They money is going to be the problem, not the hurt feelings. Via Grant, the Maloofs have sworn up and down that they’ll spend money on this team starting next season. But they were might have been assuming they weren’t going to have to deliver on that promise in Sacramento, and could ride a brief honeymoon in Anaheim. Kings are having serious money issues, and their survival appears to have been predicated upon Samueli giving them some up front cash (more than one way) that permitted the Kings to work their was back to viability or sadly turn over the keys.
Next season will be fine, people will be excited about them being back and the (hopeful) approval of a new arena, cementing the Kings in Sacramento.
The issue is going to be the 2-3 seasons before the new place opens. Can the Maloofs last that long? Can the Maloofs come up with the operating cash to fund the constructions of a great team, before the team becomes great and the revenue starts pouring in? Because that’s how it works. I’m not sure they can. What happens in 2012, when the Maloofs payroll is low, free agents aren’t coming, money stories continues to swirl, and the fans have been told a billionaire wants to buy? (This story isn’t going away, Burkle had his rep in meetings today.)
The problems isn’t – boo, you tried to take the team away.
It’s – you guys are bad owners that are holding us back and you tried to take the team away – so you should sell to Burkle. If the team stays, not a huge problem. But unless the Maloofs crack open the wallet in a splashy way … its going to be a problem.
I think they get to the point where they need to sell and a lot fans want them to sell.