a settlement with the city of Seattle, the payment of up to $75 million to allow the team to move to Oklahoma City immediately.

That agreement included a clause that the deal would be broken and the team would return to Seattle if Schultz, the chairman of Starbucks Corp., were to prevail in this lawsuit, filed April 22.

An assistant to Richard Yarmuth, Schultz's attorney, said he declined comment.

The NBA claims in its motion that the transfer of the franchise to a court-appointed receiver and a subsequent transfer back to Schultz would both be prohibited by the league's constitution.

The motion also claims that if a court-appointed receiver were to be appointed, the NBA's constitution allows for the league's owners to put that team "under the management and control" of commissioner David Stern.

"The relief requested by plaintiffs is entirely inconsistent with these reasonable and lawful regulations of the NBA, and the disposition of this action therefore threatens the ability of the League to protect its justifiable interests," attorney Ralph Palumbo wrote in the motion.

The NBA also claims that Schultz's ownership group signed a release as part of the league's approval of the 2006 sale that prevented the former owners from suing Bennett's Professional Basketball Club ownership group.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

ROUND 2

SEATTLE, Thursday, June 26, 2008 – The Seattle Sonics selected UCLA guard Russell Westbrook with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. With the team’s other first-round selection (24^th overall), the Sonics selected Serge Ibaka from the Congo. In a second-round trade, the Sonics selected Walter Sharpe from the University of Alabama-Birmingham with the 32^nd pick, and then traded Sharpe and the No. 46 overall pick (Trent Plaisted – BYU) to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for D.J. White, who was selected No. 29 overall in the first round by the Pistons.

“We’re very happy with our draft tonight,” said Sonics General Manager Sam Presti. “We feel that we have added players who will be a part of our foundation as we move forward. We’re confident Russell Westbrook’s skills will fit with what we’re building here. He is a defensive-minded player with a tremendous blend of talent and work ethic.”

“Serge is a player that we feel has tremendous potential. He brings energy and athleticism to the floor as well as the ability to stretch the defense as shooter.”

As a sophomore at UCLA, Westbrook was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, earned Third Team All Pac-10 honors and was named to the league All-Defensive Team. After logging 1,318 minutes, Westbrook set UCLA’s single season record for minutes played. Westbrook led the team in assists (4.3 apg), while also ranking third in scoring (12.7 ppg). A Long Beach native, Westbrook graduated from Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, California.  

Ibaka grew up playing in his native Congo with the Avenir du Rail club. Last season competing in Spain, Ibaka averaged 11.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for C.B. L’Hospitalet LEB Gold.

White spent four collegiate seasons at the University of Indiana and averaged 14.6 points for the Hoosiers and earned Consensus Second Team All-America honors as a senior. He was also named Big Ten Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Conference honors from the media and league coaches.

“D.J. White is a blue collar player,” Presti said. “He is a worker and someone that has had a tremendous college career.”

The Sonics completed their 2008 Draft by selecting Devon Hardin from the University of California with the No. 50 overall pick and Sasha Kaun from the University of Kansas at No. 56 overall. Hardin earned Honorable Mention All-PAC-10 honors as a sophomore and finished his collegiate career as Cal’s second all-time leading shot blocker with 132 blocked shots. The Sonics later traded Kaun to Cleveland for cash considerations.

Click Here

Click Here