Stern reveals Sonics preparing to bolt Seattle

With leaping ability the envy of a superhero, Dwight Howard delivers his contest-clinching effort in the Slam Dunk contest. (Eric Gay/Associated Press)

NEW ORLEANS - NBA commissioner David Stern revealed last night that the SuperSonics have offered to pay off the remaining two years of their lease at Key Arena, as well as the remaining indebtedness from the bond on the building, to facilitate their departure from Seattle.

According to Stern, the city rejected the Sonics' offer, which Stern said was nearly $30 million. "It's bad public policy," said Stern, who has been critical of Seattle's handling of the situation. He said the Sonics will either leave the city at the end of this season, presumably to move to Oklahoma City, or at the end of the 2009-10 season, when the lease expires.

"It's apparent to all who are watching that the Sonics are getting out of Seattle," Stern said in his annual All-Star Game meeting with reporters. "There's not going to be a new arena. There's not going to be a public contribution. I accept the inevitability at this point. There is no miracle here."

Stern also touched on a number of other points, among them:

There is no evidence to support that disgraced and terminated referee Tim Donaghy affected the outcome of any NBA games. Stern had said he wanted to meet with Donaghy at some point, but that has not occurred. "We were told it was inappropriate to meet prior to his sentencing," Stern said.

Everything is moving swiftly in the reinstatement process of Chris Andersen, who was kicked out of the league for two years for drug use. "The background checks are in full swing," Stern said. "We are working as fast as we can to conduct the speediest investigation we can." Both the NBA and the Players Association have to sign off on Andersen's reinstatement. If they do, the New Orleans Hornets will have 30 days to sign or release him.

The league has not spoken to the Mavericks regarding the statement of Jerry Stackhouse, who appeared to hint that there was a deal in which he would be traded to New Jersey in the Jason Kidd deal, released, and then return to the Mavericks. Nets boss Rod Thorn said no such deal was in place. "There can't be a deal in advance," Stern said. "He is allowed to go back if he waits 30 days. [Stackhouse] speculating on it doesn't make it an agreement."

That there is nothing new to report on possible expansion to Europe, despite a recent report that seemed to indicate something was close. Stern repeated what he has said all along - that any expansion to Europe is years away, will involve several teams, and can only happen when the cities have NBA-ready arenas. Right now, only London has an NBA-ready building, although one is soon to open in Berlin.

Howard duke of dunk

Magic center Dwight Howard scored a landslide victory in the Slam Dunk contest, crushing ex-Celtic Gerald Green in the finals by winning 78 percent of the fan vote. The winner was decided by text message and Internet voting. Howard had a series of creative dunks, including one from behind the basket, one where he took the ball off a mini basket stuck to the backboard, and another while wearing a Superman jersey and cape, although it looked as though it didn't quite qualify as a dunk. (Maybe that's why Magic coach Stan Van Gundy was questioning Howard's focus of late. He clearly spent a lot of time preparing for the contest.)

"I really wanted to win it for all the big men," said Howard. "Everyone said big men don't look good dunking. Everyone said I couldn't do it. I believe in myself. I believed I could do it."

Green, the defending champion, dunked once in his (green) socks and another time by blowing out a candle on a cupcake sitting on the flat part of the rim. Jamario Moon of the Raptors and Rudy Gay of the Grizzlies were the other participants.

Kapono king of arc

Jason Kapono of the Raptors blew away the two other finalists with a record-tying performance and repeated as the champion of the Three-Point Shootout. Kapono recorded 25 points in the final round, tying the record set in 1986 by three-time champion Craig Hodges.

"I felt pretty good out there," understated Kapono, who only missed five of 25 shots in the final round, where he easily beat Cleveland's Daniel Gibson (17) and Dallas's Dirk Nowitzki (14), the 2006 champion, a late replacement for the injured Kobe Bryant. Kapono, who won last year as a member of the Heat, is the sixth player in the history of the competition to win the title more than once. Two-time champion Peja Stojakovic (2002, 2003) was eliminated in the first round along with Steve Nash and Detroit's Richard Hamilton.

Injury report

Doc Rivers gave an update on the latest of the injured Celtics and it's a good news/bad news thing. Brian Scalabrine, who strained his right groin against the Knicks Wednesday, is the bad news part. "I think Scal is going to be out for a while," Rivers said. "We don't know how long. Groin pulls are tough." The good news was for Glen Davis, who strained his left quad in the same game and also has a knee bruise. "Baby's fine," Rivers said of Davis. "He should be back at practice [tomorrow] and playing Tuesday." . . . Three of Rivers's four children are with him this weekend and all were on the court for the morning "practice" of the Eastern Conference squad. The only one missing was Jeremiah, who plays for Georgetown. The Hoyas lost at Syracuse yesterday. "To me, over everything, that's the best part of this weekend, having the family here," Rivers said. "They get to meet guys. Just because I'm in the league, they don't know the players. [On Friday], Kobe Bryant sat next to [son] Spencer the entire bus ride. We had to go out in the rain and Kobe gave him his coat to wear and Spencer was on Cloud Nine. He has stories for a lifetime now."

Rookie advice

While the Kidd-to-Dallas trade remained unresolved, there is one person who hopes it stays that way - Nets rookie center and ex-Boston College Eagle Sean Williams. "Devean George, stick to your guns," Williams said. George, who has exercised a no-trade clause in his contract, has prevented the Nets and Mavericks from consummating the deal . . . Remember when Paul Pierce expressed amazement that Atlanta's Joe Johnson was selected by the coaches over Ray Allen? Well, Johnson heard about it - and dismissed it forthwith. "It doesn't bother me," he said. "It goes in one ear and goes right out the other. I don't let that worry me." . . . A representative from the Guinness World Records Book was at the Eastern Conference practice. Why? Because six players each had 60 seconds to see how many shots they could make from halfcourt. LeBron James and Kidd each made three, but two of Kidd's were underhanded. So the man from Guinness determined that both players set world records, one for underhand shots and one for overhand shots . . . Rivers said he hopes his team runs. "If we get caught up in a halfcourt game with [the West], we'll get killed," he said. The East is sorely lacking in big men.