Jamal Crawford Believes Seattle Is Close To Securing NBA Return

A strong bid for Seattle

Former NBA star Jamal Crawford is working as an advisor with an ownership group trying to bring a team back to Seattle. The three time NBA Sixth Man of the Year grew up in the city and spent time watching SuperSonics games as a child.

The group trying to secure the franchise is led by Seattle Kraken owner Samantha Holloway. Her team includes Melinda French Gates and Amazon chief executive officer Andy Jassy. Their current bid values the potential franchise at around six billion dollars.

Holloway's company holds a majority share in Climate Pledge Arena. The venue was built in 2021 and currently hosts the Seattle Storm and the Kraken. Any competing bidder would have to build a new arena or negotiate to use this venue.

League expansion plans move forward

NBA commissioner Adam Silver wants to resolve the league expansion process by the end of 2026. Las Vegas is another main candidate, with three final bidding groups. The final cost for a Las Vegas team could reach over ten billion dollars, with another two to three billion dollars needed for a new arena.

The league has also discussed Mexico City as an expansion option. Recent team sales show rising valuations. The Los Angeles Lakers were recently valued at twelve point five billion dollars. The Boston Celtics were sold at a valuation of up to seven point three billion dollars, while the Minnesota Timberwolves were sold for four point five billion dollars.

Deep roots in Seattle basketball

The SuperSonics left Seattle for Oklahoma City after the 2008 season. Crawford remembers past failed efforts to bring basketball back, but he feels this current attempt is different. He runs Seattle's Summer Pro Am league, which has featured stars such as Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Jayson Tatum.

Other former players are also helping. Detlef Schrempf, Gary Payton, Sam Perkins, Dale Ellis, Nate MacMillan, and Jack Sikma have joined discussions on how to assist. Local fan groups have also campaigned for years, noting that basketball culture remains strong in the city.