Gary Payton has added a new, personal voice to the conversation around the Seattle SuperSonics.
In an August interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Payton said he and Seattle Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. remain close and spoke optimistically about a group that could help bring the Sonics back.
“We got a good group that’s coming along,” Payton told ScoopB. “First, we’re going to just try to do what we have to do and get it there first.”
For Seattle basketball fans, the quote lands differently because Payton is not merely a former NBA player. He is the defining player of the franchise’s 1990s era, a Hall of Famer and one of the clearest living links between the original Sonics and a potential future version of the team.
What Payton said—and what he did not say
Payton’s comments described ambition and relationships, not a completed ownership deal. He did not identify investors, state that a formal bid had been approved or say that the NBA had recognized a Payton- or Griffey-led group.
That distinction is essential. The NBA has not awarded Seattle a franchise, and it has not publicly confirmed such a group as part of its current expansion process.
Still, Payton’s willingness to talk about helping create a competitive Seattle return gives fans a meaningful view into how former Sonics figures are thinking about the possibility.
Why Ken Griffey Jr. is part of the conversation
Payton and Griffey were two of Seattle’s most recognizable athletes in the 1990s. Payton spent 13 seasons with the Sonics, while Griffey became the face of the Mariners. Their shared history explains why Seattle fans immediately connected the comments to the city’s broader return-to-the-NBA conversation.
The Sonics’ enduring identity is built partly on those ties between the team, its players and the city. Payton’s remarks are a reminder that any potential return would come with a deep bench of alumni who care about what the new franchise represents.
A hopeful statement, not a final step
The NBA’s actual process remains focused on ownership composition, financing and a viable arena plan. The league’s reported request for bidder information is the concrete procedural development to watch.
Payton’s comments belong in a different category: they are a candid expression of interest from a Seattle icon. They offer no timetable and no guarantee. But they do show that, if the Sonics return, some of the people most closely associated with the franchise want a role in making sure Seattle comes back strong.