Kings Sold and to Relocate to Seattle Pending League Approval

Source: because I said so.

About Mike Baker

“Wizards only, fools, keep it tight.”—Ice King from Adventure Time (Reign of Gunters). - I have followed and written about the Sonics at SonicsCentral (as one of the "Magnificent 7") and a few other blogs. I have advocated for and written about efforts to find an arena solution for my community for several years. I am a native Seattleite, and lifelong Sonics fan. University of Washington grad. I majored in Communication.
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147 Responses to Kings Sold and to Relocate to Seattle Pending League Approval

  1. SonicBoom says:

    SO RAD!!! In Chris I Trust.

  2. hughc5 says:

    I dont see why the league approval partwould be a problem but…..

  3. EJ says:

    So it would seem that we are now exactly where we were when Clay and Howard had their press conference. The agreement has been made. The city and fans will do everything they can to try and save the team, making much noise. But in the end, money and big business wins out. I don’t think this is close to the end of the rollercoaster by any means. KJ and Sactown will for sure make a lot of noise and do all they can. And as I’ve said before, good for them. I sympathize wholeheartedly. But I also have been in their shoes before, and know just how big an uphill battle they will be fighting.

  4. catch-22 says:

    This is so amazing!

    Kinda OT, but does anybody know where I can get the audio of Calabro’s call where he says “Ray Allen is hearing signals from other planets”? It’s one of my favorite calls of his ever and I’ve looked everywhere for it.

  5. Paul Rogers says:

    Great Steve Kelley column already up. Glad he had the chance to write it before retiring.

    http://seattletimes.com/html/nba/2020180231_kelleykings21.html?cmpid=2727

  6. SonicBoom says:

    Hey guys, just because Stern said that it would be reasonable for KJ to get his shot to BOGs, it doesn’t mean BOGs need to abide by this statement, does it? If they want to approve the sale to Hansen/Ballmer group, they can regardless of Stern’s statement- he works for them, but doesn’t dictate their actions… I don’t see why the BOG wouldn’t respect the existing owner’s (Maloofs) right to negotiate the deal they see fit? It would create a precedent that could perhaps negatively affect each of the owners on the BOG in the future…

  7. Gene Hunt says:

    Chris Daniels ‏@ChrisDaniels5

    http://NBA.com reporter: RT @showardcooper: Close to impossible to imagine Board of Govs voting down Kings sale: http://bit.ly/VIFuSI

  8. Gene Hunt says:

    Chris Daniels ‏@ChrisDaniels5
    The Great @wojyahoonba says “Kings to Play in Seattle Next Season” http://ow.ly/gYPw8

  9. Gene Hunt says:

    So how does these votes work with the BOG? Is it they do a vote around the All Star game and then one in April? Or are both votes done in April?

  10. Ron in Yakima says:

    I am feeling extraordinary joy. I guess that old saying “you don’t know what you got till it’s gone” is contributing to this euphoria. In a sort of strange way “Thank you Clay Bennett”. I just threw some cold water on my face. What I really want to say is : I’m very appreciative the love that I feel for pro basketball is shared by someone as great as Chris Hansen. Man.

  11. Nap says:

    I may not sleep tonight!

  12. Numbers Guy1984 says:

    Amazing turn of events for Seattle in 12 months. It seems like yesterday that Seattle was the Forbes “Worst Sports City in America” for 2-3 years in a row. Not anymore!!!!!!

  13. Brian Robinson says:

    Busy week ahead. I refuse to accept congrats until.the first players land in the 206

  14. Ron in Yakima says:

    Breaking News: Squatch seen running laps around Seattle Center fountain.

  15. jenn_gp says:

    Can’t sleep!!!!!!! This is unbelievable…trying to keep it in my mind that nothing is confirmed by Chris, but waiting is hard to do after waiting for five years to get our Supes back!

  16. ykiki says:

    I suddenly feel like reading a Weedle book!

  17. Gene Hunt says:

    Not In Our House

    http://bit.ly/10x0hg1

  18. jason. says:

    part of me is afraid to accept that this is a done deal.

  19. Paul Rogers says:

    Aldridge weighs in…

    http://www.nba.com/2013/news/01/21/kings-sale-to-seattle-aldridge/index.html

  20. Paul Rogers says:

    Aldridge…

    “The source said the Maloofs, as late as a month ago, were in negotiations with a single, unnamed buyer who was prepared to keep the team in Sacramento for at least two more years. But the deal could not be consummated and the family turned back to Hansen last month.”

  21. Ross says:

    Does the MOU deal with the possibility that KeyBank starts paying again for naming rights when the Sonics are back in Queen Anne for a couple of seasons?

  22. Jared S. says:

    I would take that Phil Jackson thing with a grain of salt, since it’s Peter Vecsey reporting it.

  23. MTSonicsFan says:

    I’m accepting this as the word that we’re getting the Kings. If my hopes are dashed later so be it.

    The way in which the Sonics were stolen/given away is amazing. The way in which they’re being replaced is equally amazing. I don’t think we could ask for a better owner to replace the sh*t *ss, p*ss poor one that screwed it all up to begin with.

  24. Paul Rogers says:

    Man I wish I were in Seattle tonight. Would be fun to hang out with some of you and talk.

  25. kba says:

    The Maloofs will receive a $30 million non-refundable deposit on Feb. 1, according to the deal, one person said. They will still be allowed to receive other offers until the league approves the sale.

    Don’t understand this

    • hughc5 says:

      Sounds fishy to me

    • Ross says:

      The $30 mil serves to keep Hansen/Ballmer from backing out. It also places them first in line for the team, if the rumors of a signed deal are true. No matter what offers the Maloofs receive from now on, the team is theirs if the BOG approves. However, in the case that the BOG doesn’t approve Hansen/Ballmer (very, very unlikely), they would be allowed to have a second, third etc. offer lined up.

      • SpeedCat says:

        what happens if Maloofs back out?

        • Ross says:

          The way I read it is that they cannot back out. The agreement is signed. It would be breach of contract if they backed out and they would be liable for the deposit and potentially damages.

          It’s like a deposit for an apartment. Once you sign the lease, the deposit guarantees you an apartment. If the apartment complex can’t find room for you, you get a refund.

          • SpeedCat says:

            That’s it, they just get their $30 mil back? That would suck. They oughta have a specific performance clause. IE, the team must be delivered (potentially by the courts) if Maloofs fail to perform. I doubt it’s that ironclad though.

  26. EJ says:

    From the Aldridge article:

    There are currently two lawsuits filed against Hansen and the city, looking to stop the deal from going through. That may represent Sacramento’s last best hope of stopping the sale; the league would be reluctant to approve any move of a team that doesn’t have a solid arena deal in place.

    I really wish that crap was settled already. Not that I feel either lawsuit has a leg to stand on. But all they do is muddy the waters in the mean time. The ILWU hearing was moved up to Feb, correct? What about the Citizens For More Important Things? Any idea when all of this nonsense will be done with?

  27. Nap says:

    Feeling like playing lotto!

  28. SonicsUberAlles says:

    Seems to confirm prevailing theories…

    By ANTONIO GONZALEZ (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press

    “The sale figure is a total valuation of the franchise, which includes relocation fees. Hansen’s group also is hoping to buy out other minority investors.”

    http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ap-sources-maloofs-agree-sell-051543331-nba.html

  29. Paul Rogers says:

    This isn’t the act of a man who wasn’t caught by surprise…

    Judy Farah‏@newsbabe1530
    Kevin Johnson told @kcrakellie he’s canceling trip to Pres. Obama’s inaugural to work on Kings. Maloofs such party spoilers.

  30. rambisfan-rmcd says:

    Going to my first pro hockey game in over 30 yrs in tri cities this sat….let’s get us a hockey team. I am feeling greedy now.

  31. kba says:

    Kevin Johnson ‏@KJ_MayorJohnson
    Let me be clear.Though agreement btw Maloofs & Seattle is out, deal is NOT done. Sac can still present an offer 2 NBA BOG. #playingtowin

    Can you say DENIAL

  32. Omar says:

    So, just to be clear, KJ wants go to BOG meeting, put a new offer on the table that’s so high that the sale will be rejected?

    I wonder what $number$ the BOG would look for to overturn the sale.

  33. SpeedCat says:

    IMO they can’t overturn the sale. They can reject the relocation of the team.

  34. Paul Rogers says:

    George Karl‏@CoachKarl22
    Humbled to move into 6th on NBA wins list. Never thought I’d be where I am. Couldn’t have done it w/o support from assistants & family.

  35. SpeedCat says:

    sorry if this is a repeat. This news is blowing up BIG.

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/kings/2013/01/20/sacramento-seattle-maloofs-chris-hansen-sonics-supersonics/1850631/

  36. rambisfan-rmcd says:

    Any word on how Bagshaw is leaning? Get those letters in!!

  37. MTSonicsFan says:

    For me, best case is that a Sac group does bring an offer to the BOG and a deal is reached to give Seattle an expansion team. Sacramento keeps their team, Seattle doesn’t take anyone else’s team, and we don’t have any further business with the Maloofs.

  38. Paul Rogers says:

    Bob Condotta‏@bcondotta
    Yahoo’s @WojYahooNBA reporting Larry Bird could be part of new Seattle NBA organization: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba-seattle-owners-could-target-r-c-buford-or-larry-bird-to-run-franchise-073354007.html

    • SpeedCat says:

      “The Seattle group believes it will need to completely rebuild the franchise, and that means hiring an executive with a strong history of drafting, player evaluation and organization building.
      Kings GM Geoff Petrie, who is in the final year of his contract, will not be retained, sources said. Petrie is expected to retire at season’s end, league sources said.”

      Complete rebuild. I like this.

  39. SpeedCat says:

    ESPN insiders, or Kevin! :) please leak Kevin Pelton’s full story to us, I dunna have a login to get access to this “Sacramento Kings Sale FAQ”:

    http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8864452/nba-sacramento-kings-sale-faq

  40. Ron in Yakima says:

    I am elated I haven’t taken down my Christmas lights yet. They will be burning brightly tonight.

  41. civicsi099 says:

    EFF YOU CLAY BENNET. You are still an ass, I still hate you

  42. SpanishGlove says:

    Can the BOG reject the move to Seattle without an offer from Sac?

    Anyway, I think that it the team is already sold to Hansen-Ballmer, Sac can’t match the offer because the team wouldn’t be propiety of the Maloofs, no? In that case, they would have to present an offer to Hansen Ballmer. Am I missing anything?

  43. kinsesu says:

    Anyone else still up ?? - - - I can’t sleep. Might need to take a Costco OTC sleep aid. If you ever need help sleeping - - - they usually work for me.

  44. Jared S. says:

    I wish I could be elated, but instead I feel kind of numb and hollow about all this. It just feels dirty and wrong that we get a team back like this.

  45. Jared S. says:

    I’m not saying others shouldn’t be happy, but for now I can’t feel that way.

    • kinsesu says:

      It’s okay - - as I said before: In a just & perfect world, Hornets would go to OKC, Sonics would return home and Sac would keep the Kings. However, it’s not the sports fan choice. If any fan could understand what Sac is going thru - - - it’s us. Is it just and fair to the fans ? Heck no !! No one is saying/thinking: Oh, hey Sac fans - - we got screwed, so now it’s your turn. You’ll need to take those concerns up with the NBA regarding their business model. It’s okay to feel empathetic for Sac and still rejoice in the return of the Sonics. I think if you took a poll - - - Sonic fans would have much preferred expansion, but, again, was not and never will be the fan’s choice.

  46. payton2kemp says:

    can’t wait for the return of our sonics.

  47. payton2kemp says:

    heres the espn article requested earlier sorry if I broke any copyrights rule..

    Sunday night’s report by ESPN.com’s Marc Stein that a Seattle group has reached an agreement to buy a controlling interest in the Sacramento Kings, with an aim toward bringing the franchise to Seattle, raises plenty of important questions about the process ahead. Here are some answers to the situation affecting Sacramento, Seattle and the NBA.Who is buying the Kings?A group of Seattle-based investors led by Chris Hansen, a Bay Area-based hedge-fund manager who grew up in Seattle’s Rainier Valley neighborhood.Hansen has been the public face of the effort to “bring back” the SuperSonics since last January, when he announced plans for a public-private partnership to build a $490 million NBA/NHL arena in the Sodo district, just south of Century Link Field and Safeco Field. The King County and Seattle City Councils approved an updated version of the Memorandum of Understanding in September, freeing Hansen and his group to go shopping for a team.How much of the Kings is the group buying?Approximately 65 percent, which represents the controlling interest owned by the Maloofs and the minority share owned by Robert Hernreich. According to ESPN’s J.A. Adande, the Maloofs will retain a “small piece” of the team.The fate of the remaining 35 percent remains uncertain, though the Seattle group does not need it for control of the franchise. The sale price will be based on an overall franchise valuation of $525 million, meaning the Seattle group is paying approximately $340 million.Why are the Maloofs selling?The majority owners of the Kings have been struggling financially. In 2009, the Maloofs sold the New Mexico beer distributorship that was the original source of the family’s wealth under the late patriarch Joe Maloof, Sr. In 2011, they lost majority control of the Las Vegas casino Palms, which struggled financially after the economy crashed.Weighed down by debt, the Maloofs saw a Kings’ move as a possible cash infusion. A deal to take the team to Anaheim in 2011 collapsed, and when an effort to build an arena for the team in Virginia Beach was unable to secure government backing earlier this month, the Maloofs apparently decided it was time to sell.Will the group move the Kings to Seattle?As our Marc Stein reported, the NBA expects the new ownership group to apply for a move next season by the league’s March 1 relocation deadline.The NBA’s relocation committee, led by Oklahoma City Thunder chairman Clay Bennett — who spearheaded the Thunder’s move from Seattle — will evaluate the proposal before taking it to the league’s Board of Governors. Yahoo! reported last week that the relocation committee has already been briefed on the general parameters of the sale.Could the NBA block a move?That’s what Kevin Johnson is hoping. The Sacramento mayor (and former Phoenix Suns point guard) has said that commissioner David Stern will allow him to present his case to the Board of Governors — comprised of one representative from each team — when they vote on the sale, and potentially a move to Seattle, at their next meeting in April. The sale and move require majority approval.In practice, the Board of Governors has not blocked a move in modern history. They voted 28-2 in favor of the Sonics’ move to Oklahoma City, with only Dallas’ Mark Cuban and Portland’s Paul Allen voting against.The closest parallel for Sacramento was the Minnesota Timberwolves’ unsuccessful move to New Orleans in 1994. The Board of Governors voted against the sale of the Timberwolves to a group, Top Rank, intending to move the team to the Crescent City. While that decision was largely due to questions about the group’s finances, it gave Minnesota the opportunity to find a local owner (Glen Taylor) to keep the team in town.A source close to the relocation efforts indicated that at least one owner was willing to vote against the Sonics’ move to Oklahoma City if there was a viable plan to keep the team in Seattle, which fell through when the state legislature was unwilling to provide necessary funding. But in the Kings’ case, Stein reports that Board of Governors approval is “widely considered to be a formality.” In general, owners are considered unwilling to block any move because of the possibility that they might need approval from the Board of Governors for their own move. Also, preventing a franchise from moving opens up the possibility of an antitrust suit against the league.Are there local investors interested in keeping the team in Sacramento?That’s the $340 million question. An adviser to Johnson told the Sacramento Bee last week that the names involved in a local ownership group would be announced this week. Sleep Train founder Dale Carlsen, 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov and Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ronald Burkle, who offered to buy the team in 2011 when a move to Anaheim looked imminent, have been mentioned as possible candidates.Would a new Seattle team be named the SuperSonics?The Memorandum of Understanding between Hansen, the city of Seattle and King County specifies that the new ownership group will “use its best efforts to acquire” the SuperSonics name. Given that the group’s website is called SonicsArena.com and uses a takeoff on the old Sonics skyline logo, the return of the name and marks appears to be a formality.The new ownership group, Bennett and the NBA will have to determine whether the Sonics’ history in Seattle- including the 1979 NBA championship and six retired jerseys — will be shared with Oklahoma City, returned outright or remain with the Thunder.If the Sonics retain their history, the league will have to decide what becomes of the history of the Kings franchise, which was an inaugural member of the NBA as the Rochester Royals and made stops in Cincinnati and Kansas City/Omaha before landing in Sacramento in 1985.Where will the team play if it moves?Construction of a new arena would begin after the move is approved. During construction, the team would likely spend two years playing in KeyArena, the former home of the Sonics. While KeyArena has been deemed unsuitable as a long-term home for an NBA franchise, the league has agreed to allow the team to play there temporarily.Hansen has offered to fund improvements to KeyArena to help bring it closer to modern NBA standards. One concern for the ownership group, according to a source, is that any delay in the move being approved could make it difficult to upgrade KeyArena for the 2013-14 season.Who else is part of Hansen’s ownership group?Hansen has named three other members of his ownership group — Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, ranked by Forbes as the 19th-richest American with net wealth of $15.9 billion, and Erik and Peter Nordstrom from the family that owns the department store of the same name and was the original owner of the Seattle Seahawks.Hansen has indicated there will be more investors, but told the Puget Sound Business Journal he wants to avoid the large size of the Howard Schultz-led Basketball Club of Seattle, which proved unwieldy when Schultz wanted to sell the original Sonics, who eventually became the Oklahoma City Thunder.

  48. Ross says:

    Another upside to the Kings over an expansion: we aren’t excluded from the top 3 picks. This means we have a legitimate shot at the top talent in the next draft, especially if the team tanks for the rest of the season.

  49. BarelyAble says:

    Best 4 am twitter updates i have seen. Good thing this is a holiday as my productivity is now zero. Charliesonic if you are reading this we better start planning for a 76ers or wizards game next year (assuming all indications are correct).

  50. 3InTheKey says:

    So much apprehension on here. Let loose and relish in this people! Chris Hansen is a machine. He has been ten steps ahead on this thing since the beginning, and there is no reason to start thinking anything to the contrary moving forward. He is, and always has been completely in control of this situation and he will not rest until him and Balmer are sitting in their owners box at the Key, toasting a glass of champagne right before tip off. I say we all rejoice, and leave the worrying to him and his people! Side note: Our logo should be the sasquatch, but with Hansen face!

  51. colmcanada says:

    Would Hansen/Ballmer go public in the next few days or will they let KJ fire his mid-court heave?

  52. bobbywilbury44 says:

    Hard to hold back the excitement! This is wonderful news, but I’m waiting until Hansen and the NBA make it official before I go crazy with joy.

  53. James says:

    Mitch on KJR saying he thinks we’ll hear confirmation today, possibly during the time his show is on this morning.

    • jenn_gp says:

      ^I missed that part, stared listening about 10 minutes ago. Before 10 am is pretty quick, that would be awesome. This anxiety is working on me pretty hard. Definitely don’t think I can wait until tomorrow. Ready to celebrate!!!

  54. Paul Rogers says:

    NorthWest Cable News‏@NWCN
    Yahoo Sports: NBA’s relocation committee to overwhelmingly approve Kings move to Seattle for next season. Vote possible today.

  55. jenn_gp says:

    James is right, Mitch just said again could be as early before his show is over we have an announcement. He wasn’t sure if it would be Hansen, the NBA, Maloofs, or all 3 parties, but he said expect an announcement soon.

  56. danabarrosetc says:

    Can’t decide whether to pop the champagne when the relocation is officially approved or when I see the first player in a Sonics uni.
    Too many shady characters in this NBA racket for me to feel secure yet.
    But! The champagne is on ice. Waiting.

  57. Paul Rogers says:

    #NBA Statement On Proposed Sale Of The Sacramento #Kings To A Seattle Group.

    “The NBA received an executed Purchase and Sale Agreement for the transfer of a controlling interest in the Sacramento Kings from the Maloof family to an investor group led by Christopher Hansen. The proposed transaction is subject to the approval of the NBA Board of Governors and has been referred to the Board’s committee process for review.” 3 minutes ago

  58. John_S says:

    for people with DirecTv, this week DirecTv has a free viewing of NBA league pass just in case anyone wants to see the Kings or get renegaged with the NBA

  59. Paul Rogers says:

    Guys I know the NBA could still technically screw this up and reject the sale, but I don’t think it will.

    Even with that possibility, however, we should take some time to celebrate and enjoy this. For the first time since Schultz sold the team, we have a Seattle ownership group with a piece of paper that says they own the team, which they intend to move to Seattle NEXT YEAR. In other words, since the first time since Schultz sold, WE HAVE LEVERAGE.

    How huge is that? Freaking huge is how huge.

  60. Paul Rogers says:

    Chris Daniels‏@ChrisDaniels5
    BREAKING: Maloof Family releases statement confirming sale of controlling interest in Kings to Chris Hansen of Seattle.

    Chris Daniels‏@ChrisDaniels5
    BREAKING: Gavin Maloof says “We have always appreciated and treasured our ownership of the Kings and have had a great admiration for fans..”

  61. Paul Rogers says:

    Chris Daniels‏@ChrisDaniels5
    BREAKING: Maloof: “We would also like (to) thanks Chris Hansen for his professionalism during our negotiation….” #nbakings

  62. Paul Rogers says:

    Chris Daniels‏@ChrisDaniels5
    BREAKING: Gavin Maloof: “Chris will be a great steward for the franchise”. #NBAKings

  63. Paul Rogers says:

    Chris Daniels‏@ChrisDaniels5
    I was told by a high level league source that other NBA Owners were indeed briefed on terms of sale over the weekend. #NBAKings

  64. jenn_gp says:

    WOOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!

    Now we can celebrate….pending league approval of course :-)

  65. jenn_gp says:

    Chris just posted an announcement on SonicsArena.com

  66. jenn_gp says:

    “We are happy to announce that we have entered into a binding agreement with the Maloofs to purchase a controlling interest in the Sacramento Kings NBA franchise. The sale is obviously subject to approval by the NBA Board of Governors, and we look forward to working with the League in the coming months to consummate the transaction.
    While we are not at liberty to discuss the terms of the transaction or our plans for the franchise given the confidential nature of the agreement and NBA regulations regarding public comments during a pending transaction, we would just like to extend our sincerest compliments and gratitude toward the Maloof family. Our negotiations with the family were handled with the utmost honor and professionalism and we hope to continue their legacy and be great stewards of this NBA franchise in the coming years and decades.”
    — Chris Hansen

  67. Heezon-fire says:

    Just picturing Vince Carter at the Dunk Contest. “It’s ova!” Can’t wait to see how Chris rebuilds the Sonics! Might order league pass now, can’t wait for the draft! Ya baba-dabba doooooooooooo!!!!!

  68. colmcanada says:

    It’s funny, I’ve kept a healthy skepticism ever since the first Woj bomb dropped a couple of weeks ago and, to be honest, I was and am still a bit uneasy about what’s happening to Sacramento. That said, when I read the Hansen statement I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

  69. SonicsUberAlles says:

    Yes!!! GO Sonics!!! Best day of my life since the day I was born.

  70. Seattle Sharks Fan says:

    What a great way to start the week! Go Sonics!

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