Bleed Black and Purple

Kings hire Pete D'Alessandro as new general manager

2013-06-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

The Kings have hired Pete D'Alessandro as the team's new general manger, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

D'Alessandro previously served as assistant general manager for the Denver Nuggets. Most recently, he was Masai Ujiri's right-hand man before he bolted for Toronto in May. D'Alessandro, like Michael Malone, is someone who has garnered attention around the NBA. His knowledge of the salary cap and scouting abilities are highly regarded league-wide.

According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, Vivek Ranadive hasn't ruled out hiring a team president to work with D'Alessandro. Memphis Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace could be a potential candidate for that role, according to Berger.

This ends Geoff Petrie's long run (started in 1994) as the Kings' general manager. Petrie was responsible for putting together the Webber-Divac team that so many in Sacramento loved, and for that, Kings fans should wish him well.

A new beginning for DeMarcus Cousins

2013-06-15T10:22:00.001-07:00

Last season, you would usually find DeMarcus Cousins lost in his own thoughts; frustration written all over his face, slumped into his locker room chair with his back to everyone.

Cousins hates losing and has been unable to control his emotions – two things that have repeatedly worked against each other.

But that was then.

The 2013-14 NBA season is a clean slate for the big man to embrace. It’s a wide open door he can walk through and come out the other side as the best center in the league.

Michael Malone and Vivek Ranadive have publicly stated that they are all in on him, but will he be all in for Kings? Cousins’ first three seasons have been marred with controversy. Run-ins with coaches, refs, TV analysts, even fights with his own teammates. Many fans have grown weary of his attitude and negative impact in the locker room, but like the new owners, they aren’t ready to turn their backs on him either.

Malone isn’t going to tolerate players who won’t adapt to the new culture he is trying to instill. Unfortunately, Cousins refused to buy in to what Paul Westphal and Keith Smart were trying to accomplish, but that was under the ownership of the Maloofs – a dead end street where competing for a playoff spot was an afterthought. With this new age of Kings basketball comes a dedicated owner who lives his life to win at everything he does and an up-and-coming coach with fresh ideas. And while Cousins will definitely need to learn how to regulate his emotions better, we have yet to see what DeMarcus looks like on an NBA team that is winning. He has repeatedly told reporters that he simply hates to lose in response to what is bothering him. More wins will likely come in the form of team defense, which will result in a cohesive unit on defense and offense, and Cousins could end up feeding off the positivity and change his ways.

“Could” is the key word there.

He’s already getting a clean slate before the season starts. He was invited to participate at the USA Men’s basketball Minicamp in Las Vegas next month. Cousins could take advantage of this opportunity after his maturity was called into question by Jerry Colangelo last year during his time with Team USA. It’s up to him to decide whether he turns it into a learning opportunity.

Someone with the talent level of Cousins is going to get multiple chances to prove he can get his emotions in check and buy in to a team concept over his career, whether he is in Sacramento or not. He knows that, and maybe that is why he has refused to comply with the wishes of previous coaches and didn’t agree to go to therapy at the request of the team. Maybe he is still too young to realize what is in front of him. Maybe, and I doubt this is the case, he simply doesn’t care.

There are a lot of maybes, and Ranadive doesn’t seem too concerned about them, at least on the surface. My guess is the Kings will give Cousins the chance to prove himself over the first four months of the upcoming season and if it isn’t working out, they will evaluate their options around the trade deadline.

With everyone still amped about Sacramento keeping the Kings, Cousins has an opportunity to shepherd in the new era with a positive outlook.

Next season can be something special, but it starts with the big man in the middle.

Resistance to change will be futile under Michael Malone

2013-06-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

Paul Westphal and Keith Smart both had nice guy reputations and both could never quite get through to their players. By the time each of their Kings coaching tenures ended, their teams had shut down on them, leaving fans wondering if there was any significant culture change on the horizon.

Westphal and Smart took passive aggressive approaches that never sat well in the locker room, and certainly not with the guy who has the most talent on the roster, DeMarcus Cousins.

Michael Malone is the latest coach to come through the doors at Sleep Train Arena. He is a completely different guy in a completely different setting, however, as Vivek Ranadive is on a mission to change the trajectory of the franchise. Malone has a hard-nosed, my way or the highway mentality. From his introductory press conference last week when he stated that his players “are either going to embrace the change “or they going to resist,” to a few days later when he followed that comment up on The Jim Rome Show by saying, “the guys that do resist, if there are any, obviously will be guys we'll have to look to get rid of."

We just didn’t hear things like that out of Westphal or Smart.

On Saturday, the Kings welcomed in prospects for a pre-draft workout. A handful of the players, including Michael Carter Williams, C.J. McCollum and Peyton Siva, commented on enjoying Malone’s approach during the workouts.

“Coach is very high-intensity, so we were getting up and down the floor, guarding each other full court,” McCollum said. “I love his style a lot, you know, he’s a Queens guy, he has been in basketball for a long time and he knows the game.”

On Friday, Michigan standout Trey Burke worked out with the Kings and video of the session shows Malone going after the Michigan guard pretty hard on defense.

Malone told reporters at the practice facility on Saturday that he expects his players to feed off of his intensity.

“I don’t mind getting down and playing a little defense or playing pick and roll. I know I am competitive and I think when they sense my energy and my enthusiasm, they kind of feed off that as well, and guys that don’t have that will obviously stick out,” Malone said.

This was the second time I’ve heard Malone reference his plan to call out individual players because of their lackadaisical play. It's new territory for Kings coaches of recent memory, at least publicly. Everything Malone is saying right now indicates he will always have an explanation for how he handles his players in order to keep the “culture” he is trying to establish on track.

Smart focused his tenure as the head coach on trying get the players to “become a family.” The idea being that if they all liked each other, they would play together. Not a wrong philosophy, but, unfortunately, there wasn't anything else to go along with that effort, which ultimately caused it to fall flat.

Center Chuck Hayes told me last season that the Kings are a “dysfunctional family.”

“Yeah, we preached family in the beginning…If we are a family we’re not a good one,” Hayes said. “Some families got their problems and we have ours and I don’t know; I don’t know a way we get out of it.”

Smart didn’t know how to get out of it either, and his play calling and rotations began to wear on the attitude in the locker room. Westphal just flat out didn’t know how to handle a roster of young guys with Cousins as the lead, and Cousins eventually ran him out of town.

Cousins will be Malone's main challenge when he walks into this locker room. He will have to find a way to erase a mentality wrought with a history of dysfunction. He knows that, that’s why he is less concerned with statistics right now when evaluating players in the draft (with no help from the soon-to-be general manager), and more interested in the spirit of each player.

“I want to get into the intangibles, I want to try to get inside these guys and see what kind of a heart they have, what kind of a competitive soul they have and see if they can fit into the culture we are going to try and create,” Malone told reporters

That competitive soul will need to begin on the defensive end if any of the new or current players expect to be on the right side of the street come October.

Siva, a Louisville guard who came to the pre-draft workout on Saturday, got a glimpse of Malone’s approach and the direction he plans to take the team.

“I like it, got a chance to go out there and work out, just hearing how they talk about it; they like to play defense and rebound, but they give you the freedom on offense to go out there and create for your teammates and yourself,” Siva said.

Malone is only a couple of weeks in and the season is months away, so Kings fans will have to wait quite a while to find out if his talk translates into better defense, higher intensity and wins. But all indications point to him shaking this team up quite a bit, with Ranadive, his friend, leading the ship.

Key takeaways from the Mike Malone press conference

2013-06-04T07:13:00.001-07:00

Mike Malone was introduced as the new head coach of the Sacramento Kings on Monday during a press conference at Sleep Train Arena.

Flanked next to new owner Vivek Ranadive, Malone took questions for more than 20 minutes. Ranadive fielded a handful of questions as well.

The press conference provided some good insight into how Ranadive wants to run the Kings and how Malone will handle things on the floor. Below is a series of key comments from both of the new guys in town.

Malone on Kings fans:

“I give all the great fans of the Sacramento Kings my word that we’re going to do everything in our power, starting today, actually started a few hours ago, to turn this franchise around and get back to where we were in the glory days of Kings basketball.”

Malone on his staff and hiring his father, Brendan Malone:

“As of right now, I have not hired anybody officially. There is a certain member of my family who has a good chance of joining my staff in my father. Obviously, as I have told people recently, I’m not hiring my father because he is my father. I’d be hiring my father because he has 25 years of experience in the NBA as a head coach, as an assistant coach and he’s seen and lived through almost every experience possible that you can go through as an NBA coach.”

Malone on how he will judge this season:

“For me, year one will not be based on wins and losses, it’s going to be more based on changing the culture, becoming a defensive team and developing every player on our roster so they are improving throughout the season.”

Malone on what needs to be worked on defensively:

“Defensively, obviously, we all know there is no secrets, they [the Kings] were a very poor defensive team and that’s going to be one of the keys this year is us establishing ourselves as a defensive-first team.”

“There is a wide-held belief that you need to have a team full of great defensive players to be a good defensive team and I would not agree with that. When we were in Cleveland we had some players that you would not consider great defensive players, but if you have a system in place that they can trust each other, they can communicate and they can help each other, you can cover up for those guys. And I believe that the players on this roster, there is no doubt they can be better.”

“It’s a matter of teaching, and I think that’s what all good coaches are, teachers; demanding it from them, holding them accountable, using film as a great teaching tool.”

Malone on DeMarcus Cousins:

“At the end of the day, these players are all going to have a choice to make. You are either going to embrace the change or you are going to resist, and I anticipate all these guys embracing it because they are all professionals and they get paid very well to do a job and nobody likes to lose.”

“I’m not going to go in with any preconceived notions about DeMarcus. Yes, you hear different things and he’s had run ins here and there. I’m going to go with him with open arms and accept him because we all known on any given night, he is the most talented big man in the NBA. There’s not many guys out there, you just don’t get rid of those guys. He could be, and should be, the cornerstone of this franchise for years to come, that’s my hope.”

Ranadive on Cousins:

“We want to create a global brand here, a global franchise and I said that hey, I’d like nothing better than a billion Indians to know who DeMarcus Cousins is.”

Ranadive on hiring Malone so quickly:

“I’m not a person who shoots from the hip or makes quick decisions, I’m a deliberate thinker, but this was not a case where I was 90 or 99 percent sure that I had the best person, I was 100 percent sure that I had the absolute best person.”

Ranadive on his decision to hire a coach before a general manager:

“I know it was unconventional. I think we’re in unconventional times right now. The timing in terms of when the deal closed, when the draft was, we didn’t want to waste a lot of time. It’s no secret that Coach Malone was the most highly sought after assistant coach out there, everybody wanted him.”

Ranadive on the general manager situation:

“We’re not making any quick decisions on that. This is a very, very important decision for us and we want to make the right decision.”

Ranadive on what he is looking for in the general manager position:

“A person who can evaluate talent, a person who can work with agents and negotiate. A person who can be an adviser and a confidante to the coach. A person who is joined at the hip with the business side and understands that that’s important as well. And a person who is really willing to buy into this notion of a jazz band where it’s not a dogmatic approach, it’s a more flexible approach and we want people to be able to do their own thing but we also want it to be music.”

“I’ve always had the belief coming from Silicon Valley that open minds and open systems win at the end of the day.”

Ranadive on his philosophy for the Kings:

“We believe in excellence at all levels, we’re going to have a high bar and we think we have the best fans in the NBA and we need to give them excellence across the board.”

“We’re going to have a value system of hard work, of integrity, of working together. The analogy that I use is that the 21^st century model is more a jazz band than a…marching band where everybody can do their own thing, but they come together and the coach provides the sheet music and it’s all music at the end of the day.”

###

Malone is clear on what he wants: a new defensive mentality and more effort out of all of his players. He expects them to buy in to his system and will work to make sure he listens to their input. Everyone in Sacramento will be watching (with a magnifying glass) how this works out with Cousins.

Malone and Ranadive clearly have a close relationship and trust one another, which is a good start. The incoming general manager will need to be able to fit right in to that existing dynamic.

Oh, and how about the class of Geoff Petrie? He has agreed to stick around and consult Malone and the new owners about the current roster and on the upcoming draft while they shop for his replacement. Well done Geoff, well done.

Below is the entire the press conference, as it is seen on Kings.com.

Kings hire Mike Malone to kick off new era

2013-05-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

It was leaked Thursday that the Sacramento Kings have hired Mike Malone as their new head coach.

Malone, a defensive-minded coach who played Mark Jackson's main wingman for the last two seasons in Golden State, is reported to have landed a four-year deal with the Kings worth more than $9 million, according to USA Today. This will be Malone's first shot at being a head coach. Prior to his job with the Warriors, he served as an assistant coach with the New Orleans Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The hire is the first move of the new Sacramento ownership group led by Vivek Ranadive.

Malone seems to be highly thought of around the NBA right now and has a lot of momentum, having drawn significant interest from other teams including the Los Angeles Clippers for their current open head coaching job.

Malone, the son of tenured NBA coach Brendan Malone, is a straight shooter and a strategist. Below is a series of interviews that provide deeper insight into his personality and coaching style.

The new mentality of the Sacramento Kings

2013-05-29T07:18:00.001-07:00

A sea change is coming.

It could begin with Mike Malone becoming the head coach (according to Peter Vecsey). It could begin with names like R.C. Buford, Travis Schlenk or Chris Wallace replacing Geoff Petrie (according to Sam Amick). The actual structure of the management and the players will be altered, but this change will pale in comparison to the change in the overall mentality of the ownership, and we are already beginning to witness it.

Vivek Ranadive represents an entire personality and outlook shift. At the Long Live the Kings Rally last week in Cesar Chavez Park, the first thing Ranadive said to the 15,000-plus people in attendance was that the Kings belong to Sacramento.

“This is your great city, this is your beautiful park…and on behalf of the ownership group, I want to promise you that the Kings are your team and the Kings are here to stay,” Ranadive said to a thunderous applause.

Talk about refreshing. Especially considering how the Maloofs treated that very subject from day one of their tenure. As an illustration, I tracked down this comment from Gavin Maloof to KCRA 3 after the family took control of the team in the late '90s.

Gavin: We like the city. We want to stay here -- and that's all we can tell ya.

Reporter: But will you stay here with certainty?

Gavin: We will stay here.

Reporter: Beyond five years?

Gavin: Well, you know, beyond five years, whatever. Sure, we will stay here.

There is no “whatever” out of the man who digitized Wall Street. Ranadive steps into Kings ownership having gone through the relocation battle firsthand. He stood right next to the people of Sacramento and their representative Mayor Kevin Johnson. He has seen how Sacramento has fought. He has met all of the key players in the saga. He has lived it, and he repeatedly talks about how he wants a product the fans deserve, and he will soon have the management pieces in place to help him start that process.

It will probably take Kings fans some time to get used to the humble nature of their new owner. Of course it is yet to be seen how Ranadive will run the ship and what he has planned for the franchise. At the rally, he didn't spout off about how impressive he has been. He thanked and then he thanked some more. But before he had the chance to start the thanking, the crowd thanked him by chanting “Thank-You, Thank-You.” His speech never sounded scripted nor did it sound political. It sounded genuine.

Ranadive operates his company, Tibco, on the mantra of "turning your customers into fans.” Well, now he has actual fans as customers (although he has experienced that at a smaller level during his tenure as a minority owner of the Golden State Warriors.)

Ranadive won’t be perfect as an owner. There are going to be times when things go wrong with the team. There will be bad decisions made, it's professional sports; everyone swings and misses from time to time. But we know that Ranadive has the mentality of a winner and that won't discourage him. As the first Indian-born NBA owner he, in a way, will have a lot riding on his shoulders, but he seems to deal with pressure calmly and with a certain smoothness.

Will Ranadive ever try to move the Kings out of Sacramento? Nah, the team is here for at least 35 years, so let's focus on basketball for a change. But as the conversation quickly turns to the draft, Kings fans should not only be excited and relieved that the relocation mess is behind us, but also that there is a man who actually gets Sacramento leading the charge.

This team financially belongs to you Vivek, but thank you for understanding Sacramento.

You have a lot of fans.

'Long Live The Kings' rally to be held in Cesar Chavez Park

2013-05-22T06:26:00.000-07:00

The "Long Live The Kings" rally is set for Thursday night in downtown Sacramento.

The rally, a free event meant to celebrate the news that the Kings are staying in Sacramento for years to come, will be held at Cesar Chavez Park (910 I St.) from 5 – 9 p.m.

New owner Vivek Ranadive and Mayor Kevin Johnson will be in attendance, as well as the following people:

Ownership: Paul Jacobs, Mark Friedman, Raj Bhathal, Chris Kelly, Mark Mastrov and Andrew Miller.

Former and Current Players: Mitch Richmond, Chris Webber, Scot Pollard, Bobby Jackson, Tyreke Evans and Isaiah Thomas.

Performers: Chord Overstreet of "Glee," country singer Paul Overstreet, rapper Alex Johnson, Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon, artist David Garibaldi and the Kings Breakers. (Oh, and that Carmichael Dave fellow will be in the house.)

You are going to want to make sure you get downtown for this, it is shaping up to be a night you will never forget. Click here to join the Facebook event page.

Below is a teaser video, which is a shortened version of the video that played in Times Square in New York City during the NBA Board of Governors meetings last month.

Here We Stay releases open thank you letter to new Kings owners

2013-05-19T07:46:00.001-07:00

Vivek Ranadive waives to Kings fans and media at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. Photo by Curtis Corona

The Here We Stay campaign has released an open thank you letter to the new owners of the Sacramento Kings.

The letter comes after this week's news that the NBA Board of Governors voted to block relocation to Seattle and the announcement that the Kings have been purchased from the Maloofs by the investor group led by Vivek Ranadive.

The letter is below.

###

Dear Vivek Ranadive, Paul Jacobs, Raj Bhathal, Arjun Gupta, Mark Mastrov, Andy Miller, Chris Kelly, Mark Friedman, Katrina Garnett, Ron Burkle, and all of the other investors who believed in Sacramento:

It is with great sincerity that we thank you for your commitment to Sacramento. Sacramentans take great pride in their city and in their region, and the fact that you have stepped forward to invest in downtown and put a winning product on the floor excites this entire community. Our region needs a shot in the arm, both from a jobs perspective and an economic development standpoint. A new downtown arena will facilitate these things and then some. Our team, the Sacramento Kings, has needed a group like yours to take it to the next level – a global level. We want to stand with Kings fans in every corner of the world and celebrate this symbol of civic pride that we call our team. We also want our families and future generations to be able to enjoy professional sports and entertainment in a thriving downtown epicenter.

We feel as though there is no greater fan base in all of sports. Kings fans scratch, claw, and punch. It’s in our nature to take on the role of the underdog – the community and fan base that is always counted out, only to storm back to fight with resilience and passion. This fan base will take that intensity to another level under your ownership. The fans of this team and the people of this city will fully support your group as we all strive for the same thing – an NBA championship and a downtown that we can all champion as a beacon of light, shining bright.

We’re in this together as a family and we look forward to you leading us into a new era in Sacramento; a “Sacramento 3.0,” filled with world-class entertainment in a world-class facility.

From everyone affiliated with the Here We Stay campaign, we again say thank you. Thank you for believing in our fan base and our community.

Sacramento is behind you.

Sincerely,

Here We Stay

###

In addition to the letter, the Here We Stay campaign has crowdsourced a list of “wishes” from Kings fans for the team and the arena under the new ownership group.

Below is that list:

1. Fans would be amenable to changes to logos/jerseys but the current color scheme and team name should stay. It's become part of our identity.

2. Let the crowd be the soundtrack to the game, not music. Less music in game, and more cowbell!

3. Bring back the Carl's Jr. player bobble-heads.

4. Buy-a-Brick program for the new downtown Entertainment and Sports Complex.

5. Sell food and beer that is being made right here in the Sacramento area in the arena. Incorporate local restaurants and food trucks for the food, similar to how the new airport terminal did.

6. Fan access to the team (think Cowboys Stadium).

7. A phone-charging kiosk.

8. An area for dancing during concerts.

9. Retire Mayor Johnson’s Sacramento High jersey and build a statue for him.

10. A bigger team store.

11. Hire a knowledgeable, reputable, and qualified head coach.

12. No more Bill Walton calling games.

13. Partner with regional transit for a "Game Day Ticket = Transit Pass" program like they have in Phoenix.

14. Hire local contractors and engineers to build the arena.

15. Add a Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame in the arena so that people can see all the great athletes from this region.

16. Add a special section to commemorate the grassroots battle of the past few years.

17. No more Jim Gray. Hire a new sideline reporter.

18. Incorporate little items from Arco Arena in the new arena. Keep the “Hustle Board” and the “Noise Meter.”

19. Put a large screen in the arena that projects tweets from fans at the game/watching from home about the game.

20. Include solar panels, green roof, and outdoor spaces.

21. Create a tailgate section outside of the arena.

22. Build a giant cowbell at the front entrance that can be rung to signal the beginning of the game.

22. Bring back the pre-game show for the Kings on TV.

23. Sign Lady and Mr. Sign Lady should get first dibs on seating in the new arena.

24. Have community-driven designs for alternate jerseys logos.

25. Work with the city to extend light rail hours much later on game nights so people can stay downtown later. Maybe work with the city to strike some sort of light rail pass for season ticket holders that lasts all season and is effective on game nights.

26. Add a “Kid Zone” or “Fun Room” to the arena. Maybe something like what they have in IKEA or at AT&T Park.

27. Opening day at the new arena: At the start of the game, David Garibaldi paints a 45-foot tall mural of KJ, Vivek, Mastrov, the Jacobs and Kelly that will grace the entrance of the new ESC. At halftime he does one for the grassroots groups.

28. A permanent "Sign Lady" sign above the entrance.

29. Play music from local bands in the arena.

30. Bicycle parking at Sleep Train Arena. Bike valet at the new arena.

31. Have the “Playing To Win Tour” RV on permanent display in the new arena complex with our story told around it.

32. Give the Preflite Lounge a location in the new arena.

33. Free WiFi at arena.

34. Keep Grant Napear and Jerry Reynolds as the television guys and Gary Gerould as the radio guy.

35. Coordinate with the other California teams to create a season ticket holder hoop team event in which each team assembles a team of 12 season ticket holders to play each other.

36. Make a big investment in non-salary cap areas like coaches, GM, scouts, stat guys, medical/training staff.

37. Buy a dedicated D-League team to control the development of young players.

38. Create partnerships with fan forums to help reach out to fans/have special events with them.

39. Keep all the current employees on the business side (ushers, ticket sales, new media team, etc.). They deserve it after the last few years.

40. Work with downtown businesses to strike postgame deals for discounts for people who attended the games.

41. A specific section where fans are designated to be loud, rowdy. Sort of like Hibbert's Area 51 in Indiana or Bogut's "Squad 6" when he was in Milwaukee. Maybe call it "The Lion's Den."

42. Outdoor terrace club so fans can continue party after game and enjoy skyline lights when the weather is nice. A real skyline lounge.

43. Create a possibility for investment in the Sacramento Kings, perhaps a non-voting stock issue.

44. Scott Moak is one of the best PA announcers in the business and he should remain so.

45. Try to bring an All-Star game to Sacramento when the new arena is built.

46. A small-scale tower bridge replica to walk under at one of the entrances.

47. A Sacramentans Walk of Fame.

Mayor Kevin Johnson addresses Sacramento after Maloof sale

2013-05-18T20:53:00.001-07:00

Mayor Kevin Johnson led a press conference on Friday following the news about the Maloofs selling their majority ownership stake of the Sacramento Kings to Vivek Ranadive and his investor group.

The deal solidifies that the Kings will be in Sacramento for at least 35 years and the fans are as energized as they were (and maybe even more so) in the early 2000s when the team was battling for an NBA championship. A community has rallied together, fought for a cause, won that cause and now gets to enjoy the fruits of that labor.

Mayor Johnson defied all odds with a fan base, a business community and a political team behind him for the last two-plus years.

Below are the Mayor's thoughts from his May 17 press conference at City Hall following the big news.

The last chapter: The Maloofs need to sell to Ranadive

2013-05-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

George Maloof in the lobby of the Hilton Anatola in Dallas, photo by Curtis Corona

Now that the NBA has officially blocked the sale of the Kings to Seattle, the Maloofs have one last chance to salvage whatever small percentage of good faith they may still have in Sacramento.

George Maloof, after an odd disappearing/reappearing act in the lobby of the Hilton Anatola in Dallas yesterday, told reporters that he would like to have the sale of the team wrapped up within 48 hours – just like that, bap, bap, bap. That is a positive thing for Sacramento if it is true because it means the Maloof family is as done with the ups and downs of this saga as everyone else.

It’s unfortunate and also confusing, however, that Maloof said, “this thing is not over yet” and that he still needs to talk to Chris Hansen. He also said, "there's no pressure on us to sell" and didn't rule out keeping the team. Maloof double-speak is somewhat of a tradition in Sacramento, so what George says must be taken with a grain of salt. In another comment to reporters, he also canceled out the idea that the family would seek legal action based on the rejection of the Hansen/Ballmer deal.

So what we have left are two options: The Maloofs keep the team and the status quo continues or the Maloofs sell to Vivek Ranadive and the rest of the potential ownership group.

That’s it.

Simply based on the way the league handled this situation with such delicate care, one must assume that option No. 1 would be frowned upon by the David Stern and the owners, and for that matter, not be allowed. The league and the owners are over being supportive of the Maloof family controlling a franchise at this point and them continuing to own the team in Sacramento next season would only lead to a slew of empty seats and a dramatic drop off in the number of corporate sponsors. The league, as many often suggest, could make the Maloofs repay the $100-$150 million in debt they owe as a strong-arm tactic if they didn’t comply.

So yeah, option No. 1 ain’t happenin'.

You can’t put it past them to try though. George, after all, is willing to stand on a balcony in a hotel and yell down at reporters about how great Chris Hansen’s presentation to the Board of Governors was. The brothers are known to act impulsively and without much forethought, so while Sacramento can surely rejoice that the Kings aren’t going anywhere for a long time – yes, we can confidently say that now – there is one last speed bump to clear before Ranadive and his fellow group of investors can begin to focus on the players in the upcoming draft. Only the Maloof family knows when, how and for what the Kings will be sold for in Sacramento. ("In Sacramento"…that has a nice ring to it.)

The Maloofs know they are not well liked in Sacramento. I doubt that they completely understand the complexity of that distain, but nonetheless, they know. And that means they should also understand what selling the team to a local Sacramento group would mean for the customers that have been shelling out their hard-earned dollars to them for years now. Instead of telling all of those season ticket holders and 800 employees who work for the Kings that they are no longer needed or of importance, they can sell the team and at least on the surface save face with a few of them. There is nothing they can do to turn back the clock and take back all the dishonesty, but they can still be the guys who sold to a new owner who will solidify the Kings as a fabric of the Sacramento community for decades to come.

The family will still be viewed as the ones who tried their best to screw over this city, but selling to Sacramento is the most important thing for a clean break.

So let’s make this happen George. You were told to do the right thing. You have a chance to somewhat right a wrong. Make the right decision, it's in everyone's best interest - trust me.

Seattle's animosity over Kings is pointed in the wrong direction

2013-05-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

The Maloofs have talked out of both sides of their mouths for several years in terms of their dedication to winning and building a new arena in Sacramento.

They told Sacramento they were going to sign impact players. They told Sacramento they supported Measures Q and R (the 2006 tax initiative to fund a new arena). They told Sacramento the arena deal last year was a fair deal. They told Sacramento that the Kings were not for sale, again, again and again.

They went back on their word on all of these things, and that last one is the one that stings the most.

This history should have been a warning flag for Chris Hansen and something the Seattle media should have pointed out more frequently. It is because of this that I question whether Seattle’s venom toward the NBA and its calls for David Stern’s head if Chris Hansen’s deal is not approved is pointed in the right direction.

Before I go on, let me make it clear that I feel deep sorrow for what happened to Sonics fans. The way the NBA and Clay Bennett handled the Sonics situation is painful to think about, and I completely understand why there is animosity and a short fuse. But Sonics fans must take a step back and view it from Sacramento’s perspective, and for that matter, the NBA's perspective. When it is examined closely, it is clear that this whole thing has never been about avenging ghosts of Sonics past, it’s always been about Sacramento's fight to remain an NBA city.

Now, according to Dave "Softy" Mahler, even Miami Heat owner Micky Arison agrees with that. (Apparently Arison direct messaged a Sonics fan on Twitter and told him the question before the committee is if Sacramento has done all it should to keep the team, not a vote about Seattle.)

If that's legit (which several media reports have confirmed that it is), then it is huge.

And it is exactly how Seattle should see it, no matter how painful that may be. They must know it’s the Maloofs who got us all to this point. They’re the ones who gave Seattle hope and walked away from Sacramento for no reason. They tend to get ahead of themselves when they try to cheat on Sacramento - ask Anaheim and Virginia Beach about that. It's all history that Seattle should consider more often.

In a recent column in The Seattle Times, Jerry Brewer declares that this is the NBA’s last chance to return to Seattle because “if the NBA messes with their emotions again, it’s over.” There will never be public support again for the return of the NBA, Brewer says.

I highly doubt that Hansen, Steve Ballmer and Seattle would turn down a different team at any point over the next five years. But that’s beside the point, the issue here is that the league/Stern will not be at fault if Seattle does not get the Kings, the Maloofs will be.

Stern, the Board of Governors, league officials and the Sacramento contingent all know how the family has scorched the Earth in Sacramento. And now they have this to compare that to: Sacramento's new ownership group is legit, Sacramento's city council passed an arena financing plan, Kings fans have fought to keep their team, the Sacramento business community has stepped up and the Sacramento media has covered this story incredibly well. End of story, Sacramento has done what it's needed to do.

Brewer says if the league goes “against the Maloofs' desire to sell to Hansen, they're opening the door for future meddling in their own affairs.”

Nope, none of the other owners believe they will sink to the low the Maloofs are in, and like I wrote recently, this process has likely set a new precedent for the league to protect itself from its owners boxing them into a position like this ever again.

When it is all said and done, Hansen will look back and probably wish he had thought a little harder before he tried to make this happen with the Maloofs. His deal with the brothers was agreed upon “pending league approval.” Hansen gave the Maloofs a $30 million non-refundable deposit, “pending league approval.” "Pending league approval" could end up meaning a lot more than either Hansen or the Maloofs apparently thought it would.

I don’t pretend to know what conversations have gone down between parties throughout this process, but it seems almost certain based on what Sacramento has been able to accomplish over the last three months that Stern and a fair amount of league officials weren’t filled in on the details of Hansen’s deal before he got his Maloof handshake.

Many Seattle fans and media alike often insinuate that Stern and Mayor Kevin Johnson are in on a conspiracy to keep the Kings in Sacramento. There is no conspiracy, it's a city and league that both want to avoid relocation at the hands of poor decision-making by the Maloofs.

Hansen banked on the league falling in love with his collection of gold bars and the idea that Stern wouldn’t pass on a chance to make up for the Sonics saga. You can’t blame him, those are reasonable assumptions. But they were assumptions, and Stern has made it clear that the NBA’s constitution gives the Board of Governors the right to determine what city a team ends up in if the owner of that team decides to sell and leave the league.

We’ll all have a clear answer next week when the owners make their final vote, and I hope if the Kings do stay in Sacramento that Seattle is promised an expansion team. Seattle deserves a team, but not at the expense of ignoring what Sacramento has done to overcome its history with the Maloofs to keep the Kings.

Will NBA watch owners more closely after Maloof era?

2013-05-01T07:18:00.002-07:00

Sacramento is setting a lot of precedents.

If the NBA owners do indeed go along with the relocation committee's recommendation of the keeping the Kings in Sacramento (and the brothers Maloof agree to sell to the whales), then this city has built the blueprint for how to keep your professional sports franchise if it is danger of relocating.

It's a delicate blend of fan support, political support, business support and resilience. But also key to avoiding relocation is an ownership group that is honest, wealthy and savvy. Unfortunately, the Maloofs do not not possess any of these characteristics and Sacramento has suffered because of it. But in the process, the Sacramento situation also may have written another blueprint for the NBA – watching its owners' behavior more closely to avoid situations like this down the road.

It is estimated the Maloofs owe the league anywhere from $100 to $150 million. Poor business decisions such as expanding the Palms Casino as the economy went south and selling their father's liquor distribution company crippled the Maloof family financially. The debt burden continued to rise and the league continued to cover them. The result? The Maloofs tanked the product on the floor, backed out of arena talks with a city that loves the Kings and then turned down another NBA loan that would have covered their portion of the arena in last year’s deal with Sacramento. This after they celebrated the announcement with Mayor Johnson and David Stern. Ultimately, they tarnished Stern’s image because he trusted them with one of his franchises.

And based on how things are going for Sacramento right now, Stern is done Maloofing around. He wants the family out of the league and he wants to make sure a situation like this never happens again.

Here is what he recently said about the issue.

"We've dealt with it on a case-by-case basis and Sacramento has been particularly vexing as we've tried to balance the strong sense that we'd like to help our owner-clients out and at the same time have respect for the city, so we now wind up where we are," Stern said. "And presumably after we finish with this, the owners will take a long look at how we got here."

Precedent set. If cities cooperate with the NBA in arena dealings while relocation is on the table because of the fault of an owner, then it’s on the league to make the right decision even if it goes against the owners’ wishes. That is what Stern is saying there.

Stern never wanted to end his career as commissioner by ripping the Kings from Sacramento's hands and he probably has wanted to rip the Kings out of the Maloofs' hands for the better part of the last 10 years.

I predict it to be highly unlikely that the league allows an owner to borrow money again if said owner has financial issues that resemble what the Maloofs have managed to pull off. The host cities will end up suffering because of it and that is not the image the league wants to be painted with. So if things continue down the path of the Kings staying in Sacramento, it looks like the loyal fans of this community will no longer have to suffer through repeated poor on-court play and arena gaffes because of ownership. And that is what Stern and the relocation committee want the result of this to be, no matter what Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer have to say.

No more dragging NBA customers through the mud.

No more being careless with the league’s image.

Bravo David Stern.

The fight that Sacramento put up in the face of adversity and the push back from the Maloofs is what matters here. It’s what raised the red flag.

Precedent set.

Sacramento Twitterverse reacts to Kings announcement

2013-04-30T22:24:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Twitterverse exploded on Monday following the announcement that the NBA Relocation Committee had voted unanimously to recommend the Kings remain in the capital city.

The full NBA Board of Governors still needs to vote to approve the recommendation of the committee in mid May and the Maloofs will need to sell the team (with pressure from the NBA) to the Sacramento ownership group for this to be a done deal, but most in Sacramento circles and national pundits alike seem to believe it will happen.

It was a big day for this city, and below are a few notable folks who acknowledged the news.

New campaign lets Kings fans share 'wishes' with potential new owners

2013-04-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

Monday's recommendation by the NBA's Relocation Committee was a big deal. Though the Kings staying in Sacramento isn't quite ironclad at this point, we're in a very good spot.

Coming off the news, the Here We Stay campaign is launching a project that gives Kings fans a platform to speak directly to the potential new owners of the team. The #HereWeWish project is an effort to show appreciation for Vivek Ranadivé, Mark Mastrov and the rest of the "whales" and also to illustrate how excited the fans are about the possibility of keeping the team and building a new arena.

To participate all you have to do is share a "wish" for the team and/or the arena. Below is Here We Stay's description of the project.

###

We’ve come a long way Kings fans. These last couple of years have been nothing short of amazing, heartbreaking, depressing and motivational all at the same time. The resilience of this community paid off in a major way yesterday as the NBA Relocation Committee made a recommendation to keep the Kings in Sacramento. This thing is not done though. The rest of the owners will make their final decision on the fate of the Kings around May 13. But in the meantime, Here We Stay is asking all of you to help us out with a new project.

We want to compile a “Wish List” for the new owners – wishes for the team and the new arena. Do you wish the Kings would make a big splash in free agency? Wish Jimmer Fredette would play more? Wish the new arena had a certain type of bar? Wish to never see a tarp inside the arena again?

Let us know!

We will review all of the “wishes” on this thread and on social media over the next three days. You can also e-mail your requests to herewestay2012@gmail.com. Once we have compiled the final list, we will include them in an open thank you letter to Vivek Ranadivé, Mark Mastrov and the rest of the potential new owners.

This is no victory announcement. If we have learned anything throughout this process it is to expect the unexpected. Many things still need to transpire before we raise the purple flag for good, but this is your chance to speak directly to the ownership group. The voice of the fans has been so vital in this fight to keep the Kings and build a new arena. As we enter the final lap, let’s show the new owners how excited Sacramento is about its potential future. As part of the best fan base in the NBA, this is your chance to thank them for their efforts and share what you wish to happen over the next few decades.

Keep fighting SAC-RA-MENT-O!

-Here We Stay

###

Share wishes with Here We Stay on Twitter at @HereWeStay, on Facebook at facebook.com/herewestay and head over to Sactown Royalty to post wishes on their thread.

The David Stern effect v. the Maloof effect

2013-04-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

A recent column by Jerry Brewer of The Seattle Times declares David Stern a villain that has always had it out for Seattle.

Ill-timing for Sonics fans and Chris Hansen alike to throw shots at the guy who has the most skin in the game come voting time.

But then again, it illustrates another reason why Sacramento has the advantage right now.

Both Sacramento and Seattle have a rocky history with key players in this saga. Sacramento has the Maloofs and Seattle has Stern. The problem for Seattle is that Stern is the one who controls the league and the Maloofs are the family the NBA wants to be rid of.

Advantage, Sacramento.

The Seattle Times piece, as most Seattlites do, accuses Stern of turning his back on keeping the Sonics in Seattle after House Speaker Frank Chopp told him to kick rocks when he attempted to secure funding for a new arena for the Sonics. Stern rehashed the events during the NBA All-Star Game press conference earlier this year.

“..there was a $300 million dollar-plus subsidy for the Mariners and a $300 million dollar-plus subsidy for the Seahawks and there was legislation which precluded that for the Sonics and Speaker Chopp said that we should take the money from our players,” he told Chris Daniels of King5 TV.

Ouch.

Sacramento has had to deal with its fair share of frustration. The financial shortfalls and dishonesty of the Maloofs have been just as bad as Stern’s relationship with Seattle.

Imagine if Speaker Chopp had agreed to help use taxpayer dollars to fund a new arena. And then he and Stern paraded around Key Arena with their hands held high declaring victory, only a month later for Stern to say the deal was no good anymore. That is what Sacramento has had to deal with in terms of the Maloofs.

The Seattle Times column also asks why Seattle couldn’t “get the same effort from the commissioner” to save the Sonics that Sacramento has gotten from the commissioner to save the Kings.

Well, Mayor Johnson hasn’t told Stern to let the door hit him on the way out, nor has anyone else in Sacramento. The majority of the Sacramento City Council, local business community and even state leaders have gotten behind the effort to keep the Kings in Sacramento. Sacramento has played the game and to his credit, Brewer acknowledges this in his piece. When the league came out to Sacramento in 2011 to test the viability of the market we draped the city in purple and had $10 million lined up in new corporate sponsorships. Sacramento has a lot more to lose in this relocation battle than Seattle does, most know that.

And as far as the Maloofs go, why couldn’t they have given the same effort that they have put into trying to close a deal with Hansen as they have with Sacramento? That type of dedication to Sacramento’s deal would have been refreshing. They fabricated their intentions, didn’t give Sacramento a chance to buy the team and are now sending silly letters to owners about how they want to speed up the approval process for the Seattle deal. As Tom Ziller said of the Maloofs, they can’t be this ridiculous, right??

Yes, yes they are.

The Seattle Times says “it's frustrating that Stern continues to defend the Sacramento offer while giving vague references that it does not fully match the Hansen deal.”

It’s also frustrating that the Maloofs continue to downplay Sacramento’s offer when Stern says there is nothing wrong with it and the owners are considering it binding.

Brewer's column concludes by stating this has become a lose-lose situation for Stern because if the Kings stay he will always be demonized in Seattle, but if they move, it will be because the NBA owners wanted, not Stern. Well, the Maloofs have been demonizing Sacramento for years now and if the team relocates to Seattle they will forever be viewed as villains. If the team stays they will try to save face and few will believe it when they say they always wanted the team to stay in Sacramento, and it will really be because the other NBA owners wanted it.

Both sides have their heroes and their villains, but the party Sacramento points the finger at is the one with the track record of incompetence in the eyes of the league and Stern himself.

Advantage, Sacramento.

Bobby Jackson addresses crowd after season finale

2013-04-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

Thousands of Kings fans stayed inside of Sleep Train Arena Wednesday night following the spirited 2012-13 season finale, and assistant coach Bobby Jackson came out onto the floor to address the crowd.

Jackson, a fan favorite for more than a decade, took to the mic and declared, "The Kings ain't going anywhere."

Along with Jackson, head coach Keith Smart also spoke. In addition, Isaiah Thomas, Travis Outlaw, Toney Douglas, DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson and Marcus Thornton all came out onto the floor to acknowledge the fans who chanted "we're not leaving" and "see you next year."

It was a great night for the franchise despite the uncertainty. The tone was way more celebratory than that of the 2011 season finale when Anaheim loomed. The sellout crowd gave it all they had from the parking lot before the game to the parking lot at the end of the game (folks didn't fully pile out until 11:30 p.m.-midnight). It was yet another example of how difficult Sacramento has made this decision for the league.

If you were in attendance, well done.

Sacramento is a heavyweight in NBA's relocation bout

2013-04-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of uncertainty as we all know going into tonight’s Kings game. Grant Napear spoke similar words two years ago when it looked like it was a done deal that the team was moving to Anaheim.

You know the story, the small market with the big heart came back from the dead and kept its only professional team.

Well, here we are again. Only this time we are battle tested, our armor is on and our canons have been going off for three months straight. Sacramento has been moving mountains to save its team and build a new arena for years now, but since Jan. 9, it has uprooted the mountain, flipped it over and hurled it at Seattle with everything it has.

Fan support, triple checked.

Business support, triple checked.

Political support, triple checked.

Arena plan, triple checked.

New owners, triple checked

Mayor that doesn’t know the word quit, triple checked.

Compare the Seattle arena plan/bid to the Sacramento arena plan/bid all you want, the fact of the matter is four NBA teams have relocated since 2001 (Vancouver Grizzlies, Charlotte Bobcats, Seattle Super Sonics and the New Jersey Nets) and none have done what Sacramento has done to keep its team. None of them had the checklist mentioned above. The NBA knows Sacramento is a heavyweight and that is why this decision is being described as “unprecedented.” There is a lot of disagreement in league circles about what the outcome should be.

I don’t have an answer as to what is going to happen with the Kings, no one does. What I do know is that Times Square in New York City will be decked in purple this week, the atmosphere at the Kings game on Wednesday will be electric and Mayor Johnson and his team will be doing everything they can to finalize this thing.

I also know this community is top-notch.

Thank you Sacramento for rocking Arco Arena/Power Balance Pavilion/Sleep Train Arena the way you have over the years. Thank you to those who have spoke at city hall. Thank you to those who wore purple for #herewepurple. Thank you to the stellar local business community. Thank you to those who pledged. Thank you for tweeting. Thank you for signing.

Thank you for forcing the NBA to look at us squarely in the face as they decide the fate of our city.

Amidst the uncertainty, thank you.

'This is Our Team' video to be played in Times Square

2013-04-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau has put together a 30-second commercial that will play in Times Square this week.

The NBA Board of Governors meet on April 18 and 19 in New York City to determine the fate of the Sacramento Kings. It's been great to see the business community step up the way it has in this fight.

The NBA's expanding presence in India

2013-04-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

India native Vivek Ranadivé has been a shot in the arm for Sacramento’s bid to match Seattle’s offer on the Kings. His presence in the group of "whale" investors is often referred to as a “game changer” in the fight to keep the team in town.

Ranadivé has talked about turning the next generation of the NBA into “NBA 3.0,” which he describes as a league with more of a focus on technology and globalization. David Stern, who recently visited India, has shown strong interest in expanding the NBA brand into the country.

I spoke with Karan Madhok of the blog Hoopistani.com. Madhok covers basketball and the NBA from an India perspective on his site. Madhok said he became interested in writing about the sport because he attended a “rare high school in India where basketball was more important than Cricket.”

I appreciate him taking the time to answer a few questions. Below are some excerpts from the interview.

BE: Is basketball as a sport really beginning to catch on in India?

KM: Basketball has always been part of India's sporting curriculum in schools/colleges, but it is relatively insignificant in the bigger picture of Indian pastimes. The favorite sport here is of course Cricket, followed by football (soccer). Most half-decent schools have a basketball court, but unfortunately, not many young people take the sport (or any sport outside of Cricket) seriously once the pressures of education/work pile on. But to look on the bright side: the game is indeed gaining popularity at a rapid pace and, although I don't have the facts to back this, I can confidently say that the number of NBA/basketball fans must have doubled in the country over the past six to seven years.

BE: On his recent trip to India, David Stern said he was hoping to accomplish four things: get basketball in schools, more TV coverage, a larger presence on digital/social platforms and develop a collegiate league. Do you see these as a realistic goals and how many years do you think it would take the league to accomplish this?

KM: I'll answer it one by one....

1. Basketball is already played in most schools in India. The problem isn't to 'get' basketball to schools, but to make it a serious option for students and not just a pastime. Most young basketball players - even the really talented ones - quit the game to focus on 'real life' as they get older. Indian kids are pressured to focus on traditional academics over anything else. This is a bigger problem facing anyone hoping to venture into sports or arts.

2. TV coverage is definitely realistic, and the NBA has increased their coverage every year. Only problem with NBA in India on TV is that most live games are at around 5-8 a.m. in the morning, so it's tough to create the same game-watching atmosphere. Very few people watch India's homegrown basketball events on TV, and that's because there isn't enough money for the organizers to improve the production value of those events.

3. NBA is doing a great job with digital/social outreach in India, and this will grow rapidly, I feel.

4. College/school leagues aren't really something the NBA can help with. It is the responsibility of the Basketball Federation of India. Although the process has been extremely slow, these leagues in India are getting bigger and in a few years, I feel that the national level school/college leagues will command great respect and importance.

BE: Talk about the current NBA presence in India.

KM: NBA opened their Mumbai office I think in early 2012, although they've had a casual presence here in terms of basketball operations people and events for the past six to seven years. They have an NBA-India website (where I'm a featured columnist!), they host a ton of different grassroots events in six to seven different cities every year (Mahindra NBA Challenge, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA camps, NBA 3x3, etc). A number of NBA/WNBA players/legends have visited India in the past five years, including Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Brandon Jennings, Muggsy Bogues, George Gervin, etc. The grassroots events are basically the Mahindra NBA Challenge, where local/state level teams take part in an amateur league. These are very well organized and well attended.

BE: India native Vivek Ranadivé is a potential future owner of the Sacramento Kings. How much do you know about him and is it exciting for you to think that he may be the key connection that gets the NBA into India?

KM: I hadn't heard of Vivek until he bought a stake with the Warriors, but ever since, I have of course been staying up-to-date with everything that he has been involved with in regards to the NBA. It is extremely cool to see an Indian-born person having a chance to become the first majority team-owner in the NBA. Personally, I'm very proud of him because not only is he a success story now investing in his passion (basketball), but he also carries himself with great poise and can be a good role model for young entrepreneurs.

BE: What is Ranadivé’s reputation in India like?

KM: Although a few articles have been written about him since he got interested in the Kings job, he is still a relative unknown in India. There are many Indian entrepreneurs like him worldwide (especially in the tech circuit), so his case doesn't really stand out to the average person. It's a different case of course for basketball fans, who are very positive about him.

BE: In your opinion, how much of a help is having Ranadivé as part of the bid to purchase the Kings?

KM: I feel that it definitely makes a difference. Until Ranadivé put his bid in, I had assumed that the Kings-to-Seattle relocation was everything but confirmed. Now, Ranadivé’s involvement - as well as his Indian background - had suddenly given hope to Sacramento.

BE: How closely have you followed the whole Kings relocation drama and is there anything you would like to say to Kings fans all the way from India?

KM: I've been following the relocation drama very closely and wrote about it in my NBA-India column last week too. I wish good luck to the Kings fan; I'm sure it can be heartbreaking to see a team go, especially if it's for financial reasons. Sacramento was the league's funnest home court back in the early 2000s.

Less than 2,000 tickets left for Kings season finale

2013-04-11T18:55:00.002-07:00

There are less than 2,000 tickets remaining for the last game of this Kings season.

An expected capacity crowd for the April 17 Kings v. Clippers game would tally the 11th contest this season with attendance of more than 15,000 (Kings 7-3 record in such games). It also is "Fan Appreciation Night" (that should be interesting) where every fan in attendance will receive a complimentary Kings team poster and have an opportunity to win prizes throughout the night. Additionally, select Kings Season Ticket Holders will be recognized for their extraordinary fandom with induction into the 6th Man Hall of Fame, according to a Kings press release.

You will want to get your tickets for this one because it's sure to be an emotional night. I'm not going to jinx anything by saying this won't be the last time the Kings play in Sacramento, but I'll just say I am confident in the whales and Mayor Kevin Johnson.

See you out there on the 17th Kings fans.

If you are looking for tickets to the game, call 888-91-KINGS or visit Kings.com/tickets. Tickets are also available at the Sleep Train Arena box office.

Big name appeal of Seattle doesn't overshadow Sacramento's efforts

2013-04-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

Sacramento is up against a city that is responsible for Starbucks, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. It’s a place that is used as the setting for Grey’s Anatomy and where Frasier lived. Seattle is where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan went "Sleepless."

Well, Tom Hanks went to Sacramento State for a while, so take that Seattle.

OK, let’s face it, Seattle has more “big name” appeal than Sacramento. But in no way does that mean Seattle is more creative, more passionate or more dedicated to its community than Sacramento is. Being involved in this whole Kings relocation saga over the last couple of years, I have had the privilege to meet some incredibly talented local people. From graphic artists, to musicians, to filmmakers, to writers, to media members, to business owners. There are a lot of great folks who make up this community, and they all care about the future of the place they call home. I won’t name any specific person or business because I don’t want hold any higher than another, but they know who they are and the willingness of them to fight has been nothing short of amazing.

It is this fact that makes me proud of what this city has brought to the table as we enter the last leg of this drama.

In Sacramento, we have a built-in inferiority complex thanks to the shadow of San Francisco, and many openly joke about it – embracing the cow town label is a tradition here. But it's clear that when Sacramento is threatened, it responds, and it responds with force. Mayor Kevin Johnson is the elected representative that embodies the fighting spirit. He is the man responsible for getting us where we are today. But if you listen to him closely, he will often refer to the people as the driving force.

To some, that is political speak. But to me, it’s sincere. It’s the willingness of the community he speaks of, the will of a community.

The willingness of Kings fans to pledge money for season tickets at the drop of a hat. The willingness of Kings fans to show up to city council meetings and speak their minds. The willingness of Kings fans to spend their hard-earned dollars to show up at the games despite the uncertainty. The willingness of a business to deck its building out in purple. The ability for the local media to cover this whole thing like champs.

It’s all of that that the mayor is referring to when he says those things. This is bigger than any one person or entity, as Vivek Ranadivé often says. It’s what has made me proud to live here and it shows how important keeping the Kings and building a new arena is to this community.

If the NBA doesn't end up returning to Seattle it would be rough on starving Sonics fans because they do deserve a team. But outside of the diehards, would the city really feel it? A recent study by the Seattle Times showed that the Seattle/Tacoma area ranks in the top 10 metro areas with the lowest interest in the NBA. To be fair, that study was conducted while there was no NBA team in town (2011-12), but the rumblings of a return were going on at the time. Seattle has the Seahawks, the Mariners, the Sounders, the Storm and the Washington Huskies. Would the sports scene and the local economy feel the impact of no Sonics over the long-term? Sure, there are many in Seattle who would say yes. But even if that were the case, it would pale in comparison to the impact that losing the Kings would have on Sacramento.

A new arena at the Downtown Plaza site could potentially attract two million new visitors to Downtown Plaza each year and create $7 billion dollars in economic impact over seven years, according to Think Big. The Kings currently employ 800-1,000 people in our region. The Kings are the one thing (outside of state legislation that makes its way through the Capitol) that gets the city mentioned at a national level. Having the franchise is our key to unlocking professional entertainment outside of basketball. I’m preaching to the choir on these points for most Sacramentans, but my point is this: There is a reason why this city fights the way it does, because this is it for us.

And we are quickly closing in on a conclusion.

We will find out over the coming weeks what the fate of the Kings will be next season. Even if the team should leave, which I don’t believe it is going to, the people of this community have made the battle all worth it. They have risen above the idea that we can’t win because we aren’t as good as the Emerald City. (And there will be ways for fans to get involved and make their voices heard leading up to the NBA Board of Governors meetings on April 18-19.)

This quote from Chris Hansen at his press conference in New York City last week is evidence enough that we can and should win.

“You have to lose something you hold precious and dear to realize how much it means to you,” said Hansen.

In Sacramento, we haven't lost the Kings and we already know how much having a professional franchise means and how precious it is.

Here We Purple campaign launched to support Mayor's efforts in NYC

2013-04-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

To support Mayor Kevin Johnson and the private investors presenting to the NBA on Wednesday, the Here We Stay campaign is asking Kings fans in Sacramento to show support by “going purple.”

The effort, dubbed “Here We Purple,” is a way for fans, businesses and even the media (FOX 40 is already on board) to get involved. Sacramento participated in a similar campaign in 2011 when the Kings were on the verge of moving to Anaheim.

The concept is simple: throw on your Kings gear or purple clothing/make a pro-Kings video/have employees wear purple/put up a sign in your car or office and share it on social media. Fans can share their photos or videos on their own social media pages using the #HereWePurple hashtag and/or post them directly to the Here We Stay Tumblr page. Word is Vivek Ranadive’, one of the new potential owners, is refreshing this page frequently.

Here We Stay also is encouraging Kings fans to send the Tumblr link to the league offices at http://www.nba.com/email_us/contact_us.html with the simple message of “Please keep the Kings in Sacramento http://herewestaykings.tumblr.com/archive.”

Several businesses will be participating in the effort Wednesday by decking their buildings out in purple and offering discounts on food/drinks, below are a few:

Firehouse, 1112 2nd St., Sacramento - Purple drink called "The Movie Star." 25% off food bill for those wearing purple.

Ten22, 1022 2nd St., Sacramento - Purple drink special. 25% off food bill for those wearing purple.

Grange Restaurant & Bar, 926 J St., Sacramento - Purple lighting in the ballroom windows facing J Street, special cocktail in the Grange and all employees will wear purple or accessorize their uniforms with purple.

The crew fighting for the Kings and the arena deal in New York City, as well as the NBA, will take notice of these type of things, so do your part and show your support if you are Playing to Win. The NBA meetings are expected to begin at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time with Seattle going first, followed by Sacramento.

List of professional athletes in Sacramento's corner continues to grow

2013-04-01T07:31:00.001-07:00

Hated by Kings fans far and wide, Kobe Bryant shared some optimistic comments with reporters about the team’s chances of staying in Sacramento Saturday night.

"They're not going nowhere," Bryant said. "The cowbells are still (clanging) ... I predict we'll be back here next year. You guys have been saying the same thing for three years."

Bryant joins a long list of recognizable people in the sports world who in recent months have publicly stated they don’t think the Kings are leaving Sacramento and/or don’t want the team to leave. Below is a list of some of those comments:

Mitch Richmond: "It would be a sad day if the Kings leave this community. I know Seattle is a good place, I think Seattle's team (the Sonics) should have never left. But we want our team here."

Matt Barnes: "Growing up here, obviously the fans support the team through the good and bad times. You know, when the team was good, some of the best fans in the league, so it’s disappointing that this could possibly be the end of the run for this town. A lot of people love the team and hopefully they stay."

Tony Parker: "Sacramento is a great basketball city. They have great fans. Since I arrived in the NBA, it’s always been great to come here, so we’ll see what happens.”

Dusty Baker: "I think they’re going to stay, you know, you’ve got Kevin [Johnson] on the job...It would be a sad day in Sacramento, I mean what else would the kids have to look forward to? My dad was one of the first season ticket holders out there, he’s had season tickets for 28 years. Now I’m taking my son and it would be a shame if the team left."

Oden Polynice on Twitter: "I love Seattle and respect the FANS. but could care less about Fanatics. I hated when Seattle lost sonics and I don't want it 2happen to Sac"

Aaron Rodgers On Twitter after it was announced Mayor Johnson had reached a deal with the "whales": ".@KJ_MayorJohnson good day to be a Sacramento kings fan. Well done mr mayor and all those involved"

Jared Dudley: "I remember the days when they had Vlade [Divac] and C-Webb [Chris Webber], and obviously the crowd there. And obviously the management probably has to do a better job of getting a product for the fans to come out; but great fan base, one of the best in the NBA, it’s kind of a OKC-type. I think they should have basketball here…Growing up always watching the Lakers on TV, at that time, there wasn’t a better home court advantage, you know, the Kings, the cowbells and, you know, this arena can get really, really loud and I think it would be a good thing if they kept the team."

Charles Barkley: "First of all, I love the Maloof brothers, but they screwed this thing up royally. You know, all these teams try to screw these cities, Ernie. That’s what the deal is. Those people in Sacramento, they were some of the best fans in the world...this is all about the owners being greedy and screwing these fans. It's time for David Stern to step in and say 'you guys gotta sell that team."

Magic Johnson on Twitter: "I hope my good friends Mark Mastrov, Ron Burkle and @KJ_MayorJohnson can keep the team in Sacramento!"

Manu Ginobili: "For the fans, it’s the toughest part because you know players and coaches and stuff they can go somewhere else, but for the fans it’s a tough loss because for many years it’s been one of the most exciting places to play at. Great fans, they really follow their team so you sympathize a lot with them. So yeah, in that sense it’s a tough one."

LeBron James on Twitter: "I do know Mayor Johnson and the city/fans of Sacramento will do whatever it takes to keep the team put. We'll see what happens."

Shaquille O'Neal: "Yeah, for me it was probably one of the toughest places to play. I saw a report last week that San Francisco-Sacramento businessmen were trying to stop the trade so Larry Ellis (Ellison), Mark Mastrov, the paperwork is in, we don’t know what that means but, you know, it will be travesty if, you know, Sacramento is sold to Seattle. Seattle is a great town and, you know, I miss playing up there but that was probably one of the scariest places to play when I was jump-hooking Vlade Divac."

Chris Webber: "It’s funny I’ve been hearing a lot of criticism everybody saying, ‘why everybody keep fighting? Just let it go, just let it go.’ Well if you are in Atlanta what if you were going to lose the Hawks? If you are in Orlando you wouldn’t let it go, you’re going to find to the end and a few of us are going to do that as well, so y’all can put these highlights back in because the jersey is not going down. Everything is going to stay and we’re going to fight, everybody in Sacramento just keep on praying, wishing and hoping that’s all we can do."

Rick Adelman: "It’s disappointing, you know. Whatever happens I just don’t think that Sacramento should lose this team. I think the fans have been too loyal and they have gone through some tough times and hopefully something will work out."

###

Sacramento enters the final lap of its marathon to save the Kings this month. Mayor Johnson is presenting Sacramento's case for keeping its team on Wednesday in New York City. Reports indicate a final decision will be made at the April 18-19 Board of Governors meetings, although an outcome could be determined before then. Hold on to your seats.

Downtown businesses say new arena could be a 'game changer'

2013-03-26T06:34:00.000-07:00

On holidays and spring break, business slows down considerably for Ernesto Delgado, owner of the restaurant Mayahuel on K and 12^th Streets. His restaurant, like others in downtown Sacramento, suffers when there are few people flowing into the Capitol and government buildings for work.

And not many people are spending their time off downtown these days either, he said.

“Most of my business comes from the Capitol, the hotel people, the Convention Center … A lot of the locals don’t want to come down here, so we need something else to bring the locals,” Delgado said.

That something else, according to Delgado, is a new downtown arena.

“The arena would not only bring the locals, but the whole region to the downtown core, and I really believe that is what downtown Sacramento needs to thrive and not have so many empty buildings,” Delgado said.

According to Think Big Sacramento, a new arena at the Downtown Plaza site would attract two million new downtown visitors each year and create $7 billion dollars in economic impact over seven years.

Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, says an arena would be a catalyst.

"Many downtown businesses, perceive the ESC [Entertainment and Sports Complex] to be a positive asset to their business. The downtown site would attract high volumes of visitors, encourage pedestrian activity and ultimately stimulate new business,” Ault said.

Carina Lampkin, executive chef and owner of Blackbird Kitchen and Bar at 1015 9th Street, agrees.

“What’s going to be great for us is a huge block of K being developed…downtown is actually going to be looking good again after it went down in the 70s,” Lampkin said.

The arena term sheet passed the City Council on a 7-2 vote Tuesday. The arena is expected to cost $447 million, with the investors/potential new owners of the Kings paying for $189 million and the city contributing $258 million, mainly through a public parking finance model and land sales. The deal would lock in a 35-year non-relocation agreement for the Kings.

According to the term sheet, the city would commit to work with the investors (Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov, Ron Burkle and Paul, Jeff and Hal Jacobs) "to secure the necessary entitlements to allow for the potential development of up to 1,500,000 square feet of office, retail, housing and hotel uses around the ESC on the Downtown Plaza site. The proposed development would include approximately 475,000 square feet of office, 300,000 square feet of retail, 250 hotel rooms, and 600 units of multi-family housing development."

Delgado is excited about what something like that would do for his restaurant and the rest of the downtown grid.

“I believe a project of that size would definitely be a game-changer,” Delgado said. “Just the building of it would bring people, workers, contractors and all kinds of different types of people…they would bring them to our hotels, they’d bring them to our restaurants, bring them to the core of Sacramento.”

The core of Sacramento is what this is all about, Ault said.

"In development, it’s all about absorption. An activity generator like an arena is a selling point for residential and commercial retail tenants. It will help shorten the absorption time it takes to fill retail and residential space,” Ault said.

Lampkin said she has been talking about the possibility of a new arena downtown and keeping the Kings with fellow downtown business owners for years.

“I’m going into my third year of operation, and it’s been a conversation since I arrived, and basically my stance the entire time has been if the Kings come down great, if they don’t, we don’t have a Plan B in place,” Lampkin said.

Another exciting thing about a downtown arena for Lampkin is the possibility of entertainers coming into her restaurant before or after concerts.

“Blackbird is for rock stars, so that will really help out a lot,” Lampkin said.

Festivities set stage for Here We Buy Night 2

2013-03-23T06:33:00.001-07:00

There is a lot on the line and there is little time.

Sunday’s Kings v. 76ers game is Here We Buy Night 2. NBA Commissioner David Stern and the Board of Governors may come to a decision on the fate of the Kings on April 3. Kings fans have been outstanding over the last two-plus years. Whether it has been at the games or at City Hall, they have made their presence felt. Here We Buy Night 2 (and the City Council meeting on Tuesday) is an opportunity for Kings fans to possibly write the final chapter of this saga and leave it all out there on the floor.

This game can accomplish a lot.

Kings fans can show the league how serious they are about keeping their team and building a new entertainment and sports complex in downtown Sacramento. They can show appreciation of the city’s work on the term sheet. They can show the city council members who support this effort that they appreciate that support. They can show Ron Burkle, Vivek Ranadive and Mark Mastrov what it would be like for years to come if they take over ownership control of the team. They can show appreciation to each other, because let’s be honest, if you have done anything to participate in the movement (wore a purple shirt when asked to, spoke at a council meeting, chanted at a game, sent a letter to council members, tweeted your support, told friends and family members how valuable keeping the Kings and building a new arena would be for the region) then you have played a part and you should join your fellow fans for a fun night. And if you haven't had an opportunity to participate in any events, now is your chance.

If tomorrow’s game is anything like the emotional Here We Buy Night 1 last month, it will be a game you will never forget.

You can get discounted tickets and help Shriner’s Children’s Hospital by using the code “Shriners” at this link. Discounted tickets also can be purchased here using the code word “cowbell.”

Below are the festivities taking place at Here We Buy Night 2:

Here We Buy Tailgate 2

There will be a tailgate party beginning at 3 p.m. in Lot C of the Sleep Train Arena parking lot. A DJ will be playing music and the local group The Shades of Gray will be performing their song “Kings All Day.”

There also will be a face-painting and sign-making station.

Here is a link to the event page.

Harlem Shake

The folks at SacTown Hopper also will be recording a “Harlem Shake” video at the 6^th Man statue outside of the arena during the tailgate party. Wear your Kings gear and bring a sign.

For information on this, visit the event page.

Chant flyer

During the game, fans can participate in the following chants. Print flyers out and pass them out at the game for others to follow along.

Go get 'em Kings fans.