Talking Points: Hansen to take different approach for NBA team

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As NBA owners approved the sale of the Sacramento Kings to a group that will keep the team in the California capital, Chris Hansen said Tuesday that he remains committed to bringing a team to Seattle.

Hansen also said he did not foresee Sacramento making a strong effort to keep the franchise, and that his group, “is not going to be predatory going after other cities . . . we will be extra careful the next time to assure that it is a team that the NBA wants to move and that it is truly not working in that community.”

After falling victim to robber baron Clay Bennett, then coming up with a strong ownership group and plans for a new arena, Seattle deserves a team.

If only there were a way the NBA could add an extra franchise . . . hmmm, maybe some way to expand the league. David Strern’s shabby treatment of Seattle will forever taint his legacy if the city doesn’t have a franchise before he leaves office.

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Let’s face it, the nickname of the NFL team based in Washington, D.C., is embarrassing. Maybe it’s offensive, maybe it isn’t . . . “offensive” requires a subjective measurement. But it is embarrassing.

For the team based in the nation’s capital to use a phrase long used as an epithet towards Native Americans is really indefensible. Team owner Daniel Snyder recently said, “We’ll never change the name. It’s that simple. NEVER — you can use all caps.”

But we’re guessing that 20 or 30 years from now the reaction will be more like, “REALLY? They used to call them Redskins? That’s embarrassing.”