A city lawyer believes that the Sonics has an obligation to Seattle, according to a report by the Associated Press.

In his opening statement, Seattle lawyer Paul Lawrence said the city only agreed in the mid-1990s to spend $84 million to renovate the old Seattle Coliseum, now KeyArena, because the team agreed to stay until 2010.

Owner Clay Bennett is attempting to move the team to his hometown of Oklahoma City.

"These are all sophisticated businessmen who know what it means to sign and assume a contract," Bennett said. "They can afford the losses they knew were coming."