Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has offered Sonics owners a deal to settle their demands for KeyArena renovations and a more lucrative lease -- and it's now up to team owners to seal professional basketball's fate in Seattle, according to Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis.

"It's really in the team's hands," Ceis said in an interview. "It was definitely an offer that they need to get back to me on."

Part owner Wally Walker said that the "tone" of talks has improved in recent weeks. He also said the team no longer seeks to impose a hard deadline on discussions.