Kings staying in Sacramento for at least one more year

[Andrew]

NBA gives Kings extension to mull relocation plans

The decision on a future home for the Sacramento Kings will be delayed at least another month after the NBA granted the team an extension Tuesday to file an application for relocation next season, setting up a fight between California cities for the franchise.

The Kings, already engaged in talks about moving south to Anaheim, will have the opportunity to discuss their options at the NBA Board of Governors meetings April 14-15. The team has until April 18 to decide if it plans to relocate for next season, getting an extension on the March 1 deadline.

“The likelihood of them leaving is probably greater than them staying, but it’s not a done deal,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA player.

I remember talk of the Kings possibly relocating going as far back as the 1997 season but it seems it's finally going to happen at some point in the near future; Johnson certainly doesn't sound that confident that the city will be able to keep them. So much for the speculation that the Maloofs would take them to Las Vegas.

[Murat]

Las Vegas Kings? It will be a great timing if they leave Sacramento, but in the recap of Clippers-Kings I saw a few people that they want basketball in Sacramento. Like the way that Seattle move up to Oklahoma City, it'll be great. I'm unsure about the basketball love of Las Vegas though.

[benji]

The only way a NBA team lands in Las Vegas is over Stern's dead body and the dead bodies of every major casino owner in the town.

Like the way that Seattle move up to Oklahoma City, it'll be great.

Down.

[Houndy]

Oh I know the new name of the Kings.

The Sacramento Kings of Anaheim.

[rise]

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6225619&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines

[Cleveland wins]

Los Angeles royals sounds interesting being a third La team.

[Andrew]

As noted here, the Kings have been wearing Royals throwbacks as of late. It could simply be a coincidence, it's far from the first time a team has worn retro jerseys from an era in which the franchise had a different moniker, but in this case it probably is a subtle way of getting the name out there for the potential move and name change.

[Andrew]

KJ has pretty much given up hope:

In a strongly worded blog posted on his website Tuesday night, Mayor and former NBA player Kevin Johnson wrote the franchise’s possible relocation to Anaheim “feels like a slow death” and this “will likely be the Kings’ final weeks in Sacramento after 26 years.”

Johnson met with Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof last month and has believed since that the Kings will leave after this season.

[john26]

KJ is the mayor of Sacramento?

[Andrew]

That's right.

[The X]

It's sad. I look back at the Richmond-Grant days & the Divac-Webber-Peja-Christie-Bibby(/White Chocolate)-Bobby Jackson-Scot Pollard-Hedo days with fond memories.

Such is life

[Andrew]

It's a shame about what happened in 2002, that turned out to be their best shot at winning it all. I don't go in for all the conspiracy stuff so I don't believe the league full-on rigged anything, but I think that series is always going to raise questions about officiating in the NBA.

[Jackal]

[fanboy] The Lakers won that year.

I thought the officiating was amazing. It's like the Heat/Dallas series. [/fanboy]

[car88935]

Yeah, if it wasn't for game 6 Sacramento would have won that series, because they were better than the Lakers and they had the best record in the NBA to prove that.

[benji]

If it wasn't for Divac knocking the ball to Horry in game four, if it wasn't for their inability to hit free throws or three pointers in game seven, if it wasn't for an injured Pedja Stojakovic, if it wasn't for Shaq and Kobe, they could have won that series too.

Game six was a terrible display by the refs, but it's not why the Kings lost the series and never won a title.

[Andrew]

Indeed. The impact of the officiating should be acknowledged and the referees held accountable for their performance (then and now), but it does tend to overshadow mistakes, shortcomings and other factors that contributed to the Kings losing that series. I'd say the same of the 2006 Finals, but it's the officiating that tends to stand out in most people's minds.

[shadowgrin]

Chris Webber shouldn't have called that timeout they didn't have. That started it all.

[benji]

He was just trying to be like Paul Westphal in the greatest game of all time.

Without the favorable rule situation though.

[adv1s5]

I've lived in Anaheim my whole life. The basketball fans of the city are almost entirely devoted to the Lakers. The Kings will have to make a crazy-ass playoff push if they want any fans soon.

[shadowgrin]

Playoffs? Donald Sterling proved that you can make a profit even by losing games. Who needs fans?

[[Q]]

well i live in anaheim now and southern california my whole life and i can't say there's gonna be too much support for the kings/royals. everyone and their mothers are lakers fans. the rest are haters and like the clippers out of spite and also there are the blake griffin bandwagoners too. that doesn't leave too many people. i guess they could find a niche for casual fans who want to see games but are too lazy to drive to downtown LA. also, there's those rich OC people from Newport & those wealthy areas that want their own team to support if they're not big basketball fans... people like the bandwagon Angels fans when they make it to the world series, or USC when they do well in football.

[benji]

The real point is that moving the team will get the Maloof's some quick cash and let them sell the team.

Not that this will work.

[Andrew]

Strong indications Kings may be in Sacramento next year

While the outcome is far from certain here, there are strong indications that the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, is facing enough opposition to the move to force it back to Sacramento. The Maloofs have already been pushed into two overtimes, as the original April 18 deadline to file for relocation was extended twice and now sits at May 2.

The next two days are pivotal. Johnson will host relocation committee chairman and Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett and league counsel Harvey Benjamin in Sacramento and attempt to prove the case the mayor made so strongly at the NBA's Board of Governors meetings last week: that his city remains a viable market. On the other bench, sources say the Anaheim presentation given at the meetings was as ineffective as Johnson's was impactful, and there is serious doubt as to whether there will be enough support to warrant the Maloofs filing for relocation (a majority vote is needed to approve a move when a team files).

Specifically, a source with knowledge of the proposal revealed that the television rights riches that had long been seen as a major motivating factor for the Maloofs aren't quite as lucrative as they had hoped. And while it had been assumed they would attempt to fill the programming void left by the Lakers at Fox Sports West due to their recent megadeal with Time Warner that starts in 2012, two sources said that is not the case.

[shadowgrin]

relocation committee chairman and Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett

wtf?

[Andrew]

Who better to consult when it comes to disappointing a fanbase with relocation plans?