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The NBA-owned New Orleans Hornets have been sold to Saints owner Tom Benson for a price sources said is $338 million. Benson is the sole owner and no partners are involved. "I'm not too good with partners," Benson said. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Owners, Tom Benson 

Tom Benson’s purchase of the Hornets on Friday brought stability to the team’s future in New Orleans. It also has brought steadiness to the bench and front office. According to a league source, Benson plans to keep Monty Williams as coach and Dell Demps as general manager, both of whom were hired in 2010. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Coaching, Monty Williams, Dell Demps, Tom Benson 

Williams, who has yet to meet with his new boss, said the settlement of the ownership issue brings ease to a franchise that seemed to be teetering since the NBA took the unprecedented step of purchasing it from George Shinn and Gary Chouest in December 2010. “I think when you have somebody like Mr. Benson, I think it makes it a ton easier because you have stability and you have foundation and you have a bit of an umbrella that comforts you from some of the storms when you don’t have an owner,’’ Williams said. “So I think it can only be good for me as a coach, our players and especially our city, and that fans can totally commit to our city.’’ New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Coaching, Monty Williams, Dell Demps, Tom Benson 

The NBA-owned New Orleans Hornets have been sold to Saints owner Tom Benson for a price sources said is $338 million. Benson is the sole owner and no partners are involved. "I'm not too good with partners," Benson said. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson 

Benson, who initially bid to purchase the team in January but was put off by the league's asking price, said Friday he was worried that other absentee ownership groups might attempt to move the team out of the city, despite a new lease agreement that will bind the Hornets to New Orleans Arena through the 2024 season. One of the bidding groups, headed by California swimwear manufacturer Raj Bhathal, included Benson's youngest brother, Larry, a San Antonio automobile dealer. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson 

One of the bidding groups, headed by California swimwear manufacturer Raj Bhathal, included Benson's youngest brother, Larry, a San Antonio automobile dealer. I told Larry I was a little bit concerned, even though he said he wasn't going to do it, the first downturn he'd be looking to go to California or some place," Benson said in his suite at the St. Regis Hotel where the meeting took place. "That wasn't very good. "We really never stopped talking to them (the NBA). With out of state owners. . . . I called David (Stern, NBA commissioner) and said, 'Look I'm the only guy you can count on who's really going to stay here. Let's work this thing out.' " New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson 

Benson said he is also trying to change the name of the NBA team to better fit the ambience, culture and charm of New Orleans. "We need to find a name like (Jazz)," Benson said, referring to New Orleans first NBA team that relocated to Salt Lake City in 1979. "Whether we can get that or let us use that, you've got to know we're working on it. We'd like to change it tomorrow. We have not gotten that approved, but we're not letting up on it, either. Because we've got a good relationship with the commissioner and his people and we're going to be on them daily to do something." New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson 

Steve Kauffman: Benson a solid,veteran owner.He will realize, or get advice from David, Adam etc.re front office. Good people but really need depth & expr. Twitter

New Orleans Hornets, Tom Benson 

New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson will be announced as the owner of the New Orleans Hornets this afternoon, according to sources. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, David Stern, NFL, New Orleans Saints, Tom Benson 

Benson will own 100 percent of the team. The purchase price has not been announced, but it is expected to be in the neighborhood of $340 million. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, David Stern, NFL, New Orleans Saints, Tom Benson 

The NBA’s days as an owner of the New Orleans Hornets are drawing to a close. The league reached a tentative agreement early Friday morning with New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson to buy the team for $338 million, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions. NBA.com

New Orleans Hornets, David Stern, NFL, New Orleans Saints, Tom Benson 

The NBA Board of Governors is poised to approve the sale of the New Orleans Hornets to Saints owner Tom Benson for $338 million, sources familiar with the transaction said Friday. The league's owners and their representatives were meeting at the St. Regis Hotel and still have to vote in the affirmative for Benson to assume control of the franchise, but at this point there isn't expected to be any roadblocks standing in the way of a positive vote. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, David Stern, NFL, New Orleans Saints, Tom Benson 

Sources said the NBA, which acquired the Hornets in December 2010 from founding owner George Shinn to prevent Shinn from selling to an investor who planned to move the franchise out of New Orleans, confirmed the purchase prices. The league paid about $318 million for the Hornets, then contributed additional capital into the last 16 months, reportedly in the neighborhood of $18 million. New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans Hornets, David Stern, George Shinn, NFL, New Orleans Saints, Tom Benson 

The league chose Benson, who will be purchasing the team by himself, over a group of investors including businessman Raj Bhathal and former NBA head coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy, and former minority owner Gary Chouest, who had tried unsuccessfully to buy the team from majority owner George Shinn three years ago. The Bhathal group also included Larry Benson, Tom Benson’s younger brother. NBA.com

New Orleans Hornets, Mike Dunleavy, David Stern, George Shinn, Gary Chouest, NFL, New Orleans Saints, Raj Bhathal, Tom Benson