<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>With the SuperSonics on their way out, Seattle needs to act fast if it wants a new NBA team soon. Commissioner David Stern sent the city a warning Wednesday, saying officials have less than 18 months to come up with a funding plan for a KeyArena renovation if there’s hope of an NBA return within five years. A settlement reached Wednesday between the SuperSonics and the city terminates the current lease and allows owner Clay Bennett to move the team to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season. Stern said the league was aware that city, county and state officials were discussing a $300 million renovation of the arena, adding the league would help with the reconstruction plan if the funding was approved. But it’s got to happen fast. “Given the lead times associated with any franchise acquisition or relocation and with a construction project as complex as a KeyArena renovation, authorization of the public funding needs to occur by the end of 2009 in order for there to be any chance for the NBA to return to Seattle within the next five years,” Stern said in a statement.</div> Yahoo! Sports
