David Stern sees a team in Seattle within 5 years

Sullen Seattle Supersonic fans might have something to smile about in the next half decade, as NBA commissioner David Stern recently shared his plans to have a new team in the city within the next five years, according Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.

Here's what the National Basketball Association's head honcho had to say on the subject when questioned by reporters in Milan, Italy:

"It would be my hope that within the time frame that you mentioned, five years, that if everything works out perfectly, there would be a new arena and new team in Seattle. That's always for the board of governors, but I know that many governors are favorably inclined."

This is the first big news on the matter since 44-year-old hedge-fund manager Chris Hansen announced his intention to build a new sports arena in Seattle back in February. The cost of this proposed arena has been estimated at $400 million and the prospect of purchasing an NBA team could almost double that number.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn also met with the commissioner back in June about the possibility of bringing professional basketball back to his city. And Stern's recent words confirm that that meeting apparently went quite well with Seattle set to house a team sooner than most could have ever hoped.

It's unclear at this point if Stern plans to move an already existing franchise back to Seattle or if the NBA is contemplating a possible expansion in the near future. Regardless, this is exciting news for die-hard Supersonic fans who may be bitter about watching their former team excel in Oklahoma City.

This story was originally published at SBNation.com.