NBA execs indicated that league officials "now expect the Kings to play next season in Sacramento" rather than relocating to Anaheim, according to Heisler & Pugmire of the L.A. TIMES. Whether the team "stays in Sacramento beyond next season is yet to be decided." NBA officials said that the Kings' future "will depend on Sacramento-area governing bodies and businesses fulfilling Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's pledges to the NBA relocation committee last week in New York, including construction of a downtown arena." League officials agreed that if the city "lives up to its pledges, committee members and NBA officials want the team to stay there long-term." NBA Commissioner David Stern "confirmed the NBA's continuing interest in Sacramento's offer." Kings co-Owner Joe Maloof on Friday said, "There's been no decision made. As far as we're concerned, we're still looking at our options." The NBA's relocation committee is expected to convene later this week, ahead of the May 2 deadline for the Maloofs to file a relocation request. If Sacramento's offer "stands up, the committee is expected to recommend that the Kings remain there next season." At that point, if the Maloofs wanted to move, they would have to "petition the same committee and league officials for approval" (L.A. TIMES, 4/23). In Sacramento, Bizjak & Lillis note in a "clear indication that the Maloofs feel they no longer control their destiny, they issued a statement" Friday night to address the Kings' uncertain future. The statement read in part, "We have not made a decision with regards to relocation filing, and will not make that decision until we have more information from the NBA." Johnson on Friday said Sacramento officials are feeling "a lot more confident about our ability to keep them here." But he added, "I don't think we're at a point where we can declare victory at all" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 4/23).
ONE LAST STAND: In Sacramento, Marcos Breton noted there "still remains great uncertainty over the long-term future of the team here because no one yet knows how to pay for an arena, an NBA requirement to keep the team in Sacramento." It also "remains a mystery as to how Johnson can engage Kings owners who disconnected from Sacramento long ago and were poised to file for relocation to Anaheim before Johnson changed the game." Breton added, "The NBA needs to understand that Sacramento isn't invested in the Kings' owners. Sacramento is invested in the team. The community loves the team" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 4/24). In California, Randy Youngman noted "numerous arena proposals and initiatives in Sacramento have failed over the past decade, so it's reasonable to assume the Maloofs are rolling their eyes over the latest plan" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 4/23).
FOUR PROBLEMS: ESPN.com's Bill Simmons wrote the Kings' struggles "highlight four of the league's biggest problems right now." First, "once you get approved to purchase an NBA franchise, for whatever reason, David Stern seemingly yields all control over your behavior unless you criticize his officials." Second, it is "difficult to generate revenue without a 'state of the art' arena." Third, it is "really difficult to contend unless (A) you strike oil in the lottery, or (B) convince Chris Wallace or Kevin McHale to trade you his best player." Finally, it is "really, really difficult to convince a franchise player, or even a perennial All-Star, to remain in a small market unless you're winning 60-plus games every year." Simmons: "Where was the commissioner as the Maloofs torched their relationship with locals and cut every conceivable financial corner?" (ESPN.com, 4/26).
