Lame Duckage Prolonged

A key deadline in regards to the Sonics' short-term future in Seattle came and went yesterday, with team ownership declining to file relocation papers with the league, which would have started the process that would land the team in Oklahoma City. This means the Sonics will play at least one more season in the intimate Key. Also significant is that the Hornets are going to return to New Orleans next season. This could all trigger a few scenarios: (1) Gregoire and the legislature stuff Licata & Co., and the Sonics get their new house. (2) The Supes fail in their quest for a new building, and Oklahoma Citians, without a team for the first time in three years, lobby hard to bring the Supes down south -- and we don't mean Renton. (3) The Supes fail in their quest for a new building, the Supes land Greg Oden in the draft and surprise everyone and play as well as they did in 2004, awakening casual fans from their slumber and spurring an emergency "Save Our Supes" plan championed by Flip-Flop Nickels. (4) The Hornets, back in New Orleans, average 5,000 fans per game; not because they're bad, but because New Orleans' populous is either too poor or sparse to support an NBA franchise. George Shinn files relocation papers to high-tail it back to Oklahoma, thus stranding the Supes in Seattle, at least until Vegas ups its clamor. #2 is obviously the likeliest scenario; what I'm wondering is which of the others is the runner-up.