Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said the city is ready for the NBA to return, but addressed recent rumors by saying they will wait for the NBA to make the call.
There’s going to be a lot of rumors and innuendos. You know, we think the best thing that we can do is not ever get ahead of the league,” Leiweke said, via Aaron LeVine of FOX 13. “They’ve got big issues coming: They’re in a CBA discussion, and they’ve got broadcast deals coming up. In due time, they will get to this. And in due time, we’re going to be well positioned.”
The league refuted a recent report from the Associated Press that it had immediate plans for expansion in Seattle and Las Vegas. Seattle, of course, was once home to the beloved SuperSonics, and still owns the nickname and green-and-yellow color schemes.
Leiweke did add that once the NBA does decide to return, Seattle will be ready. For starters, the Clippers are set to host two preseason games at Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL’s Kraken and WNBA’s Storm.
“The hard work is done, building a world class arena. That’s why the team left. We now have that world class arena in place. It will stand the test of time. The building is phenomenal for basketball,” Leiweke said, via Levine. “And we’re super excited about the Clippers playing the Portland Trail Blazers here. And in fact, two games that are gonna play here, the first NBA game in our building will happen that first week in October – and we’re going to have a packed house and in our own Seattle way we will tell the world we are here. We are ready.”
But Leiweke added that Seattle has to continue to be patient, and has to make sure not to get ahead of commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA.
“Well, you know, we have an owner that owns part of an NBA team. So there’s a built-in affinity there,” he said. “And I would just say, I came back to make some stuff happen. And we’re not done yet. And so, I don’t want to get ahead of the commissioner.
“But we’ve tried to do everything right. From privately financing a building, to saving a historic landmark, to embedding more capacitors and getting the monorail fixed, being great partners with the Storm, to building a training center. We’ve done everything right. But we’re not done. And we know this town won’t be fulfilled until we bring the NBA back.”
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