He's referenced "rebuild" before in relation to the Kings, so I'm guessing you're right about it being his assumption and not something Calderon specifically said.
I know with the new ownership many fans don't want to hear the term "rebuilding" and it's somewhat assumed that with new owners and new coach that everything is going to change overnight but without question the Kings are in rebuilding mode. I would say that only now are the Kings in a real rebuilding mode with a real plan.
Sure the Maloofs and Petrie were also in rebuilding mode, the problem was that over the last five years they didn't do much actual building. When you make a lot of personal mistakes and then don't spend any money to fix them (all while trying to get out of town) it's pretty difficult to actually do any "building" in the rebuilding process.
Hate to say it but the last 4 or 5 years with the Maloofs in charge have really been more about spinning your wheels in the mud and getting nowhere.