Judge rules against Schultz's Sonics fight

SEATTLE, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A U.S. District judge has ruled against Howard Schultz on two motions the former Seattle Supersonics owner used to try to keep the NBA team in Seattle.

U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman ruled that Schultz won't be able to split his lawsuit against an ownership group led by businessman Clay Bennett regarding its new ownership of the NBA franchise, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer said Thursday.

The Professional Basketball Club now owns the Sonics franchise and is moving the team to Oklahoma City, a move that Schultz has unsuccessfully attempted to thwart.

Pechman also ruled Wednesday that the NBA can intervene in the ownership case and set an official start date for a related bench trial.

Attorney Brad Keller, who is representing Bennett, said Pechman's rulings opened the door for a prompt beginning to Schultz's "meritless" suit against the group.

"The sooner the Schultz lawsuit is heard, the sooner PBC will prevail," Keller told the newspaper. "Schultz failed in his effort to stall the day of reckoning for his meritless claims."