The sale of the Sacramento Kings to Vivek Ranadive's ownership group has brought much-needed stability and clarity of vision to a franchise in desperate need of a fresh start. After 15 years in charge and several recent attempts to move the franchise, the Maloof family had stopped being useful owners for some time and needed to go. It's safe to say that everyone — including the Maloofs, who turned a sizable profit in the sale — is pleased with how things worked out. However, it would be very wrong to paint the Maloofs' entire period of ownership as a disaster. In the early years, they oversaw the franchise's period of greatest success in Sacramento. If they hadn't helped the team to those heights, it's likely that Ranadive's group never would have seen the potential of the franchise and its existing fan base. So, despite the fact that the Maloofs are leaving town on bad terms, they have some reason to feel nostalgic for the good times they had in Sacramento. On their way out, they thanked the city and team for their 15 years as owners in a full-page ad in Saturday's edition of The Sacramento Bee. Check it out after the jump (image via Deadspin ):
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