January 11, 2001 - Schultz Buys Sonics
After more than 17 years of owning the Seattle Sonics, Barry Ackerley was finally forced as the year 2001 dawned to sell the team in order to bring cash to his Ackerley Communications. Ackerly found a willing partner in Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, a long time courtside season-ticket holder who desperately wanted into the NBA. Schultz and a group of dozens of investors paid 200 million for the team, and he became the third owner in Sonic history.

November 27, 2000 - Westphal Fired as Head Coach
After a Sonic team picked by many to finish as high as fourth in the Western Conference started the 2000-01 season with a disappointing 6-9 record, it was clear a change had to be made. Coach Paul Westphal was clearly on thin ground after GM Wally Walker had refused to guarantee the fourth year of his deal prior to the season and a near mutiny from the team in Orlando, and he finally got the axe on November 27. His replacement was eventually selected as Nate McMillan, 'Mr. Sonic', on what was initially an interim basis. McMillan won his first two games as head coach at Portland and versus the Lakers, and a new era of Sonic basketball was underway.

September 25, 1997 - Kemp Sent Packing for Baker
At the beginning of the summer of 97, Sonic star forward Shawn Kemp announced during the Finals that he wanted a trade and would holdout if not traded. Sonic GM Walker was between a rock and a hard place, as he had to deal Kemp, but also needed to get good return to satisfy impatient fans and keep the Sonics a contender. Walker came close to dealing Kemp to Denver for forward Antonio McDyess, but finally pulled the trigger on a three-way trade that sent Kemp to Cleveland with guard Sherman Douglas, gave Milwaukee guard Terrell Brandon and forward Tyrone Hill, and landed the Sonics all-star forward Vin Baker. Fans were extremely pleased to land a player of Baker's age and quality, and the Sonics won their third straight division title with Baker, before struggling in the playoffs.

July 21, 1994 - Wally Named GM
After the Sonics' unexpected upset at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in the 1994 playoffs, internal conflict led to the resignation of team President Bob Whitsitt, who had previously been named Executive of the Year by the NBA for the 93-94 season. For the draft, the Sonics brought in former color commentator and Sonic Wally Walker as an analyst. A month later, Walker officially became the GM. Walker later lead the Sonics to three straight Pacific Division titles and an NBA Finals appearance, but has nevertheless been fingered by fans as the source of the Sonics' struggles of late.

January 23, 1992 - Sonics Hire George Karl as Coach
It was a shocking decision. After starting the season 18-18, Sonic President Bob Whitsitt fired head coach K.C. Jones in an effort to find a coach who could better utilize the Sonics' young talent. Fans expected to either see assistant coach Bob Kloppenberg hold the head job for the rest of the season or to have an unemployed ex-NBA coach. They were half right on the second part. Whitsitt headed to Spain to hire George Karl, the brash ex-coach of the Cavaliers and Warriors, as head coach. Karl had been out of the NBA for several years, and was coaching the Real Madrid club in Spain when he was hired, and most experts thought it was a terrible move. However, Karl's attacking style on offense and defense clicked with players like Gary Payton and Kemp, and the Sonics went 27-15 the rest of the way and upse the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs to set the foundation for a tremendous run under Karl.

October 10, 1990 - Sonics Ink First-Round Pick Payton
The Sonics were not a bad team in 89-90, finishing at .500, with a 41-41 record. However, luck was on their side during the NBA's Draft Lottery. The Sonics, who should have picked 11th, received the second pick in the 1990 Draft. They used this pick on a player from just down south -- Oregon State's Gary Payton, who had been named SI's Collegiate Player of the Year. Payton did not find immediate success, struggling his first two seasons in the NBA, but has eventually developed into arguably the finest player to ever wear a Sonic jersey.

July 1, 1986 - Sikma Dealt to Milwaukee
It was the end of an era. Jack Sikma was the only Sonic left from their contention for the NBA title in 1979 and 80, but as the club rebuilt around young talent like Dale Ellis, Tom Chambers, and Xavier McDaniel, the Sonics had little choice but to trade him. After nine seasons, 12,034 points, and 7,729 rebounds, Sikma was traded to a contender -- Milwaukee -- in exchange for center Alton Lister and a swap of second round picks for first rounders in 1987 and 89. He left the Sonics as the team's all-time leader in rebounds, and second in points. He also left a huge hole in the middle which has not truly been filled to this day.

November 30, 1977 - Lenny Becomes Coach . . . Again
It had been over five years since the Sonics traded player/coach Lenny Wilkens away when he finally returned to the position of head coach on the last day of November in 1977. Wilkens had returned to the franchise as GM prior to the season as Bob Hopkins replaced Bill Russell as head coach. Under Hopkins, a team loaded with talent struggled mightily out of the gate, losing seven of their first eight and 12 of their first 17. Hopkins was relieved (literally, as he no longer wanted the job) of his duites after said 17 games with Wilkens taking over. Immediately, the Sonics won five in a row, and were back to .500 by early January. The team finished 42-23 under Wilkens and advanced to the NBA Finals before falling one game short of the championship. Wilkens' magic is virtually unmatched by any other midseason coaching replacement in major pro sports.

August 23, 1972 - Lenny Dealt to Cleveland
With due respect to Bob Rule and Walt Hazzard, Wilkens provided the Sonics their first superstar when he came from the Atlanta Hawks in 1968. He made the all-star team three of his four seasons in Seattle, starting in 1969 and winning the MVP in 1971. Beginning in the 69-70 season, Wilkens added coaching to his resume, leading the Sonics to an 11 game improvement in his three years as coach. So why on earth would the Sonics deal Wilkens? The team had already decided that Bucky Buckwalter would replace Wilkens as head coach. Though Wilkens said he would respect the coach's authority, the Sonics wondered if he could seperate Lenny the player from Lenny the coach. So, in late August, Wilkens was dealt to another floundering expansion franchise, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Without Wilkens, the Sonics fell off horribly, dropping from 47 wins to 26, showing the move to be a poor decision.

December 30, 1970 - Spencer Haywood Jumps from ABA
After Rule suffered a season-ending injury just four games into the 70-71 season, the Sonics were in dire need of more offense. Lacking alternatives, they turned to Haywood, who was playing with the ABA's Denver Rockets. He signed a multi-year contract with the Sonics in direct violation of NBA rules which stated that no player could play in the league before four years after his high school class graduated. Haywood had graduated in '68, meaning he had a year and a half to go. The NBA threatened to void the contract and penalize the Sonics, but Haywood took the league to court, and a District Court ruled that the NBA's policy violated the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Haywood was free to play, and the Sonics could not be penalized. Not only was the move critical for the Sonics -- Haywood holds to this day the highest career scoring average in Sonic history -- but also for today's high school early entries. Without Haywood's victory, these players might still be barred from entering the NBA Draft.