Hornets to return to OKC in '06-07

[Young Drachma]

lINK (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2309791)



The Hornets appear headed toward maintaining its home base in Oklahoma City, with several visits to New Orleans for the 2006-07 season, the Times-Picayune reported.

While the number of games played in New Orleans next season is uncertain, the team is expected to return to New Orleans full time for the 2007-08 season, according to the paper.

Are we that surprised?

[Airhog]

I think the hornets have done very well here in OKC. Now this may just be because its the first season, and I am not sure if this could sustain for 10-15 years. It will be interesting to see if they move permanently

[Cuckoo]

I'm making a prediction that the Hornets stay permanently in OKC and that New Orleans will get a new team once things are ready there.

The reason I say that is that I think the NBA figures interest in any future team in OKC will never reach what they have for the Hornets. Sort of a "first love" kind of situation. Whereas New Orleans isn't ready to support a team right now and might not be for a couple of seasons.

[LloydLungs]

Supposedly... SUPPOSEDLY... there is no legal out for the Hornets and they must return to Louisiana. Their only legal out would have been if the Arena was too badly damaged to occupy. Technically, as I understand it, the state of Louisiana COULD force them back next season seeing as how the Arena will host three games in March. It seems they are willing to waive that right, which tells me that there is an amicable relationship between the Hornets and the state. The Hornets get to keep making tons of money in OKC, and New Orleans gets another year to ensure that they have the population necessary to avoid embarrassing attendance figures over a long 41-game schedule.

However, Louisiana may well get taken for a ride by the Hornets. Who knows what their lawyers could conjure up. The organization allowing Byron Scott's insensitive comments to go without comment is quite telling. They don't appear to have a problem with poisoning the home market, so maybe they have a way to get out of N.O. It would be incredibly unethical given the cooperation they've gotten from the state of Louisiana, but money's the end-all in pro sports.

If the Hornets leave, New Orleans will never in a million years get another NBA team.