Stern - still no Seattle-Kings deal - latest rumors, etc.

Status
Not open for further replies.
#31
Doesn't really matter. They are powerless. If the NBA says "no" to Seattle, it doesn't matter what the Maloofs think.
You can't count on the maloofs, period. They held a press conference flaming their city and referred to their bosses as "some guys from the nba" and "David" while intermittently cracking their knuckles...literally. They are a true wildcard and have reportedly, if you believe DA, refused to sell to the team to a sacramento group out off spite. They are unpredictable, they may file lawsuits (brought anti-trust lawyers to the bog before) or really do anything else your mind can our can't imagine.

Do not be surprised if they end up pulling out all the stops whether they are powerless or not, I can see them being bro difficult and dragging this out
 
#32
I hate that the sonics moved. But they had 2 chances to keep their team. First, when Schultz sold the team a local buyer could have bought it. Ballmer could have stepped up, but if I recall he wasn't interested. Then after Bennett bought the team they could have built a new arena. But they passed an initiative prohibiting public money being used on sports complexes. It wasn't until 2 years after buying the team that Bennett gave the ultimatum to build or they would move.
Bennet's arena proposal was equivalent to our Prop Q and R. His arena proposal was designed to get rejected so that they could move to OKC.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#33
Bennet's arena proposal was equivalent to our Prop Q and R. His arena proposal was designed to get rejected so that they could move to OKC.
I think the major point is that the city of Seattle, or at least the Mayor did nothing to try and keep the team, alienating Stern and the league. It was an entirely different situation than the one in Sacramento, where everyone bent over backwards meeting all the critiera of the league.
 
#34
You can't count on the maloofs, period. They held a press conference flaming their city and referred to their bosses as "some guys from the nba" and "David" while intermittently cracking their knuckles...literally. They are a true wildcard and have reportedly, if you believe DA, refused to sell to the team to a sacramento group out off spite. They are unpredictable, they may file lawsuits (brought anti-trust lawyers to the bog before) or really do anything else your mind can our can't imagine.

Do not be surprised if they end up pulling out all the stops whether they are powerless or not, I can see them being bro difficult and dragging this out
taking on the NBA in an anti-trust lawsuit would in all likelihood mean a drawn-out and, above all, costly process though, wouldn't it? something that could quite literally ruin the Maloofs. I fail to believe that that's an actual option for them.
 
#35
taking on the NBA in an anti-trust lawsuit would in all likelihood mean a drawn-out and, above all, costly process though, wouldn't it? something that could quite literally ruin the Maloofs. I fail to believe that that's an actual option for them.
Well if the NBA was presented with an offer that would net the Maloofs the same amount of $ than the Seattle offer and all they had to do was sign off on the Sacramento deal to get the same bucks, I dont see why an anti-trust suit could be used by the Maloofs - what would be the damages? If NBA forced the Maloofs to sell to Sacto and get 100 mil less money in their pockets, then yeah I could see a lawsuit.
 
#36
What happens in the unlikely scenario that Hansen/Balmer say eff it, lets just pay 600-700 Million?

Is that good or bad for the NBA? If something like that happens I don't see any local buyer willing to match anywhere near that.
 

Warhawk

Give blood and save a life!
Staff member
#37
What happens in the unlikely scenario that Hansen/Balmer say eff it, lets just pay 600-700 Million?

Is that good or bad for the NBA? If something like that happens I don't see any local buyer willing to match anywhere near that.
True, but the BOG have rejected larger offers for teams for various reasons.

Also, I think the ultimate plan is to give Seattle an expansion franchise in time for the new building. It would be a lot cheaper for Seattle to have an expansion team than buy the Kings. And rich people don't get rich by wildly overpaying for things. You dangle an expansion team in front of them for two years from now (maybe it has already been done, quite-like?) and why try to overpay for a team now that looks like it may not be approved to move anyways?
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#38
True, but the BOG have rejected larger offers for teams for various reasons.

Also, I think the ultimate plan is to give Seattle an expansion franchise in time for the new building. It would be a lot cheaper for Seattle to have an expansion team than buy the Kings. And rich people don't get rich by wildly overpaying for things. You dangle an expansion team in front of them for two years from now (maybe it has already been done, quite-like?) and why try to overpay for a team now that looks like it may not be approved to move anyways?
Your dead right! Just because you offer the most money doesn't mean you get approval. For instance, what if a representive of a drug cartel came and offered a billion dollars for the Kings. Does anyone believe the league would approve that sale. Now I realize thats an extreme example, but in the past, potential owners have been turned down for external reasons as opposed to financial reasons.
 
#39
I work at Raleys and have been having conversations with a fellow employee who is a member of a local smoke shop and word has it Larry Ellison is in the mix. Ellison is also a member of the same shop. with Eli also being a part of the investment group. Ron burkle is going after the 7% in bankruptcy, and mastrov wants to bud for most of the team..... This being said its hard to believe but I'm open for speculation because a lot of what is being said makes sense. He also stated that local owner ship would put up around 100 mil
 
#41
I know there's lots of talk about anti-trust action, but ultimately this is the NBA's product. It has complete control of the product. I imagine it even has the extreme ability to buy back a franchise if it wants. However this plays out, it will be because it is the will of the NBA, not because of threats of legal action by limp-&#%!ed owners.
 
#42
^if all those people are really gonna combine on this, i dont see how we dont win this battle
agreed because you never know a week ago they were saying the deal is done..... And now all of that's investors are coming out of the wood works...... And the Ellison thing came up during the convo for the longest time he wouldn't tell me who else was in it and then I mentioned Ellison during the conversation and when I did he had a poop eating grin on his face.. He was asked not to say anything fingers crossed
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#43
Basicly the problem right now for Kevin Johnson isn't coming up with buyers, but putting an orginized bid on the table. Individual billionaires tend to want control over whatever they purchase. I don't think your going to get 4 or 5 billionaires, or multi-millionaires together and on the same page. Johnson has to show up with one good bid for the team that has reputable backing, and perhaps some negotiating room. This could be a tricky situation because at some point, you could have them bidding against one another, and thats not what you want. Anyway, he has his work cut out for him.

Nice problem to have though, several wealthy people all wanting the same thing the city wants.
 
#44
agreed because you never know a week ago they were saying the deal is done..... And now all of that's investors are coming out of the wood works...... And the Ellison thing came up during the convo for the longest time he wouldn't tell me who else was in it and then I mentioned Ellison during the conversation and when I did he had a poop eating grin on his face.. He was asked not to say anything fingers crossed
Also just because ballmers net worth is 16 billion you have take into account liquid capital
 

Warhawk

Give blood and save a life!
Staff member
#45
Basicly the problem right now for Kevin Johnson isn't coming up with buyers, but putting an orginized bid on the table. Individual billionaires tend to want control over whatever they purchase. I don't think your going to get 4 or 5 billionaires, or multi-millionaires together and on the same page. Johnson has to show up with one good bid for the team that has reputable backing, and perhaps some negotiating room. This could be a tricky situation because at some point, you could have them bidding against one another, and thats not what you want. Anyway, he has his work cut out for him.

Nice problem to have though, several wealthy people all wanting the same thing the city wants.
Well put, and agreed. He needs to present a solid, unified front and be able to counter anything Seattle throws our way. Bidding war, arena issue, whatever. I have faith in the man, I think he will pull it off. It sounds like he should have a pretty good idea on who will be "in" by next week. He isn't waiting for April, I bet. He wants all this assembled in time for the MSE submittal/request to the NBA BOG if I had to guess. Don't even let them start considering anything about moving the team without knowing there is a deal on the table to keep them here. Plant that seed right at the beginning.......
 
#46
I work at Raleys and have been having conversations with a fellow employee who is a member of a local smoke shop and word has it Larry Ellison is in the mix. Ellison is also a member of the same shop. with Eli also being a part of the investment group. Ron burkle is going after the 7% in bankruptcy, and mastrov wants to bud for most of the team..... This being said its hard to believe but I'm open for speculation because a lot of what is being said makes sense. He also stated that local owner ship would put up around 100 mil
While it would be great to have an owner with pockets as deep as Larry Ellison's, I just don't trust the guy to keep the team here. He has not hidden away from the fact that he wants to buy the NBA team and move them to San Jose (???). This had led to a number of his bids to buy the team fail because the NBA does not seem to like him.

Now if he signs an iron clad agreement to keep the Kings in Sacramento, then sure but I just get this sense that he will talk his way into buying the Kings then somehow sabbotaging the arena deal and filing for relocation and if the NBA says no, he is one guy that has the money and the power to take the NBA to court and win.

In perfect world Larry love the Kings and Sacramento and he comes in buys the team, helps fund the arena and keep them here for the next 30 years. He is an owner with pockets deep enough to actually put a winning team on the court in a small market. But, the NBA does not seem to trust him and there is something sneaky about him and his persistence in bidding for an NBA team regardless of where they are.
 

rainmaker

Hall of Famer
#47
While it would be great to have an owner with pockets as deep as Larry Ellison's, I just don't trust the guy to keep the team here. He has not hidden away from the fact that he wants to buy the NBA team and move them to San Jose (???). This had led to a number of his bids to buy the team fail because the NBA does not seem to like him.

Now if he signs an iron clad agreement to keep the Kings in Sacramento, then sure but I just get this sense that he will talk his way into buying the Kings then somehow sabbotaging the arena deal and filing for relocation and if the NBA says no, he is one guy that has the money and the power to take the NBA to court and win.

In perfect world Larry love the Kings and Sacramento and he comes in buys the team, helps fund the arena and keep them here for the next 30 years. He is an owner with pockets deep enough to actually put a winning team on the court in a small market. But, the NBA does not seem to trust him and there is something sneaky about him and his persistence in bidding for an NBA team regardless of where they are.
Thing about Ellison is he owns a house in Auburn, about an hour outside of Sac and owns property in Tahoe, about two hours from Sac with Auburn basically being the halfway point between Sac and Tahoe. It's a food/bathroom stop when going to Tahoe.

Ellison owns private jets. The distance from SF to San Jose isn't mcuh different than SF to Sac, especially by plane. By car it's maybe a 30-45 min difference depending on traffic. I could definitely see Ellison being interested and wanting to keep the team in Sac.
 
#50
Thing about Ellison is he owns a house in Auburn, about an hour outside of Sac and owns property in Tahoe, about two hours from Sac with Auburn basically being the halfway point between Sac and Tahoe. It's a food/bathroom stop when going to Tahoe.

Ellison owns private jets. The distance from SF to San Jose isn't mcuh different than SF to Sac, especially by plane. By car it's maybe a 30-45 min difference depending on traffic. I could definitely see Ellison being interested and wanting to keep the team in Sac.
I hope you are right because this team and good people of Sacramento deserve to have the team owned by someone with as deep pockets as Ellison.
 
#52
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson got some love at the U.S. Conference of Mayors as he skipped the conference to remain in Sacramento to save the Kings from leaving. Our mayor is the #BestInTheWorld

 
Last edited by a moderator:
#53
Just thought I'd share information on our Kings viewing party that is about 16 hours away and our newest supporter in the fight to keep the Kings from relocating.



 
#55
Nice. The California Kid and Sacramento's own is on board. Like Mike said, he's a good guy. I got to talk to him a bit on a flight from Vegas to LA and he's pretty down to earth.
 
#56
Damn...you got urijah faber on board. Props.
Don't know if possible, but maybe we can somehow get Ryan Anderson to give us some public support. Sacramento native and self proclaimed kings fan when he was younger.
Maybe have someone shoot out the pic of faber to his twitter?
 
#60
Which makes me wonder if that is intentional, and he is part of the plan....
I've kinda been wondering the same thing...even on Twitter when everyone asks him what he thinks of what's going on he deflects questions or doesn't answer...when people give him love and ask for support here saving the Kings, he just retweets and says nothing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.