This information is coming mostly from our Olympia reporter, Sean Cockerham, who has been doing a great job following this story. The legislature rejected the Sonics' bid for $300 million in state money, prompting Clay Bennett to issue a statement saying their is little chance the Sonics and Storm can remain in the Puget Sound region. The statement was strongly worded, and I was told Clay was pretty angry at the decision. According to Sean, the legislature got Gov. Chris Gregoire to phone Clay and ask him to move his deadline, basically asking him to come back next year and try again. His answer was a flat no. The issue, of course, is not completely dead, as we learned with the Mariners stadium in 95. As Clay told some allies a few weeks ago, this is when the real negotiating begins.

A few of my own thoughts and questions: What does this now mean for the coaching staff and Rick Sund? Because if this is going to be a lame-duck season next year, why bother going out and getting a brand-new coach and brand-new staff. It might make sense just to keep everybody in place, let the year play out and then make changes, if it comes to that, when the team is ready to move. That may go against sound decision-making on the business side, but it could play out that way.

Also, what happens if the Sonics miraculously get the first or second pick in the NBA draft? Wouldn't it be beautiful if the old cold envelope came into play on May 22, the chance of getting Greg Oden fires up the city and then they realize that the team is about to leave and one of the premier players of the future with it? Would that get people inspired enough to build the arena?

How does Clay figure out the lease if he decides to leave after next season? There still will be a couple years left on the lease with KeyArena and $30 million or so in debt left to be covered. Is the only way to negotiate his way out of it to pay off the leftover debt? I have to think at this point that the gloves come off with Clay and he begins playing hardball. Well, we said all along this was going to get bloody. The bloodletting has begun.