This is the 2nd day in a row...

[djsnaz]

...that I have had to hear on So. CA sports talk radio that the Maloofs were looking to move the Kings to Orange County. 570 has been reporting that the Maloofs have been inquiring about if the NBA would allow it. I guess Kobe was also asked in an interview if he would "care" if OC got a team.

570 also has been saying that OC "deserves" a team and that the Maloofs are "very comfortable" down in OC.

Obviously, the lack of an arena deal is being talked about..

It bugs the heck outta me - not sure where this is all coming from...

 

[Tetsujin]

...that I have had to hear on So. CA sports talk radio that the Maloofs were looking to move the Kings to Orange County. 570 has been reporting that the Maloofs have been inquiring about if the NBA would allow it. I guess Kobe was also asked in an interview if he would "care" if OC got a team.

570 also has been saying that OC "deserves" a team and that the Maloofs are "very comfortable" down in OC.

Obviously, the lack of an arena deal is being talked about..

It bugs the heck outta me - not sure where this is all coming from...

I doubt the leagues allows a third team to move into the L.A. area. San Diego would be just at the edge of the safe range if I had to guess.

 

[Trueblood]

...that I have had to hear on So. CA sports talk radio that the Maloofs were looking to move the Kings to Orange County. 570 has been reporting that the Maloofs have been inquiring about if the NBA would allow it. I guess Kobe was also asked in an interview if he would "care" if OC got a team.

570 also has been saying that OC "deserves" a team and that the Maloofs are "very comfortable" down in OC.

Obviously, the lack of an arena deal is being talked about..

It bugs the heck outta me - not sure where this is all coming from...

I've been hearing the same stuff. John Ireland is hard on the Kings to Anaheim jock but that's to be expected since he's from OC and wanted the Clippers as well to come to Anaheim. What surprises me is how much the papers have been talking about this lately. They never specifically reference the Kings but have been talking about the NBA to Anaheim a lot more than they usually do. I don't know what to make of it.

Personally, I don't like the idea of 3 teams in one metro area. OTOH, if the Kings leaving Sacramento becomes inevitable, I would at least hope that a Kings move to Anaheim would be followed up by movement by the league to get Sterling to sell and get the Clippers out of LA to have the area be 2 teams again.

 

[Larry David]

As to the last post, Don isn't selling. While he's a bad owner, he loves owning them. He's turned down some big offers.

As to the 2nd point, I doubt the Lakers would put up a huge fight or demand much jack. And I highly doubt you'd find a large group of owners - let alone 1/2 - that would decide that Donald should get much cash because he played there for a few years.

They aren't going to KC and they league won't stop them from moving - it's either moving into an NBA region (ANA or SJ) or a place that Stern isn't looking to put a team - Seattle or Sin City.

I don't know if they will move but ANA is a landing spot. Probably the leader. The Maloofs almost bought the pond and ducks in 2003.

 

[BMiller52]

As to the last post, Don isn't selling. While he's a bad owner, he loves owning them. He's turned down some big offers.

As to the 2nd point, I doubt the Lakers would put up a huge fight or demand much jack. And I highly doubt you'd find a large group of owners - let alone 1/2 - that would decide that Donald should get much cash because he played there for a few years.

They aren't going to KC and they league won't stop them from moving - it's either moving into an NBA region (ANA or SJ) or a place that Stern isn't looking to put a team - Seattle or Sin City.

I don't know if they will move but ANA is a landing spot. Probably the leader. The Maloofs almost bought the pond and ducks in 2003.

Ugh, I will have a seriously hard time rooting for the Anaheim Kings. Please move to San Jose...

 

[JB_kings]

Well as long as Sacramento continues to strike out with a new arena, then yeah every rumor out there is going to include the Kings.

 

[kennadog]

Well as long as Sacramento continues to strike out with a new arena, then yeah every rumor out there is going to include the Kings.

Exactly. Unless there's a new arena deal soon, the team is going to move. Its not a matter if they'll move without a sure arena deal here, it's only a matter of when. And the team will be in every rumor that comes along. I'm sure the Maloofs are checking around with other places. They at least have to see what possible options are available to them.

Having said that, I can't imagine the league wants three teams in one region. Not impossible, but I wouldn't understand it. I don't think the Maloofs want to go to the midwest (KC), even though there's a practically brand new arena and city just dying to have them come back.

Since I have no control over what will happen, I don't pay attention to these kinds of rumors. We'll know soon enough what's really going to happen. Likely before the end of this season.

 

[UKRAINE]

Los Angeles Kings of Anaheim ... I can't even think about it but I agree that Orange is the place for the Maloofs. It is a big market with famous people, close to their home, Honda Center is a nice arena and I am 99% sure that they want to be in SoCal more than anywhere else.

 

[Trueblood]

As to the last post, Don isn't selling. While he's a bad owner, he loves owning them. He's turned down some big offers.

As to the 2nd point, I doubt the Lakers would put up a huge fight or demand much jack. And I highly doubt you'd find a large group of owners - let alone 1/2 - that would decide that Donald should get much cash because he played there for a few years.

They aren't going to KC and they league won't stop them from moving - it's either moving into an NBA region (ANA or SJ) or a place that Stern isn't looking to put a team - Seattle or Sin City.

I don't know if they will move but ANA is a landing spot. Probably the leader. The Maloofs almost bought the pond and ducks in 2003.

Never say never. George Shinn told Stern on several occasions that he would never sell as long as he's alive and that even if he were to die, he would allow his Son to inherit the team. He got cancer and it was a wake up call to him. He's a lousy owner and he realized how valuable life is. It's now just a matter of time before Gary Chouest has that team.

Chris Cohan used to say that he would never sell but then the IRS came calling and he was left with no choice.

Sterling is getting nailed from all legal angles right now. He was smart to settle on the race issue because had he been convicted, the league may have had more leverage in an attempt to get him to sell. You never know what will transpire.

That actually leads to part 2. I agree wholeheartedly that the Lakers could care less if there is a 3rd team in socal. You are correct in that assesment as well as the league not caring about the Clippers having played there 15 years ago. However, Sterling will have a problem with it. In fact, I could see his tv contract expiring and not be picked up at all as a smart cable company, Prime Ticket, will just negotiate a deal with the Kings instead. No tv deal, legal issues all over the place and closing in on the age of 80 may finally work as a turning point in getting him to sell.

 

[Larry David]

Look, Sterling isn't going anywhere. Hope all you want. It's a big longshot.

Sterling will make his case that he should get even more money. He has a very weak case. The other owners hate him, and they like the Maloofs. If I had to bet, there will either be no "market" fee.

As for the league "not wanting it," Stern has huge pull over the owners ... but he has no vote. If the team files relocation papers, they will pick 7 owners to study the proposal. After that, the 30 owners vote. If the Maloofs get 15 other owners to vote with them, they go wherever they want.

With more league revenue sharing expected in the new CBA (on the league/team side) owners are probably going to vote their pocket book. If the team can make more money elsewhere, they won't have to pump money to a small market team. In fact, money might go the other way.

Considering the next best city is San Jose and the league just put a new owner into that market, I don't think they want to do him like that. And if it's another team to Seattle or a 3rd in SoCal, I think I know how they will vote. I know how Clay will vote.

 

[Nap206]

I would rather them move to Seattle than closer to LA. The Kings would be loved in Seattle, the fans in Seattle are crazy just like Sac. Don't believe me google any Seattle Sonics playoff game or even the last game played in Seattle by the sonics. In Orange or close to LA you can count on people showing up late and are more worried about who is at the game actors, musicians, bla bla bla. then the game itself. If you want your team to have a good home in a good city then Seattle is the place to be.

 

[JB_kings]

I would rather them move to Seattle than closer to LA. The Kings would be loved in Seattle, the fans in Seattle are crazy just like Sac. Don't believe me google any Seattle Sonics playoff game or even the last game played in Seattle by the sonics. In Orange or close to LA you can count on people showing up late and are more worried about who is at the game actors, musicians, bla bla bla. then the game itself. If you want your team to have a good home in a good city then Seattle is the place to be.

They won't trade one bad arena situation for another.

 

[LilMissDiva]

They should just move the Clippers there, as they are treated like the dirty step child in LA. They have enough Basketball teams down there anyway. They can't keep the NFL so they feel they need to compensate?

 

[Superman]

They won't trade one bad arena situation for another.

That's the thing. Anaheim doesn't have an arena either. Huge foreclosure numbers in the area. And Orange County isn't going to approve tax increases to pay for an NBA arena.

 

[Trueblood]

That's the thing. Anaheim doesn't have an arena either. Huge foreclosure numbers in the area. And Orange County isn't going to approve tax increases to pay for an NBA arena.

They do have an arena. They've been trying to get an NBA team into the Honda Center since it was completed back in '94 and unlike Arco Arena, it was built correctly which means it has a much longer shelf life.

 

[Trueblood]

Look, Sterling isn't going anywhere. Hope all you want. It's a big longshot.

Sterling will make his case that he should get even more money. He has a very weak case. The other owners hate him, and they like the Maloofs. If I had to bet, there will either be no "market" fee.

As for the league "not wanting it," Stern has huge pull over the owners ... but he has no vote. If the team files relocation papers, they will pick 7 owners to study the proposal. After that, the 30 owners vote. If the Maloofs get 15 other owners to vote with them, they go wherever they want.

With more league revenue sharing expected in the new CBA (on the league/team side) owners are probably going to vote their pocket book. If the team can make more money elsewhere, they won't have to pump money to a small market team. In fact, money might go the other way.

Considering the next best city is San Jose and the league just put a new owner into that market, I don't think they want to do him like that. And if it's another team to Seattle or a 3rd in SoCal, I think I know how they will vote. I know how Clay will vote.

The owners vote how Stern tells them to vote. That's why these things are always nearly unanimous. Whenever there are relocation votes, it always goes 30-0, 29-1 or 28-2 and there's a reason for that. They're doing what Stern is telling them to do.

Even the Maloofs will try to heed his wishes. Let's not forget that they are fans of the commish and even went so far as to call him a "great guy" on the Larry King Show. Stern will recommend that they move somewhere but at the end of the day, it will have to make financial sense for the Maloofs. Stern wouldn't recommend a market that he thinks won't make them profitable.