If the Hornets leave Shinn Wins!

Hornets' deal gives OKC more options


Darnell Mayberry
The Oklahoman
Last week's news of the New Orleans Hornets renegotiating their lease to include an
<script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://promos.newsok.com/adx.js"></script> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"> <!-- if (!document.phpAds_used) document.phpAds_used = ','; phpAds_random = new String (Math.random()); phpAds_random = phpAds_random.substring(2,11); document.write ("<" + "script language='JavaScript' type='text/javascript' src=""); document.write ("http://promos.newsok.com/adjs.php?n=" + phpAds_random); document.write ("&what=zone:487"); document.write ("&exclude=" + document.phpAds_used); if (document.referrer) document.write ("&referer=" + escape(document.referrer)); document.write (""><" + "/script>");</script> opt-out clause gives Oklahoma City more NBA options.

The Seattle SuperSonics franchise is no longer the only egg in Oklahoma City's basket.
The Hornets now have just as good a chance of finding the Ford Center as the Sonics.

Hornets owner George Shinn cleverly added a provision to his lease that mandates his
franchise average 14,735 fans from Dec. 1, 2007, through the end of next season or it's
free to walk. Judging by the Hornets' poor crowd support thus far, Shinn is in store for a
much smoother stroll than Sonics chairman Clay Bennett in his search for Oklahoma City.

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