|
|
|
Tuesday, January 9, 2001
Payton compares Schultz to Mavs' Cuban
Associated Press
|
SEATTLE -- Gary Payton likes the idea of having the chairman
and chief global strategist of Starbucks in charge of the Seattle
SuperSonics.
Longtime owner Barry Ackerley is close to selling the team for a
reported price of $200 million to a group headed by Howard Schultz,
chairman of the Seattle-based coffee chain. The five-person
ownership group would include team president Wally Walker.
Presumably, Walker would continue to run basketball operations.
The sale of the Sonics could be announced by the end of this
week, a league source told The Associated Press on condition of
anonymity.
"It's all good," Payton told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
after practice Monday.
Payton said he has known Schultz for years. He said they became
friends through former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson.
Johnson is a partner with Schultz in Starbucks franchises in Los
Angeles and other urban areas.
Payton said he would expect Schultz to be an involved owner.
"He's cool," Payton said. "He's really into basketball. He'll
be like a Mark Cuban (Dallas Mavericks owner). He'll probably want
to travel with us to see us play. I'm sure he'll come into the
locker room and talk to us. He'll just be more involved."
Coach Nate McMillan, who had his "interim" label removed
Friday and is waiting to negotiate a new contract, said he was
surprised by reports of a pending sale.
"I did get a message (Monday morning) from Wally," McMillan
said. "He said he'd call me later to inform me of what's going on.
But I had no clue the team was even up for sale. I know Schultz is
a bigtime Sonics fan. He's always on the front row. He's always
supported us."
Guard Brent Barry joked that everyone should receive free
Starbucks gift certificates if the deal goes through.
On a serious note, Barry said he hoped new ownership would be
committed to improving the team.
"It's a big financial endeavor that he's getting involved
with," Barry said. "Hopefully, whatever happens, he doesn't have
the team as a chess piece, and it's something he's willing to spend
time with and help the city of Seattle."
Forward Vin Baker called a possible change in ownership
bittersweet because "the Ackerleys have been good to me.
"We've had so many different things happen this year, with
getting Patrick Ewing, and (Paul) Westphal getting fired," Baker
said. "So this would be just another chapter for our team. Who
knows? It might be good."
Ackerley bought the team for $11 million in cash and $11 million
in other compensation from original owner Sam Schulman in November
1983.
The sale would be the first of an NBA franchise since Cuban
bought the Dallas Mavericks last year for $280 million.
|
|
ALSO SEE
Report: Sonics' sale expected to be announced Thursday
|
|
