The NBA Just Gave Seattle Permission to Dream Again, and One Family Might Make It Real
It took 12 years, David Bonderman's death, and a Wednesday night board meeting in New York, but the NBA finally said yes to Seattle. And the person who might bring basketball back to Climate Pledge Arena is the last person anyone expected: Bonderman's daughter, Samantha Holloway.
Here is how we got here. Back in February 2014, Bonderman walked into NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's office as a minority owner of the Boston Celtics. But he was not there to talk hoops history. He had one thing on his mind: bringing an expansion NBA team to Seattle. Silver remembered it so clearly that he joked about it every time they crossed paths after that. "I miss him," Silver said this week.
Bonderman eventually stopped pushing. The NHL came calling instead, and the Kraken were born at Climate Pledge Arena with Bonderman as majority owner. But now, after Bonderman's death in December 2024, his daughter Holloway has taken over as the Kraken's executive chair and equal co-owner. And she inherited her father's dream.
The Green Light is On
On Wednesday, the NBA Board of Governors voted to move forward with "robust talks" about expansion to Seattle and Las Vegas. That means Silver and Holloway can finally have the serious conversations they could not have before. "I've made clear to her, and she understands, that until our board made a decision that we're ready to explore this next state of expansion there was nothing specific she and I could talk about," Silver explained. Now they can.
One Roof Sports and Entertainment, Holloway's group, is the only publicly known bidder so far. But do not expect it to stay that way. Silver said he expects multiple groups to emerge in each city, which means a full vetting process. "There will be groups that were waiting to see whether this became official who will be reaching out to league office," Silver said. "I think that will happen in the next couple of months."
What Comes Next
The process will start with interested groups expressing their wherewithal and preliminary valuations. It is not an auction, Silver was clear about that, but a chance for groups to show their vision. The league will dig into the arena situation, practice facilities, revenue streams, and franchise profitability. More groups means a longer process and likely a higher expansion fee. One Roof will be part of the examination, but Seattle's future could depend on whether anyone else steps up to bid.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.