SEATTLE – As former SuperSonics owner Howard Schultz prepares a lawsuit trying to rescind the team's 2006 sale to an Oklahoma-based group, Oklahoma City officials say the team is now obligated to move there, regardless of who owns it.

According to an online report by The Oklahoman newspaper, the assistant municipal counselor for Oklahoma City says "there is an expectation by City leadership and citizens that the owners of the Team, whomever they may be, will honor all of the Team's contractual obligations with the City — including the contractual obligation to relocate to Oklahoma City and to play home games at the Ford Center for the duration of the term of the lease."

The report says Assistant Municipal Counselor Wiley L. Williams wrote in a nine page letter that the city is prepared to sue if the team doesn't relocate.

Schultz, who sold the team in July 2006, is suing the current owners led by Clay Bennett, saying that they did not negotiate in good faith for 12 months to secure a new arena for the Sonics in the Seattle area as promised. E-mails obtained by the City of Seattle in its lawsuit to keep the Sonics through the team's lease that ends in 2010 shows that the owners were talking amongst each other about moving the team well before the 12 months was over.

Schultz wants the team to be held in trust until a local buyer can be found.

Seattle's case goes to trial June 16. The judge says she'll hear six days of evidence then make her decision. If she rules for the Sonics owners, the team may move to Oklahoma City for next season, which begins in late October.

The NBA has already approved the move.