I'm not sure that the book is entirely closed on the Kings staying in Sacramento until the City Council votes on this proposal. There are a number of reasons that the deal as proposed should raise eyebrows. It's taking a hell of a lot of money directly out of the city's general fund for a LONG time to give them some cash up front. A $75 mil investment from the Maloofs when those guys are already leveraged to the hilt and owe money to everyone involved in this thing, the City, the NBA ... money they can likely only repay by selling their franchise and cashing out of the league entirely, IMO. There's still some pieces missing in this thing.
KJs job as mayor was to broker a solution -- ANY solution. He did what he had to do to save the team, it's for others to decide whether or not that price is worth paying. Now it's the Council's job to decide whether or not that solution is politically and financially palatable. They sure won't find this deal perfect but it's the only one they've got on the table now. We saw first hand the possible consequences for making these types of financial decisions under duress -- that's the type of decision making that ultimately played a part in the team's departure from this market, albeit years later.
I have always thought that the Grizz or the Hornets were more likely candidates to come here, because the Grizz can't draw flies ... you could buy out the last 10 years of that lease for a song, relatively speaking, and I'm not sure Memphis would really care. Hornets are only in NOLA because it was Stern's idea in the first place and he's never going to admit what a spectacular failure it's been as long as he's commissioner ... but my guess is the For Sale sign on that franchise goes up the day he retires.
Bottom line is, this is not over. And Seattle's chances of drawing a team, whether it's the Kings or a different squad, become much, much better once the building is confirmed.