BOB, GROZ AND TOM

Wassell: Why Russell Wilson’s reported deadline is reminiscent of former Sonics owner

Apr 4, 2019, 1:40 PM

Does Russell Wilson really want to sign a contract extension with the Seahawks this offseason, or is his reported April 15 deadline for the Seahawks to get a new deal done with him more about positioning himself to look better in the eyes of the public?

Report: Russell Wilson sets April 15 deadline for new contract

The former makes sense to 710 ESPN Seattle’s Tom Wassell, who said on Thursday’s edition of Bob, Groz and Tom that Wilson’s deadline reminds him of how former Seattle Sonics owner Clay Bennett operated as he was working towards moving the team to Oklahoma City.

“When (Bennett) said he was committed to keeping the team here, and even floated the idea of that stadium down in Renton, he knew the entire time that the local politicians were never going to put up the money for that arena,” Wassell said. “So he could say until the cows come home, ‘I want to be here, I want to be here,’ but he knew all along that that wasn’t going to happen.

“I think Russell Wilson setting this date, it’s possible that he’s saying that knowing all along that the Seahawks cannot get (an extension with Wilson) done by that deadline. Because what he really wants is not to push his way out of here but to forgo this whole thing, get (franchise) tagged (for the 2020 season) and get a new deal potentially after the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.”

To get the full scope of the conversation between Wassell, Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby, watch the embedded video in this post.

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Wassell: Why Russell Wilson’s reported deadline is reminiscent of former Sonics owner