Sacramento Kings Feed: Hoops Rumors tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-95760634158880524 2013-05-25T13:49:00Z TypePad Pacific Notes: Warriors, Howard, Malone, Kings tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e20192aa4c2e31970d 2013-05-25T08:49:00-05:00 2013-05-25T13:38:53Z Let's take a trip out to the West Coast for the latest out of the Pacific Division.. The Warriors have a dilemma on their hands when it comes to whether they should pursue Dwight Howard this summer, writes Marcus Thompson II of the Los Angeles Daily News. While Howard reportedly... Zach Links

Let's take a trip out to the West Coast for the latest out of the Pacific Division..

  • The Warriors have a dilemma on their hands when it comes to whether they should pursue Dwight Howard this summer, writes Marcus Thompson II of the Los Angeles Daily News.  While Howard reportedly likes Golden State, they'd have to move mountains to make that acquisition happen.  For starters, the Warriors don't have the cap room to sign DH and would have to drastically weaken their supporting cast in a sign-and-trade.  Because Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak would be holding the cards, he would demand either David Lee or Andrew Bogut from Golden State.
  • Vivek Ranadive, former Warriors minority owner and the next owner of the Kings, has put Golden State assistant Mike Malone on his list head coaching candidates, a source told Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (via Sulia).
  • Clippers guard Chris Paul had a good experience with his coaching staff in New Orleans, where Malone was the lead assistant, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.  Hornets head coach Monty Williams is happy to see his former assistant talked about as a top candidate for multiple teams and says it's about time.  "You don't know what it takes to get a job. It's not just about basketball all the time. But I just hope, I hope that he gets a job soon," Williams said. "I know he really wants to do it, and I know he'll be a really good head coach. The tough part is knowing I gotta coach against him because I know he really knows his stuff."
 Pacific Rumors: Gentry, Howard, Kings, Evans tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c85fb37970b 2013-05-24T12:12:17-05:00 2013-05-24T17:12:17Z As we head into the offseason, the Clippers and Lakers are looking to retain elite free-agents-to-be, the Warriors are looking for ways to upgrade a roster that's dangerously close to tax territory, the Clippers and Suns are in the market for a new head coach, and the Kings are in... Luke Adams

As we head into the offseason, the Clippers and Lakers are looking to retain elite free-agents-to-be, the Warriors are looking for ways to upgrade a roster that's dangerously close to tax territory, the Clippers and Suns are in the market for a new head coach, and the Kings are in the process of changing ownership groups. The Pacific Division certainly isn't lacking for storylines, so let's round up the latest on a few of them:

  • Alvin Gentry has a standing invitation to join Mike D'Antoni's staff with the Lakers as an assistant, but is more interested in the Clippers' open head coaching spot, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes. Gentry is expected to be among the candidates receiving consideration once the process gets more serious, says Shelburne.
  • Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link) downplays the significance of a recent report listing Golden State among Dwight Howard's potential destinations. According to Bucher's source, since making a wish list last year that included the Nets, Mavericks, and Lakers, Howard has become more open to the Rockets, but there's been no indication his position on the Hawks or Warriors has changed.
  • Once the new ownership group is able to officially take control of the Kings, Vivek Ranadive and Co. intend to begin sorting out the team's basketball operations "very quickly," as Ranadive tells Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
  • Jones adds within the same piece that Tyreke Evans' free agency figures to be the biggest roster decision facing the Kings this summer. For his part, Evans plans on waiting until the ownership situation stabilizes, and says agent Arn Tellem will meet with management once things are settled.
 Western Notes: Dwight, Gasol, Kings, Grizzlies tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e20192aa3fab71970d 2013-05-23T22:41:51-05:00 2013-05-24T04:12:30Z We've rounded up a few links on Dwight Howard tonight. Peter May of Sheridan Hoops explains why it wouldn't make sense for him to choose a return to the Lakers over a chance to join the Rockets. Marcus Thompson II of Mercury News - going off of the speculation linking... Ryan Raroque

We've rounded up a few links on Dwight Howard tonight. Peter May of Sheridan Hoops explains why it wouldn't make sense for him to choose a return to the Lakers over a chance to join the Rockets. Marcus Thompson II of Mercury News - going off of the speculation linking Dwight to the Warriors - lists some of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of Golden State being able to acquire him. Tim Cowlishaw of SportsDayDFW thinks that the Mavericks will finish fourth behind the Hawks, Houston, and Los Angeles in the sweepstakes for Howard, adding that Dallas has little else to offer aside from no state income tax. Here are a few more links to share out of the Western Conference:

  • On an appearance with Fitzsimmons and Durrett on KESN-FM, ESPN's Chad Ford explained why the Mavericks could have some issues in trying to deal their 13th overall pick. With a draft pick owed to Oklahoma City next year, Dallas can't technically deal their pick until draft night and would have to select a player for a team that they've made a prearranged deal with. Only until after they've drafted a player would they be able to trade his rights in order to get around the NBA rule that prohibits teams from trading a first-round pick in consecutive seasons (hat tip goes to SportsDayDFW).  Though it is a strategy that Ford disagrees with, he admits that the pick will likely be moved. 
  • Later in the interview, Ford spoke about Dallas' chances of adding Dwight, saying that he's more available to them than Chris Paul at this point. He also said that their pitch could also depend on whether or not they can make the team attractive enough to make Howard believe it will contend, and that Houston looks further along in the process in that respect. 
  • Completely focusing on the situation between Howard and the Lakers heading into the summer, Steve Kyler of Hoopsworld says that the big man just wants to enjoy the game again and that it will be up to the team to convince him that he can do so in Los Angeles. Kyler reiterates that Brooklyn had been Howard's initial choice and that L.A. had been someone else's preference (Twitter links).
  • As for Pau Gasol, Kyler predicted that the Lakers will keep him, let his deal expire, and then re-sign him to a cheaper deal, also mentioning that he doesn't think they'd trade him without knowing what happens with Dwight first. 
  • Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee hears that the NBA Board of Governors will take a formal vote on the Kings sale between the Maloofs and the Ranadive-led group on Tuesday next week (Twitter link). 
  • Though there appeared to be some disagreements on the Grizzlies' practice court with regards to making adjustments against the Spurs, Matt Moore of CBS Sports says that there weren't any indications that the players were upset or angry with each other or coach Lionel Hollins and chalks it up to any normal frustration from a team being down 2-0 in the playoffs. Though I wouldn't think that Hollins' future in Memphis is exclusively determined by whether or not he gets the team past the conference finals, it will be intriguing to see if the way they finish the postseason factors into the team's decision on potentially offering him an extension.  
  • Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK gave Kevin Durant his season report card, listing that while he had his best season to date, his good-but-not-great playmaking, the instances where he lacked poise, and his propensity to turn the ball over were reasons why the Thunder superstar didn't earn straight A's this year. To Durant's credit, Mayberry explains why his playoff struggles in recent years may make the 6'9 wingman more determined than ever next season. Lastly, a few of The Oklahoman's staff writers provide their take on Durant's season. 

 

 Odds & Ends: Porter, Falk, Kings, Warriors tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c751ab1970b 2013-05-22T12:42:54-05:00 2013-05-22T17:42:16Z Here's today's look around the Association.. After signing Georgetown product Otto Porter, David Falk is nearly done re-building the FAME agency, tweets Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (via Twitter). “We will sign two or three more players and that is it," said the agent. The new Kings ownership... Zach Links

Here's today's look around the Association..

  • After signing Georgetown product Otto Porter, David Falk is nearly done re-building the FAME agency, tweets Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (via Twitter).  “We will sign two or three more players and that is it," said the agent.
  • The new Kings ownership group is set to buy the Downtown Plaza shopping mall where the team's new arena will be built, according to Tony Bizjak, Dale Kasler, and Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee.  Meanwhile, principal owner Vivek Ranadive is actively talking to people about selling his stake in the Warriors.
  • The NBA players union has expressed interest in former league executive Steve Mills, according to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (on Sulia).  The former Knicks executive vice president would bring a deep understanding of how the owners think and negotiate to the negotiating table since he was on their side for the better part of his career.
 Phil Jackson Talks Seattle, Nets, Howard tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c6d3407970b 2013-05-21T16:00:59-05:00 2013-05-21T21:00:59Z Phil Jackson appeared on the Dan Patrick Show (video link) this morning to promote his new book, to compare Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and to address a few more items of note. The Zen Master confirmed to Patrick that he doesn't intend to return to coaching, but did talk... Luke Adams

Phil Jackson appeared on the Dan Patrick Show (video link) this morning to promote his new book, to compare Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and to address a few more items of note. The Zen Master confirmed to Patrick that he doesn't intend to return to coaching, but did talk about another job he had discussed with the prospective Seattle ownership group. Here are a few highlights from Jackson's appearance:

On whether he would have been involved with a Seattle franchise had the Kings relocation been approved:

"I had an agreement with the guy that put the deal together for Seattle.... Chris Hansen. I thought he was dynamic, I thought he had great ideas. He went through the whole process of getting an arena. He did everything right, except win the franchise. But his vision I could buy into. I thought he had the right vision for a team. And he made basically the offer of take what you want to take as a job -- a consultant, if you want to be an owner, be a part-owner, work in the basketball operations side of it if you want to, or coach. It didn't matter to him. We talked about a number of things that would progress the team that was going to move, which was Sacramento, which is a team that has to improve to be a significant team that's going to stay in Sacramento."

On whether the Clippers have reached out to him:

"No, I've never had any contact with Clippers management."

On the best offer he has received recently:

"Well, the Brooklyn situation I think is a good situation.... That was coaching, basically. They wanted to know if I was still interested in coaching."

On whether he thinks Dwight Howard will re-sign with the Lakers:

"Would you, if you felt like your game wasn't going to be featured?"

 Western Rumors: Paul, Howard, Gordon, Hollins tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c6cebab970b 2013-05-21T15:23:22-05:00 2013-05-22T00:24:11Z We received word earlier this afternoon that head coach Vinny Del Negro will not be retained by the Clippers, and Ken Berger of CBSSports.com says (via Twitter) that one of the primary reasons for the decision was the fact that Chris Paul wasn't a fan of Del Negro. According to... Luke Adams

We received word earlier this afternoon that head coach Vinny Del Negro will not be retained by the Clippers, and Ken Berger of CBSSports.com says (via Twitter) that one of the primary reasons for the decision was the fact that Chris Paul wasn't a fan of Del Negro. According to Berger (via Twitter), the star point guard didn't back the coach to management at season's end.

Here are a few more afternoon rumblings out of the Western Conference:

  • Another Los Angeles free-agent-to-be, Dwight Howard, apparently isn't a fan of his head coach either -- Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that Howard voiced some displeasure and frustration with Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni in a meeting with GM Mitch Kupchak at season's end. However, McMenamin notes that the relationship between D12 and D'Antoni isn't irreparable, and former Howard coach Stan Van Gundy told David Baumann of Sports Talk Florida (Twitter link) today that he wasn't giving much credence to the story.
  • A source tells Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (Twitter link) that there's "no merit" to trade rumors involving Eric Gordon.
  • No teams have contacted the Grizzlies to ask permission to speak to head coach Lionel Hollins yet, tweets Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal.
  • According to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link), the fact that the Sacramento arena plan involves a significant public subsidy wasn't insignificant when the league voted on the Kings' relocation bid.
 Kings Sale To Sacramento Group Not Yet Finalized tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c5a606b970b 2013-05-21T14:12:00-05:00 2013-05-21T19:12:36Z TUESDAY, 2:12pm: Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) hears that the finance committee will vote on the sale of the Kings early this week, with an official vote by the full Board of Governors coming before the end of May. MONDAY, 1:45pm: Ranadive doesn't formally own the NBA... Chuck Myron

TUESDAY, 2:12pm: Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link) hears that the finance committee will vote on the sale of the Kings early this week, with an official vote by the full Board of Governors coming before the end of May.

MONDAY, 1:45pm: Ranadive doesn't formally own the NBA team yet, tweets Ryan Lillis of The Sacramento Bee, pointing out that the team will move forward with the Maloofs' plan to send coach Keith Smart to the draft lottery. Windhorst has deleted his tweet from yesterday, so perhaps Johnson jumped the gun in saying that Ranadive had assumed control of the franchise. In any case, Ranadive and company remain on track to take over the Kings.

SUNDAY, 1:33pm: Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson says NBA owners have approved the sale of the Kings to the Sacramento-based group headed by Vivek Ranadive, tweets Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The league had been expected to make a formal announcement of the deal between the Maloof family and Ranadive's group this week, although it was thought that escrow would not close until the end of the month. In any case, Ranadive now has control of the franchise, according to Johnson.

There's usually a much longer gap between the time an agreement on a sale is reached and the point when the purchase becomes official. Last year, Robert Pera agreed to buy the Grizzlies in June, but didn't take control of the team until October 31st. An official announcement from the league has yet to come, but it's not entirely surprising the process was expedited this time around, since the league had a chance to thoroughly vet Ranadive's bid as it sorted out whether to allow the Kings to move to Seattle. 

Johnson said earlier this week that the agreement had been "signed on both ends" and that the "money has been wired," so it looked like the green light from the league was the last step in the process. Ranadive was a relative late-comer in an effort that began in earnest in January, around the time the Maloofs reached a deal to sell the team to Seattle investor Chris Hansen and his partners. Johnson spearheaded the effort to put the group together, combining $1MM commitments from 20 Sacramento-area locals with the larger financial backing of deep-pocketed "whales," including Mark Mastrov and Ron Burkle. Mastrov became the lead investor, but Burkle, an enemy of the Maloofs, proved a stumbling block, and as he faded from the picture, Ranadive took over the primary reigns of the bid.

The Sacramento group's final purchase price for the Kings is based on a full valuation of the team at $535MM, an NBA record and $10MM greater than Hansen's initial offer. The Maloofs' share is 65%, so that works out to a $347.75MM sum that's changing hands. Hansen and company upped their valuation of the club to $625MM, but ultimately lost out, spending more than $100MM on an ill-fated effort to buy the team.

 Lottery Teams' Odds To Land Top-Three Pick tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e20192aa29bcec970d 2013-05-21T11:16:43-05:00 2013-05-21T16:16:43Z The NBA's draft lottery is set to take place tonight, with the league's 14 non-playoff teams vying for a chance at the first overall pick and the opportunity to select a player from a crop of prospects that includes Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, and others. The odds at landing the... Luke Adams

The NBA's draft lottery is set to take place tonight, with the league's 14 non-playoff teams vying for a chance at the first overall pick and the opportunity to select a player from a crop of prospects that includes Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, and others.

The odds at landing the first overall pick are cited frequently, from the Magic's 25% all the way down to the Jazz's 0.5%. But what chance does each team have to land a top-three pick? Listed in the chart below are the odds each lottery team has at the first, second, and third overall picks, as well as each team's overall odds at landing in the top three.

Lottery chart

 Pacific Notes: Del Negro, Warriors, Kings, Len tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e20192aa199847970d 2013-05-19T16:03:02-05:00 2013-05-19T21:03:02Z For a third consecutive year, there aren't any Pacific Division teams in the Western Conference Finals, a dry spell that's never happened before. The Lakers are mostly responsible for that history of success, but the Suns have had their moments, too. For most of the city's time with an NBA... Chuck Myron

For a third consecutive year, there aren't any Pacific Division teams in the Western Conference Finals, a dry spell that's never happened before. The Lakers are mostly responsible for that history of success, but the Suns have had their moments, too. For most of the city's time with an NBA team, Seattle was a part of the Pacific Division, and the SuperSonics were no stranger to playing for a berth in the Finals. With the league reportedly having approved the sale of the Kings to a Sacramento-based group, it looks like Seattle won't be an NBA destination for at least a while longer. 

Here's a check on each of the five current Pacific Division teams as they try to climb their way back into contention:

  • Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who's attending today's opener of the Western Conference Finals, has yet to meet with Vinny Del Negro as planned this weekend, but resolution on the coach's future should come within the week, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
  • Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group points out the similarities between the construction of the Warriors roster and the way the Grizzlies were built.
  • Ryan Lillis, Dale Kasler and Tony Bizjak of The Sacramento Bee profile new Kings principal owner Vivek Ranadive, who plans to take a hands-on approach.
  • Of all the people involved in keeping the Kings in Sacramento, none were as influential as David Stern, who demonstrated that he still has control of the league even as his tenure as commissioner comes to a close, The Bee's Ailene Voisin writes.
  • Suns scouts have been high on Maryland center Alex Len since before this past season began, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, who runs down some of the players the team will likely target with its lottery pick. 
  • Greg Somogyi impressed Mike Brown when the two were together in Lakers camp last fall, and Brown has invited the 7'3" center to a Cavaliers mini-camp this summer, reports Sportando contributor David Pick (Twitter link).
 Pacific Notes: Kings, Seattle, Warriors, Bazemore tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e2017eeb4dc3c2970d 2013-05-18T11:35:53-05:00 2013-05-18T16:35:53Z Of the four NBA divisions that sent three teams to the postseason this year, only the Pacific doesn't have a team still in the hunt, following the eliminations of the Lakers, Clippers, and Warriors. Here's the latest from out west: While Vivek Ranadive and the Kings new ownership group haven't... Luke Adams

Of the four NBA divisions that sent three teams to the postseason this year, only the Pacific doesn't have a team still in the hunt, following the eliminations of the Lakers, Clippers, and Warriors. Here's the latest from out west:

  • While Vivek Ranadive and the Kings new ownership group haven't closed the door on bringing back GM Geoff Petrie and head coach Keith Smart, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee says the team's basketball operations should and will be overhauled this summer.
  • Seattle's bidders for the Kings are expected to turn down the league's offer to repay their $30MM nonrefundable deposit, and if they do, they will have spent more than $100MM in their ill-fated effort to woo the team north, tweets Chris Daniels of KING-TV.
  • Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group thinks Mark Jackson will receive an extension sometime in the next month, predicts the Warriors will choose Jarrett Jack over Carl Landry in free agency, and doesn't foresee a major trade in the offseason.
  • Stephen Curry tells Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News that he's been encouraging Jack to return to the Warriors next season. "This is the place for him," Curry said. "He's bounced around a lot. For him to have hopefully found a home here for the foreseeable future would be huge. I know he wants to be part of a winning team, and I think we have that here now."
  • Assuming he's not released today, Kent Bazemore should receive a modest bonus, per Mark Deeks of ShamSports. According to Deeks, Bazemore's nonguaranteed 2013/14 contract becomes partially guaranteed for $25K if he's not waived within two days of the Warriors' final game of the season.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

 Pacific Notes: Warriors, Jackson, Kings, Lakers tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e2017eeb46a637970d 2013-05-17T16:16:45-05:00 2013-05-17T21:16:45Z Earlier today, we learned that if the Kings don't keep Keith Smart as their head coach, they're expected to target Warriors assistant Michael Malone. After months of conjecture on the coaching carousel about big names like Phil Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, and Jerry Sloan, Malone now appears to be one... Zach Links

Earlier today, we learned that if the Kings don't keep Keith Smart as their head coach, they're expected to target Warriors assistant Michael Malone.  After months of conjecture on the coaching carousel about big names like Phil Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, and Jerry Sloan, Malone now appears to be one of the most wanted men in the NBA.  Here's more from the Pacific division..

  • Speaking of the Warriors, Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group checked in with co-owner Joe Lacob, who says that it's too early to comment on whether or when the team will pick up Mark Jackson’s option for 2014/15 and/or work out a longer-term deal beyond that.  For his part, Kawakami sees the option as a virtual lock, possibly as a prelude to longer-term talks down the road.
  • If the Mavs have to look into Plan B options at the point guard position this summer, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas suggests that Warriors guard Jarrett Jack would be a solid fit.
  • Dale Kasler, Ryan Lillis, and Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee provide the specifics on just how much the Maloof family will pocket from the sale of the Kings. Since the Maloofs will hang on to the $30MM non-refundable deposit paid by the Seattle group and will no longer have to contribute to the relocation fee, they ultimately won't earn much less in the Sacramento deal (about $230MM) than they would have in the Seattle deal (about $241MM).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

 Kings Updates: Sale, Coach, GM, Hansen tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c48503e970b 2013-05-17T13:10:05-05:00 2013-05-17T18:10:05Z A little more than 12 hours after we heard that Vivek Ranadive's Sacramento investment group and the Maloof family had struck an agreement to transfer ownership of the Kings, the city of Sacramento held a press conference today to formally announce the good news. Mayor Kevin Johnson praised the city... Luke Adams

A little more than 12 hours after we heard that Vivek Ranadive's Sacramento investment group and the Maloof family had struck an agreement to transfer ownership of the Kings, the city of Sacramento held a press conference today to formally announce the good news. Mayor Kevin Johnson praised the city for never giving up on the Kings, and also confirmed that Chris Hansen isn't involved in the deal, so he won't be a minority owner of the team (Twitter link via Chris Daniels of KING5). As the new ownership group prepares to officially take over the Kings, here's a number of other items related to the sale and to the team:

  • Assuming Keith Smart is not retained as the Kings' head coach by the new ownership group, Warriors assistant Michael Malone is expected to be a top candidate, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. Amick also points to Chris Mullin as a potential front office candidate, with Geoff Petrie likely on the way out.
  • The Sacramento Bee's initial story on the agreement between the new ownership group and the Maloofs has been updated with plenty of additional details, identifying a number of the investors in Ranadive's group.
  • Chris Mannix of SI.com reports (via Twitter) that the NBA's 30 owners offered to repay the $30MM non-refundable deposit Hansen's Seattle group made to the Maloofs, but Hansen declined. Mannix adds (via Twitter) that Hansen and Co. don't intend to file any lawsuits related to the Kings situation.
  • The 7% share of the Kings that Hansen bought in bankruptcy, pending NBA approval, will likely be auctioned off again, tweets Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.
  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton examines the next steps for the Kings.
 Sacramento Group Reaches Deal To Buy Kings tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e20191023a7b8b970c 2013-05-17T09:47:00-05:00 2013-05-17T14:59:59Z FRIDAY, 9:47am: Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson tells the Sacramento Bee that the purchase agreement has been "signed on both ends" and that the "money has been wired." While the deal still has to close, Johnson doesn't anticipate any roadblocks. "We're hoping to get it all done within the next week... Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 9:47am: Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson tells the Sacramento Bee that the purchase agreement has been "signed on both ends" and that the "money has been wired." While the deal still has to close, Johnson doesn't anticipate any roadblocks.

"We're hoping to get it all done within the next week or so and the Board of Governors will vote and I don't anticipate any surprises," Johnson said.

THURSDAY, 11:29pm: The Sacramento investment group led by Vivek Ranadive has reached an agreement with the Maloof family to buy the Kings, according to Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee. Bizjak reports that the deal is for an NBA-record valuation of $535MM, $10MM higher than the initial sale price on the Maloofs' agreement with Chris Hansen's Seattle group.

According to Bizjak, the agreement could be formally announced as soon as Friday, and will require approval by the NBA. Assuming the league approves the deal, which seems like a safe bet, escrow is expected to close at the end of May. The new group is expected to assume the Maloofs' entire 65% share of the club.

If the agreement between the current Kings owners and the prospective ownership group becomes official, it would be the end of a lengthy saga that pitted Sacramento and Seattle against one another in a fight for the Kings. Despite Hansen's Seattle group increasing their valuation of the franchise to $625MM, the league's owners voted 22-8 against relocating the Kings to Seattle on Wednesday, urging the Maloofs and Ranadive's group to try to negotiate a deal in the next 24 to 48 hours.

A source tells Bizjak that, after the league's owners voted down the Kings' relocation bid, the Maloofs were eager to "turn the page," and were happy to sell to an ownership group that would keep the team in Sacramento.

 Odds & Ends: Stern, Michael Curry, Zarren tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e2017eeb40b086970d 2013-05-16T20:23:00-05:00 2013-05-17T20:18:22Z Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (via Twitter) hears that David Stern was an active participant in yesterday's vote over Sacramento/Seattle at the Board of Governors meeting. It's worth noting that despite an offer north of $625MM as well as the $115MM relocation fee that would have been included by the Seattle... Ryan Raroque

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (via Twitter) hears that David Stern was an active participant in yesterday's vote over Sacramento/Seattle at the Board of Governors meeting. It's worth noting that despite an offer north of $625MM as well as the $115MM relocation fee that would have been included by the Seattle group, Stern was able to sway the vote in Sacramento's direction, even though it appeared that more owners were in favor of Seattle's offer (All Twitter links). Here are a few more miscellaneous tidbits from around the Association tonight:

  • Ken Berger of CBS Sports tweets that the 76ers are expected to interview lead assistant coach Michael Curry for their head coaching job next week. 
  • Steve Bulpett of BostonHerald.com hears that Celtics assistant GM Mike Zarren turned down Philadelphia's offer to make him their general manager before the Sixers turned to Sam Hinkie. 
  • Although potential number one pick Nerlens Noel wouldn't be ready to start the regular season of his rookie campaign, the highly touted draft prospect is targeting a debut around Christmas, writes Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com.
  • Noel's injury is just one reason why teams might not be too high in landing the number one draft slot this year, writes Lloyd. In that same piece, Lloyd cites one league executive who thinks that a team might be better off drafting whoever falls to the third or fourth pick rather than handle the risk of drafting first overall. 
  • Georgetown's Otto Porter spoke glowingly about being a potential fit for the Cavaliers, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer. 
  • Shabazz Muhammad opened up about the controversy surrounding his listed age and briefly told David Mayo of MLive.com about how he'd fare with the Pistons if they drafted him.
  • Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob says that he won't have a problem finding a replacement for Vivek Ranadive's current share with Golden State once the Sacramento situation is resolved, says Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News (via Twitter).  
  • Jerry Stackhouse is in Chicago and plans to meet with possible draftees tomorrow to brief them on the NBPA, tweeted Hoopsworld's Steve Kyler. 
 Sacramento Group Close To Deal For Kings? tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201910237bcfc970c 2013-05-16T15:05:38-05:00 2013-05-16T20:05:38Z Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson arrived back in his city today after attending yesterday's Board of Governors meetings in Dallas, and said the Sacramento investment group led by Vivek Ranadive is close to finalizing an agreement with the Maloof family to buy the Kings, according to Ryan Lillis, Dale Kasler, and... Luke Adams

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson arrived back in his city today after attending yesterday's Board of Governors meetings in Dallas, and said the Sacramento investment group led by Vivek Ranadive is close to finalizing an agreement with the Maloof family to buy the Kings, according to Ryan Lillis, Dale Kasler, and Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee.

"It's going to be close to being signed in the next day or two," Johnson said. "I'll be surprised if we get past the weekend. I feel very confident about that."

George Maloof, who said earlier today that he believes a deal will be reached with the Sacramento group, confirmed that negotiations are "going on fine." Maloof suggested this morning that he wasn't sure whether an agreement would be reached within the 24-48 hour window David Stern was aiming for. However, Johnson's comments indicate that even if a deal isn't agreed upon within that window, it may happen shortly thereafter.

If an agreement is finalized, it's expected that Ranadive's group would pay about $200MM for the Maloofs' 65% stake in the franchise, according to the Bee report. The Sacramento group would also absorb various debts associated with the franchise, including the repayment of a $64MM loan the team owes the city of Sacramento.

 Kings Notes: Ownership, Ranadive, Draft, Ellis tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c409ac4970b 2013-05-16T12:27:02-05:00 2013-05-16T17:27:02Z Kings fans received some great news yesterday, when the NBA's Board of Governors rejected a bid to relocate the franchise to Seattle. Even with the sale to Chris Hansen's Seattle group seemingly dead, the Kings aren't quite safe in Sacramento yet. The Maloofs still have the right to hang on... Luke Adams

Kings fans received some great news yesterday, when the NBA's Board of Governors rejected a bid to relocate the franchise to Seattle. Even with the sale to Chris Hansen's Seattle group seemingly dead, the Kings aren't quite safe in Sacramento yet. The Maloofs still have the right to hang on to the team, though they're currently attempting to negotiate a sale to the Sacramento investment group led by Vivek Ranadive. Here's the latest on the Kings, on and off the court:

  • George Maloof believes a deal will be reached with Ranadive's group, as he tells David Bienick of KCRA in Sacramento (Twitter link). However, he's not sure it will happen in the 24-48 hour window David Stern is hoping for (Twitter link). Maloof also added that Hansen remains interested in buying a minority share of the Kings, so that's part of the current talks as well (Twitter link).
  • With Kings ownership still up in the air, front office and roster decisions remain on hold as well, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. Head coach Keith Smart and GM Geoff Petrie are approaching this week's draft combine as if they'll continue in their current roles.
  • The team interviewed six draft prospects on Wednesday, according to Jones: Reggie Bullock , Alex Len, Tim Hardaway Jr., Richard Howell, Tony Snell, and Deshaun Thomas.
  • Expect Ranadive to "eviscerate" the Kings' business and basketball operations should he assume control of the team, says Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. Voisin also hears that Ranadive's reps shot down a previous report that the Sacramento group was interested in Monta Ellis.
  • Dale Kasler, Tony Lillis, and Ryan Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee, who have done a terrific job of chronicling the entire saga, recap an eventful Wednesday and look ahead to the next step for the Kings.
 Board Of Governors Votes Down Kings Relocation tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c37b070970b 2013-05-15T19:55:00-05:00 2013-05-16T12:49:17Z 6:55pm: According to a tweet from NBA.com's David Aldridge, Ranadive announced that two more parties will be joining his investment group. 5:41pm: Stern confirmed that Ranadive's group matched the initial $525MM valuation of the Kings, adding that Seattle's increased offers didn't offend the league, according to Chris Daniels of KING5... Luke Adams

6:55pm: According to a tweet from NBA.com's David Aldridge, Ranadive announced that two more parties will be joining his investment group.

5:41pm: Stern confirmed that Ranadive's group matched the initial $525MM valuation of the Kings, adding that Seattle's increased offers didn't offend the league, according to Chris Daniels of KING5 (Twitter links).

5:32pm: Commissioner David Stern has confirmed the vote against relocation, and shared a few more tidbits. Courtesy of Aaron Bruski of NBCSports.com (via Twitter)....

  • Stern confirmed that it was Seattle's $625MM offer that was voted down by the league.
  • The league intends to talk to the Maloof family in the next 24-48 hours to attempt to negotiate a sale to the Sacramento investment group led by Ranadive. Stern expects the Maloofs to be open to selling to the Sacramento group.
  • Seattle's presentation to the Board of Governors was "excellent" and reflects the efforts put into the bid by Hansen's group, according to Stern.
  • Stern says the league is looking forward to continued dialogue with potential team owners in Seattle, but that there's nothing concrete in the works for the city at the moment.
  • Stern acknowledged that it would be worthwhile to consider expansion eventually, but not until after the league negotiates its next TV deal.
  • Sacramento's arena term sheet is more than just a term sheet, according to Stern, who added that the land for the arena has been purchased.

5:12pm: ESPN.com's Marc Stein confirms that the Board of Governors also voted to reject the sale to Hansen's Seattle group. According to Mitch Levy of KJR in Seattle, the vote to keep the Kings in Sacramento was 22-8 (Twitter link). Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee adds (via Twitter) that the meeting was "very contentious."

4:56pm: The NBA's Board of Governors has voted against relocating the Kings to Seattle, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. The league's relocation committee, a smaller group of NBA owners, had previously recommended voting down the bid to move the franchise, so the decision doesn't come as a surprise.

The relocation of the Kings was one of two issues the Board of Governors was set to vote on today. With the move to Seattle having been vetoed, the sale of 65% of the franchise to Chris Hansen's Seattle group has also presumably been shot down. That means that for now the team remains in the hands of the Maloof family, though we don't yet know if the Maloof family will continue to pursue its backup plan with the Hansen group or if the NBA will aggressively push for a majority sale to Vivek Ranadive's Sacramento group.

While the sale of the franchise required approval from three-quarters of the league's owners, relocation simply required a majority vote. That means that at least 16 owners voted against the relocation bid, and it wouldn't surprise me if the final vote was much more one-sided than that, given the 7-0 vote by the relocation committee.

 Sacramento/Seattle Updates: Wednesday tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c3501f2970b 2013-05-15T16:47:00-05:00 2013-05-15T21:50:32Z 4:47pm: The NBA's Board of Governors meeting is ongoing, but Aaron Bruski of NBCSports.com hears from one source that there's "good news for Sacramento" (Twitter link). 10:43am: With the NBA's Board of Governors scheduled to meet today at 1:00pm central time in Dallas to discuss and vote on the future... Luke Adams

4:47pm: The NBA's Board of Governors meeting is ongoing, but Aaron Bruski of NBCSports.com hears from one source that there's "good news for Sacramento" (Twitter link).

10:43am: With the NBA's Board of Governors scheduled to meet today at 1:00pm central time in Dallas to discuss and vote on the future of the Kings, there are plenty of last-minute primers to catch up on, including a pair of pieces from the Sacramento Bee, a story from Chris Daniels of KING5 in Seattle, and a post by Sactown Royalty. As we wait to see what decisions the league's owners make today, we'll round up several of the notable items from these stories:

  • The Maloofs continue to dispute an earlier report saying that they'd be unwilling to sell to a Sacramento investment group, but the Kings current owners have been working pretty much exclusively with the Seattle group. The sale to Chris Hansen's group still has a "great shot" to get done, in George Maloof's view.
  • The relocation committee's recommendation not to allow the Kings to relocate to Seattle will likely be enough to sway today's vote in that direction, according to one top NBA executive.
  • If relocation is denied, the Maloofs still hope the NBA will approve their backup plan with the Seattle group, which would involve selling 20% of the franchise to the Hansen/Steve Ballmer collective. In that scenario, the Maloofs insist they would work in good faith to complete an arena deal in Sacramento.
  • Bryan May of KXTV News10 asked George Maloof whether the NBA would approve a 20% sale to the Seattle group if it had already shot down a 65% purchase. Maloof's reply: "I can sell to whoever I want to" (Twitter link).
  • "Nothing against the Sacramento group," Maloof said. "But they have a backup offer, and we have a binding agreement with Chris. That is just the way the deal progressed. We have a backup from Vivek [Ranadive], but we're being true to the deal with Chris."
  • Responding to a lawsuit that alleges the Sacramento arena plan is illegally using city funds, Sacramento city attorney Jim Sanchez said in a statement that "we are prepared to defend the council decision as necessary and do not believe this lawsuit has merit."
 Odds & Ends: Wiggins, Kings, Hinkie, Mavs tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c2ed946970b 2013-05-14T21:30:56-05:00 2013-05-15T14:50:01Z The Knicks are staring at a 3-1 deficit after falling to the Pacers for the second game in-a-row tonight in Indiana, 93-82. The Pacers will look to close out the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday in game 5 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup. While the now-less exciting... Spencer Lund

The Knicks are staring at a 3-1 deficit after falling to the Pacers for the second game in-a-row tonight in Indiana, 93-82. The Pacers will look to close out the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday in game 5 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup.

While the now-less exciting second round of the NBA playoffs trundles on with the Spurs back at the cozy confines of AT&T Arena in San Antonio for game 5 against the Warriors, we've got more Andrew Wiggins and Sam Hinkie news, and some reports from the predraft NBA combine starting in Chicago tomorrow and going through Sunday..

 

 Latest On Kings, Sacramento, Seattle tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834515b9a69e201901c2d64ca970b 2013-05-14T16:47:00-05:00 2013-05-14T21:47:53Z We're one day from the NBA's Board of Governors meeting, which will go a long way toward deciding the future of the Kings. According to Bryan May of KXTV News10 (via Twitter), tomorrow's meetings will get underway at 1:00pm central time, and based on what we heard yesterday, it sounds... Luke Adams

We're one day from the NBA's Board of Governors meeting, which will go a long way toward deciding the future of the Kings. According to Bryan May of KXTV News10 (via Twitter), tomorrow's meetings will get underway at 1:00pm central time, and based on what we heard yesterday, it sounds as if the league is still leaning toward denying the team's relocation to Seattle. Here's the latest on the saga:

  • Two Sacramento attorneys have filed suit, alleging fraud and illegal use of public funds in the Sacramento arena project, says Chris Daniels of KING5 (via Twitter). According to Daniels, the suit alleges that the city's contribution to the arena will be closer to $338MM, and that city leaders, including Mayor Johnson, have concealed that info (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

  • Current Kings owner George Maloof told May (Twitter link) that he's "ready for this to be over" but that he's not sure that will happen tomorrow.
  • As he prepared to head to Dallas, Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson confirmed to the Sacramento Bee that the Maloofs haven't closed the door on selling the Kings to a group that would keep the team in the city.
  • Chris Daniels of KING5 in Seattle tweets that a "Taxpayers for Safer Neighborhoods" group in Sacramento intends to start collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to reject the proposed Sacramento arena. According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter links), two Sacramento taxpayer groups believe the arena plan, which calls for $258MM in public funds to be paid back by parking revenues, is "financially irresponsible."
  • A source tells Aaron Bruski of NBCSports.com (Twitter links) that the anti-arena groups shouldn't present a serious threat to the Sacramento proposal, calling it a non-issue. "It's all PR," the source said, referring to the timing of the announcement. "Once you do due diligence, you see that there's nothing there."