Latest On Kings, Seattle
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports dropped a bombshell yesterday, reporting that the Maloof family was close to selling the Sacramento Kings to a group of Seattle-based investors led by Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer. No agreement has been finalized yet, but Wojnarowski's story and subsequent reports have suggested that the two sides are in discussions. Here are the latest links related to the possible sale of the Kings:
- A trio of Sacramento Bee reporters, Tony Bizjak, Dale Kasler and Ryan Lillis, hear from sources that the Maloofs are indeed engaged in talks with the Seattle investment group. However, no formal offer has been made yet, according to the Bee report. Now that Kings ownership seems willing to explore the idea of selling the team, Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson says he hopes to recruit local bidders in an effort to keep the franchise in Sacramento.
- The Bee's sources described the talks with Hansen's group as "conceptual" and said that reports suggesting a deal was nearly done may be premature. However, if the Seattle group were to present the Maloofs with a "ridiculous" offer, that could change quickly.
- The Maloofs, David Stern, and the NBA owe Sacramento a chance to try to put together a local investment group to keep the Kings, opines Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.
- If the Kings relocate, then it's the Maloofs, rather than the community, that would deserve the blame, says Marcos Breton of the Sacramento Bee.
- Shaun Powell also calls out the Maloofs in his latest piece for Sports on Earth.
- Kings players are trying to focus on basketball and not get wrapped up in the swirling rumors, writes Matt Kawahara of the Sacramento Bee.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Warriors, Barnes
Former Sonics coach George Karl is excited about the prospect of basketball returning to Seattle, but the Nuggets coach feels for the Kings fans in Sacramento, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. "There’s a part of me that’s disappointed because I think Sacramento, I’ve enjoyed my times in Sacramento. I think Sacramento is a great town. I’m not going to lie, I’m happy that Seattle is going to have a team…but I am disappointed that Sacramento can’t keep their team.” Here's more out of the Pacific Division, including notes on the Kings..
- Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea (on Twitter) believes that the Warriors will have to ask themselves if parting with Harrison Barnes would be worth it in a trade for the Grizzlies' Rudy Gay. Barnes has tremendous upside and Steinmetz believes that he could possibly be even better than Gay in five years.
- Sources say there are still a lot of unknowns and uncertainties before the deal putting the Kings in Seattle is finalized, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. The early returns on tonight's poll show that more than 88% of Hoops Rumors readers believe that the Kings will ultimately end up in Seattle.
- Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (on Twitter) has some criticisms of Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson and his handling of the newest developments on the Kings'.
Poll: Will The Kings Move To Seattle?
Earlier today, it was reported that the Maloofs were finalizing an agreement to sell the Kings to a Seattle-based group led by investor Chris Hansen. That's certainly cause for celebration for the basketball widows in Seattle, but the deal isn't as close to being completed as first thought.
We've been through this before with the Maloofs. There have been rumors of the team being sold over the years and in 2012 they were being courted by the city of Virginia Beach. Of course, all of that conjecture has yet to manifest itself in the form of a sale or a move. It seems that most NBA fans outside of Sacramento are on board with the Sonics 2.0, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the transaction will go through. When all is said and done, do you think we will see the Association return to the Emerald City?
Will The Kings Move To Seattle?
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Yes 90% (1,001)
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No 10% (108)
Total votes: 1,109
Maloofs Close To Selling Kings To Seattle Group
6:02pm: The Seattle group has made significant progress in negotiations and is confident a deal will eventually get done, a person who was briefed on the status of the negotiations told Sam Amick of USA Today. If the deal is completed, the team would be called the Sonics.
3:12pm: The Kings' minority owners haven't been told about a sale, according to Amick, who says that minority owners must be told before a sale is completed. Additionally, Amick writes that the NBA has issued a memo to the league's owners warning them not to comment on the Kings' situation.
12:41pm: The Maloofs are finalizing an agreement to sell the Sacramento Kings to a Seattle-based group led by Chris Hansen, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. According to Wojnarowski, the Kings are expected to be sold for about $500MM, which would be a new record, topping the Warriors' 2010 sale price of $450MM. The Seattle group is seeking to relocate the team to the KeyArena for the 2013/14 season.
The deadline for NBA teams to file for relocation for the following season is March 1st, so there would be plenty of time to petition the league for a move to Seattle. Wojnarowski indicates that league officials would work diligently to help the franchise move to Seattle if the sale is finalized.
According to Wojnarowski, the Seattle group hopes to play two seasons in the KeyArena, starting in '13/14, before making the transition into the new arena — progress on that proposed arena has been approved so far by Seattle's City Council.
Daina Falk, the daughter of agent David Falk, had tweeted early this morning that the Kings were being sold to Hansen's group, which includes Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, but later deleted the tweet. A Kings official had since denied that there was any truth to the rumor, according to a Sacramento Bee report. While no agreement has been signed yet, a source describes the deal to Wojnarowski as "first and goal at the one."
Wojnarowski's report comes on the heels of news that the city of Virginia Beach and Comcast-Spectator were unable to reach an agreement with the Maloofs that would have proposed to relocate the Kings to Virginia. At the time, Bruce Rader of WAVY-TV noted that Kings ownerships figured to explore other options, while Tom Ziller of SBNation.com speculated that Seattle rumors were about to heat up.
Assuming the deal is finalized and approved by the NBA, the Maloofs are expected to retain an extremely small percentage of the franchise, says Wojnarowski. However, they wouldn't have any real input or say in the team anymore.
The city of Seattle has, of course, been without an NBA franchise since 2008, when the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. If the Kings move to Seattle for the 2013/14 season, it will be a victory in the northwest for commissioner David Stern, who was reportedly "determined" to return the NBA to Seattle before retiring in February of 2014.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Kings’ Evans Wouldn’t Mind Being Traded
Trade demands aren't Kings guard Tyreke Evans' style, but he isn't thrilled about not receiving a contract extension this year and has had other issues with the club's front office. He's not about to make an issue of it, but Evans says that he would be neither shocked nor devastated if he were traded before the February 21st deadline, writes Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.
Evans is also upset the organization didn't arrange for a second opinion on his sore left knee. Instead, his brothers and his agent were left to schedule a visit with Lakers orthopedist Dr. Steve Lombardo. The visit led to a different prognosis than the first look.
"The Kings need to do whatever they can to help the team win," said Evans, who also admitted that he has been extra cautious about his knee because of his contract situation. "I just want to go out there and play every night. That visit to (Lombardo)? That let me know that I wasn't totally wrong. I just need to get treated right. That was pretty much it."
Voisin writes that the Grizzlies have inquired on Evans and are known to be shopping small forward Rudy Gay. However, a deal involving Gay and Evans would require the Kings to make up the difference in salary on their end with contracts that extend beyond this season. The Lakers, Nuggets, and Celtics have also been interested in the past.
Odds & Ends: Millsap, Blair, Pistons, Cavs
As we wait to hear the next development in the Sacramento Kings/Seattle investment group story, let's check in on a few other odds and ends from around the NBA….
- It's a transition year for Paul Millsap, who has been the subject of trade rumors and faces unrestricted free agency in July. As he tells Ian Thomsen of SI.com, Millsap hopes to stay put, but will understand if the Jazz trade him next month: "At least somebody wants you, so you can't really be hurt about that. I don't have a problem with change if that's the case. I feel like I'm a guy that can adjust to whatever situation is thrown in front of him. For me, I hope it's here [in Utah]. But if not, you know, I've got to go.''
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld suggests the Spurs may lower their asking price in DeJuan Blair trade talks now that the club appears close to signing big man Aron Baynes.
- The Pistons might not make a major move before the trade deadline, but they have more assets of value than expected, says David Mayo of MLive.com.
- Grantland's Zach Lowe examines how Anderson Varejao's leg surgery will affect the Cavaliers, and what the team's roster-building strategy may look like going forward.
- Rockets GM Daryl Morey views his team's roster as "stable" and doesn't expect to add anyone he sees at the D-League showcase in Reno, but he's in attendance anyway, as Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld writes.
- There's no quick fix out there for the Kings, who are more than just one or two moves away from contending, opines Brian Blomster of the Sacramento Bee.
- Mike James doesn't figure to be a difference-maker for the Mavericks, but the team is hoping he can offer what Derek Fisher was supposed to, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
Rudy Gay Rumors: Tuesday
9:19pm: The Cavaliers would appear to be an ideal trading partner considering the amount of cap space, draft picks, and young talent they have, but the Grizzlies have not had any discussions with them about Gay nor would they likely be interested in what Cleveland would be willing to concede (Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reports).
6:25pm: Matt Moore of CBS Sports writes that the Grizzlies are said to only be interested in a salary dump and view draft picks as the only value return.
4:37pm: The Kings and Celtics are other teams that have had conversations with the Grizzlies about Gay, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Kennedy also points out that the Rockets and Raptors have shown interest in Gay in the past, and are candidates to re-enter the mix.
12:37pm: The Warriors also engaged in preliminary discussions with the Grizzlies about Gay, but talks didn't go anywhere, reports Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. The Warriors like Gay, but the Grizzlies aren't interested in taking on any of Golden State's bad contracts (ie. Richard Jefferson), and the Warriors likely don't have the combination of young players and draft picks that Memphis is seeking, according to Thompson.
Zach Lowe of Grantland reported last week that the Warriors had "long coveted" Gay, but said they didn't seem to be a good match as a trade partner for the Grizzlies.
Grizzlies Gauging Value Of Randolph, Others
Already today, we've heard that the Grizzlies have engaged in trade talks with the Suns involving Rudy Gay, and have spoken to the Warriors as well. According to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, however, Gay isn't the only Memphis player who the team has discussed as a trade candidate.
Tillery reports that the new management group is gauging the value of several players on the team's roster, including power forward Zach Randolph. According to Tillery, the Kings are one club that the Grizzlies engaged in preliminary talks, though it's not entirely clear if Randolph, Gay, or someone else was discussed in those conversations. Most of the team's talks have been cursory in nature, so there's no framework for any deals, and nothing is imminent.
Still, Tillery echoes what we've heard from other reports, suggesting that the Grizzlies have been actively exploring potential trades to avoid becoming a perennial taxpayer. Randolph, like Gay, still has two years remaining on his contract after 2012/13, at an annual average salary of over $17MM. Gay appears to be the players most likely to be on the move, according to Tillery, but he didn't sound as if he was bothered by the swirling trade rumors.
"This is every year," Gay said. "If it happens, it happens. So what? I'm playing today as a Grizzly. It's a business. People are going to talk and stuff will happen."
DeMarcus Cousins Talks Reputation, Kings, Future
When DeMarcus Cousins hired Dan Fegan as his new agent, the assumption, given Fegan's reputation, was that the big man wanted out of Sacramento. But so far, neither the player or the team has given any indication that such an option is being considered. Fegan met with Geoff Petrie yesterday, but reportedly didn't request a trade for his client. And according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, the Celtics, Bobcats, Hawks, Wizards, and Mavericks were all recently rebuffed when they inquired about Cousins' availability.
Mannix spoke to the 22-year-old about playing in Sacramento and the reputation he has developed, and Cousins had a number of interesting things to say. Here are a few of the highlights from the conversation:
On the public perception of Cousins:
"I'm not going to sit here and say I'm innocent, because I've done things. But to get the reputation that I've got, I don't think I've done enough. I don't have a criminal record. Some of the guys with the cleanest image in the league have a record. I don't think I was given a fair chance. I don't know what I did in college that was so bad to get that reputation. Okay, there is footage of me and Coach Cal going at each other. That happens in sports. Coming into the league, everyone said I was going to be fat, I was the next Oliver Miller. I had all these red flags. I just feel I was never given a fair chance coming in."
On the Kings' perception of Cousins when they drafted him in 2010:
"They wanted to get to know me but they were scared because of my reputation. I felt like it was bad on their part. I'm your player and you don't take the time to get to know me? You just go by what the rest of the world says?"
On whether the Kings always have his back now:
"I'm still not [given a chance]. It flip flops. When everything is good, [the organization] is good. When things go bad, there is nothing about that good person they remember. I just want that balance. You are either with me or you're not."
On the Kings' request that he seek counseling:
"I took it as an insult. That's another thing, our organization doesn't even know me. They were looking for an excuse. I don't believe that is the way to solve issues. I'm an emotional guy. It's as simple as that."
On trying to move on after his recent suspension:
"I can't sit here and say I'll never do anything again. This is a frustrating sport. There are a lot of emotions involved. It's easier said than done to just come in and be a professional. I can't sit here and say nothing will happen again because I would be lying. I really don't know. But at the same time I'm not going to go out of my way to cause an incident or a ruckus. I want to make things right."
On his desire to remain with the Kings and help turn things around:
"That's like a trophy to me. Taking a team no players really want to go to, a team considered the worst in the league, and through all the struggle and all the negativity, they found the way to win. I want to put Sacramento back on the map. I want to be an instrumental part of things changing here."
No Relocation Deal For Kings, Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach mayor Will Sessoms announced last week that he was setting a January 7th deadline to reach an agreement with a professional sports team to move to the city. No announcement was made Monday, but Sessoms and Peter Lukko, the president of Comcast Spectacor, are expected to announce today that negotiations to bring a team to Virginia Beach are at a standstill, reports Bruce Rader of WAVY-TV (hat tip to Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty). The Sacramento Kings were the team considered to be Virginia Beach's target.
With no agreement in hand, the city of Virginia Beach will not ask the state for $150MM to help finance an arena deal. While the proposal to build a professional sports arena in Virginia Beach isn't entirely dead, it appears it will be shelved for now.
Rader suggests that the Kings and their owners will likely explore other avenues now that Virginia Beach no longer seems to be a realistic option. That could mean simply staying put in Sacramento, or perhaps discussing relocation with another city. Ziller notes that the next big rumor figures to be the possibility of a sale to the Seattle group led by Chris Hansen.