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Ric Bucher, ESPN: Vancouver could be favourite for NBA relocation

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  • Ric Bucher, ESPN: Vancouver could be favourite for NBA relocation

    The Sacramento Kings might be on the move after all now that their arena deal has fallen apart. But now it seems Seattle has a new, unexpected competitor in its attempt to land an NBA team.

    Ric Bucher, an NBA reporter for ESPN, told "The Kevin Calabro Show" on Friday that if the Kings were to leave Sacramento, Vancouver, British Columbia would be a "very viable spot."

    "Maybe, quite honestly, the most viable spot right now among places that gets the next NBA franchise that is on the move," Bucher said.

    With investor Chris Hansen working to build an arena in Seattle, Vancouver wouldn't seem to be first in line for a relocated franchise, but Bucher said the city has a few things working in its favor.

    "They have the corporate infrastructure, they have a building that they can readily move into ... they also have a very hot hockey team there currently," he said, referring to the Canucks, who are in first place in the Northwest Division. "It's a place that [the NBA] doesn't want to give up on."

    NBA commissioner David Stern has faced turmoil in the past year with several franchises, including the Hornets and Bobcats and now the Kings. What would he think of a move across the Canadian border?

    "We know that David Stern has always wanted to make this as global as possible. And everything that I'm hearing is that the China experiment failed, that the current owners are not interested in expanding into Europe anytime soon," Bucher said. "This is a way to expand back globally a little bit without it being too risky."

    Some might see this as a blip on the NBA relocation radar, but Bucher insists Vancouver will remain a strong player in the battle for a franchise.

    "It was one of those things on the NBA coconut- telegraph that will not go away as far as Vancouver being far more attractive than Anaheim," he said, "and even having the ability to elbow Seattle out of the way."

    Time will tell if the Kings will move from Sacramento and exactly where they'll land. The silver lining for Seattle: Hansen is moving forward with his plans to build an arena in SoDo and remains committed to bringing the NBA back to the city.

    The question remains as to just how long we'll wait.


    http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=384&sid=...medium=twitter
    Stern has said that his biggest regret in his 30 years as NBA commish is what happened in Vancouver. I recall that said during lockout.

  • #2
    Calgary needs a team and the fact that I'm moving there has nothing to do with it.

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    • #3
      Kind of makes sense...how many places do you have left that has a ready arena, corporate infrastructure, a sizable asian population (that the nba wants to cultivate country wise) and nearness to the US border not to mention there is pretty depressed basketball audience in BC who were upset when the Grizzlies moved...no thanks to Jackson who really screwed up that franchise with his picks.

      Apollo, do u really think Calgary could support a nba franchise?

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      • #4
        If they do go to Vancouver what would they call themselves, the Van-city Riots, Van-city Luongos or last but not least Vancouver Pacificers.
        NBADoppelgangers.tumblr.com

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        • #5
          Canadian basketball has definitely been on the rise over the last couple years, it could make sense to move a team to Vancouver in the near future.

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          • #6
            I was just thinking that and now i got flash backs of Shareef Abdul Raheem. Put up a team in van city to compete with the Raps and call them the Vancouver Vipers

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            • #7
              Bendit wrote: View Post
              Kind of makes sense...how many places do you have left that has a ready arena, corporate infrastructure, a sizable asian population (that the nba wants to cultivate country wise) and nearness to the US border not to mention there is pretty depressed basketball audience in BC who were upset when the Grizzlies moved...no thanks to Jackson who really screwed up that franchise with his picks.

              Apollo, do u really think Calgary could support a nba franchise?
              Hell no. It was more tongue in cheek. I don't think there is a strong basketball culture there but I could be wrong.

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              • #8
                About damn time Vancity'! We are getting a franchise back! I hope

                I remember when I was about 4 years old, I would watch Grizz games downtown live! But that was 12 years ago....
                Twitter: @ReubenJRD • NBA, Raptors writer for Daily Hive Vancouver, Toronto.

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                • #9
                  Stern owes Canada another team! if Charlotte keeps getting teams, why shouldn't Vancouver?

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                  • #10
                    Bendit wrote: View Post
                    ...Apollo, do u really think Calgary could support a nba franchise?
                    I think Calgary has a big enough corporate culture but as Apollo has said, maybe not the fanbase.

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                    • #11
                      Yeah, Calgary is one of the riches cities in Canada. Its the Canadian corporate center for oil and gas.

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                      • #12
                        It is Ric Bucher though...

                        I think Seattle gets a team before Vancouver, but Vancouver needs a team.

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                        • #13
                          With the league's focus on global expansion and Vancouver being a culturally diverse location I wouldn't rule it out.

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                          • #14
                            I live here in TO, and I am not sure how many of you actually live out West, but I lived in Vancouver for a while and nobody gave a flying #$&! over there about ball when they had a team, and no one cared when they left. Did the NBA mess up? Probably. But it'll be a tough climb as long as the Canucks are good. Overall, the more NBA in Canada the better

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                            • #15
                              It's probably either Vancouver or Montreal. I don't know if any other city would have a realistic shot.

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