Sonics, frozen in time

Team president Wally Walker says the owners of the Seattle SuperSonics are willing to pay "not less than" $18.3 million toward a $220 million arena project.

Ooooooooooooooooo. Eighteen million dollars.

Who does the National Basketball Association think it is with such a chintzy offer? NASCAR?

To recap, the Sonics are tired of the remodeled KeyArena at Seattle Center and want taxpayers to build them a retail mall that also includes a basketball court and lots of luxury boxes.

The deal is pretty straightforward: The public gets the mortgage and the Sonics would keep all the profits.

If City Hall does not capitulate to these demands in 30 days, the team is threatening to move. Maybe to Bellevue, maybe out of state.

The team's aggressive tone is understandable. No one plays defense in the NBA.

Our choice would be serious negotiations that keep the team here, or close by in a Puget Sound area code.

Insulting offers do not build the goodwill necessary to close a generously subsidized deal. Keep it up, and no one will bother to whistle the Sonics for traveling.