SEATTLE — I used to live in a four-bedroom house in Los Angeles with a friend who was tasked with finding potential roommates. One day a young man stopped by and seemed instantly smitten with the space.

He said he was in, and told my buddy he'd bring him the first month's rent the next day.

"Sounds like we got a new roomie," I said.

My friend was stone-faced.

"Until I have that check in my hand, I'm not celebrating," he said.

As you might have guessed, that check never came despite the young man's enthusiasm. Which brings us to Bruce Harrell.

At Tuesday's State of the City address at Benaroya Hall, the Seattle mayor said he had an announcement to make before pulling out a basketball from underneath his lectern. Thinking he was going to declare the return of the Sonics, some in the crowd gasped.

Alas, it was just a joke — one that prompted a mixture of laughter and groans before social media panned the gag. Well-intentioned as it may have been, that one hurt.

Why? Because that metaphorical check isn't here yet.

With an arena in place and the NBA hinting at expansion, steam for a Sonics return to Seattle has grown rapidly over the past few years. And in a recent interview with P.J. Carlesimo, NBA commissioner Adam Silver responded to a question about a return to the Emerald City.

"I do love Seattle, P.J., as you know, and you and I together were there for many years of NBA basketball, and our dream is to return to Seattle at some point."

But Silver emphasized that there are more pressing matters to attend to for now — namely the sales of the Timberwolves and Celtics. After that, the focus will turn to expansion.

Except ... haven't we heard that before?

I'm not suggesting Silver is acting dishonestly, but I do remember a previous Q&A in which he mentioned focusing on expansion after the NBA squares away its media rights deal. Well, that has since been squared, yet the conversation hasn't seemed to progress. Is that Sonics return really right around the corner?

In "The Godfather Part II," Michael Corleone mentioned that rival Hyman Roth had been "dying of the same heart attack for 20 years." It has now been nearly 17 years since the Sonics left, and there is still no timetable as to when they will come back.

Make no mistake, things are much different now than they were a few years ago. A state-of-the-art arena sits in Queen Anne, and it's clear the NBA is looking at expansion — with Las Vegas and Seattle as the markets that seem to make the most sense.

But there are still legitimate questions. Among them:

1) Are the league owners going to sign off on adding two teams?

This was one of the major hurdles before and isn't one that is guaranteed to be cleared. Two more teams in the standings means two more teams owners have to share their revenue with. Expansion isn't some philanthropic effort meant to bring joy to a city — it's a way to make more money. If the people in charge don't think bringing on a new franchise or two would do that (remember, ratings are way down) they won't make it happen.

2) Is there someone who will throw down two or three billion dollars for a team?

Billionaires are scarce. Most don't have an interest in owning an NBA franchise. Kraken owner Samantha Holloway is a long way from the unemployment line, but she doesn't have that kind of dough. In 2022, then-Oregonian columnist John Canzano wrote that MacKenzie Scott — Jeff Bezos' ex-wife — was interested in buying the Portland Trail Blazers. Might she turn her attention to the Sonics if the opportunity arose? Maybe. But this is a giant maybe. New teams need a financial whale, and we don't know if one is in place.

3) Even with said whale and owner approval, are we sure Seattle is the landing spot for a second team?

Granted, it sure feels like it right now. And it's doubtful there is any town that would have more emotional support given the nature of the Sonics' departure. It's just that ... Silver keeps mentioning expanding abroad as well. Mexico City is brought up. Europe, too.

Given Seattle's arena and starving fan base, you'd think it would be given top priority — but until that check arrives ...

This column began with an L.A. reference and will end with one, too. It was the City of Angels, remember, that went without an NFL team for more than 20 years despite being the country's second-biggest market. Just because it makes sense to have a team somewhere, doesn't mean it's going to happen.

I still think the Sonics are on their way back soon. It's impossible to know for sure, though. The mayor went for a lighthearted joke Tuesday. But given the uncertainty of the situation, you can't blame people if it felt more like a roast.

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