The Lakers and coach Phil Jackson "might offer the best chance for Sacramento to keep its Kings," according to Sam Amick of SI.com. With the "rumblings growing louder that Lakers owner Jerry Buss is ramping up his behind-the-scenes effort to rally support against the move, Jackson played the part of public spokesman yet again on Wednesday." Jackson said of the Kings' potential move to Anaheim, "I don't see any community, I don't care if it's Bombay with 25 million (people), being able to support three teams (in the same market). ... It makes it very difficult in our community and our television area to do that kind of a thing. It will hurt all the franchises." Amick wrote the operative word is "television," as the Lakers "recently signed a deal with Time Warner that a source with a vested interest in knowing the terms insists is worth $5 billion over 25 years." Sources said that Kings Owners the Maloofs "have a deal with Comcast that is currently worth about $11 million annually," and they are "looking at the television component as a major reason for the move." Beyond the "money matters," Jackson said that the NBA "should be concerned about the precedent the Maloofs would be setting." Jackson: "It's small markets vs. large markets. Are the large markets willing to have another team move in and share their community?" Amick noted the Maloofs' long-term viability as owners also is "considered a factor by league officials and some owners, with the family's reported financial struggles at the Palms Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas and with the Kings at the root of the growing skepticism" (SI.com, 4/7).
LOAN RANGERS: In Sacramento, Tony Bizjak reports city officials "sent another missive to the Kings on Thursday, accusing the team of being evasive on how it will pay back its $77 million city loan, and calling for a meeting between team owners and city leaders." Sacramento Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said that the city "wants details from the Kings on how and when they will repay the loan if they leave town." The city "wants an escrow account set up for repayment." The Kings issued a brief statement Thursday saying the Maloofs "intend to fully abide by those documents." Earlier this week, an NBA attorney "sent the city a letter noting the team has not requested permission to move yet." The letter stated if the Kings make the request to relocate, "we expect that the team will act appropriately with respect to any remaining financial obligations it may have to the city." Dangberg "declined to say if the city intends to take the Kings to court before the team leaves town" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 4/8).
