The Sacramento Kings seem to be stuck in a rut. They might have their team back, as David Stern said . However, they could be stuck fighting intransigent ownership in the Maloofs, who seem to be doing their best to alienate the city and give them the prerogative to leave the city down the road. Even if the Kings are still being kept in Sacramento, it's hard not to think the Maloofs would try to weasel their way out of the arrangement via anti-trust suit or constantly antagonizing the city of Sacramento.
Aaron Bruski of Pro Basketball Talk files this report about how things will be very difficult in the future between the Maloofs and the city, regardless of whether Sacramento
Regardless of the Maloofs’ intentions, cities that negotiate with the NBA and team owners over arena subsidies will now point to the family’s apparent bad faith dealings. Now, the league will have to explain to its civic partners how and why they should expend political capital and public funds if owners are going to use the scorched earth strategy when they don’t get what they want.
Sacramento spent significant sums of money and staff time in the arena negotiations process during a budgetary crisis only to find they were spinning their wheels – all while offering to pay for 65 percent of the arena’s costs – and the NBA is going to have to wear that issue unless they make it right by keeping a team there under a workable plan.
The only hope for Sacramento going forward is to hope the Maloof owners decide to sell the team. Otherwise it's hard to believe the Kings would ever be a stable franchise when ownership continues to remain at odds with the city.
Talk about the Kings and the relocation situation with Sactown Royalty.
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