Ailene Voisin: Stern saves Sacramento again

Source: Sacramento Bee

We could nominate him for sainthood. We could erect a statue in front of the downtown arena. We could name a street after him. But at the very least, we should schedule a David Stern Day before the NBA commissioner retires Feb. 1, 2014, because this is the man who saved the Kings.

David Stern

New Kings boss Ranadive is all about winning

Source: Sacramento Bee

Two young employees at Tibco Software Inc. recently challenged the head of the company to a pull-up contest, and Vivek Ranadive didn't hesitate to accept.

Vivek Ranadive, the leader of the new Kings ownership group, founded a software company after emigrating from India with $50 in his pocket

Vivek Ranadive, right, with Kings partner Mark Mastrov, says he hopes "to restore this team to its former greatness."

Marcos Breton: Kings win shows anything's possible in Sacramento

Source: Sacramento Bee

A few weeks ago, I was covering baseball in San Francisco when a writer from another state accosted me with an emphatic declaration: "You've lost the Sacramento Kings," he boomed. "You're fantasizing if you think otherwise."

Couture's Overtime Goal Lifts Sharks

Source: ESPN YouTube

Logan Couture scored on the power play in overtime to lift the Sharks to a 2-1 win over the Kings.

Sacramento Celebrates Saving Their Kings

Source: Bleacher Report

As the Sacramento Kings prepare to delve into their future, past the uncertainty of the 2012-13 season that cast doubt on where they would play next season, the city and the fans celebrate a team that won just 28 games this season.

It's hard to imagine that anybody in basketball is happier than Kings fans simply for the privilege of still having a professional basketball team in their backyard. It's probably a pretty good feeling to have some new owners on the horizon as well.

The Kings started to give thanks to the people that helped them stay in Sacramento with a

DEVELOPING: Maloofs Sell Kings To SacTown Group, Announcement Friday

Source: Yardbarker

((HT: Chris Daniels/KING5)) From Daniels and his twitter feed... Two sources now confirming sale of #NBAKings by Maloofs to @Vivek group. And all this a day after George Maloof said he was under no pressure to sell the Sacramento Kings franchise to the Ranadive-led group, and at the same time, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson was under the impression that the two groups would be negotiating a sale over a 24-to-48 hour period... Looks like they were... RT @sam_amick: NBA Commissioner David Stern says on Kings: "Yes, I think, I think the agreement was signed today..." All this as Seattle fans hold the outgoing commish responsible for their not getting the Kings this time around... Amick reports the value of the sale at the US$535-million figure. Mayor KJ tweeted: "The ownership group, the city, and the community have shown the NBA, without any shred of doubt, that the Sacramento Kings belong in Sac" The NBA is expected to officiall...

Vivek Ranadivé’s message to current Sacramento Kings season ticket holders

Source: Cowbell Kingdom by Jonathan Santiago

The push to sell tickets for the 2013-14 Sacramento Kings season has begun.  Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced yesterday that beginning Tuesday at 9 am, the team would begin accepting deposits for next year.

A letter from new Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé went out to current season ticket holders yesterday, encouraging them to renew.  This is what it said.

 

Via Niko Rust.

Kings season tickets go on sale Tuesday, Vivek Ranadivé sends letter to STHs

Source: Sactown Royalty by Tom Ziller

Sales for 2013-14 Sacramento Kings season tickets will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, the team announced on Friday. The franchise is staffing up and The Bee has reported that the NBA is sending a swat team out to help Sacramento catch up. (Most teams began season ticket renewal drives months ago.)

Also on Friday, Vivek Ranadivé sent a letter to season ticket holders thanking them and inviting them to renew. Niko Rust, also known as Mr. Sign Lady, tweeted a photo of the letter he and Sign Lady received. Here's an excerpt:

Long Live the Kings!

Maloofs' payout from Sacramento deal was only $5 million less than it would have been from Seattle

Source: Sactown Royalty by Tom Ziller

There are a LOT of interesting tidbits in The Bee's next-day story. I encourage you to read it all. One I found particularly interesting as we post-mortem this thing.

The sweetened offer leaves the Sacramento purchase, on its face, $59 million short of Seattle's. But the true gap between Seattle's bid, and what the Maloofs will take away from selling to [Vivek] Ranadive, is just a few million dollars.

Why? If the Seattle deal had been approved, the Maloofs would have put $25 million of their payout toward the relocation fee owed to the NBA, the source said. In addition, although the Seattle deal is dead,

Who should represent the Sacramento Kings at the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery?

Source: Cowbell Kingdom by Jonathan Santiago

The NBA Draft Lottery is less than a week away and the Sacramento Kings have an open invitation to New York.  Who should represent the franchise at next Tuesday’s gathering out east?  There are numerous options and in no particular order, we’ve compiled a list below with some suggestions.

Vivek Ranadivé

Why? The leader of the new ownership group. Ranadivé has major plans of revamping the franchise and revitalizing California’s state capital with his fellow private investors.

Mayor 

5 Ways Chris Hansen’s Investment Group Could’ve Convinced the NBA to Move the Kings to Seattle

Source: Yardbarker

On May 15th the NBA rejected a group of investors’ bid to move the Sacramento Kings to Seattle, Washington, the home of the one-time Seattle Supersonics.  The team, the league’s Board of Governors (*Author’s note: this is the part where I started imagining Marc Cuban wearing a powdered wig and shouting out “Nay, good sir!  Nay!” The post 5 Ways Chris Hansen’s Investment Group Could’ve Convinced the NBA to Move the Kings to Seattle appeared first on No Coast Bias.

Ailene Voisin: Ranadive should overhaul Kings' staff

Source: Sacramento Bee

Once his purchase of the Kings is finalized, Vivek Ranadive should take a pick and a shovel, perhaps borrow a battering ram and a bulldozer, and obliterate the section of Sleep Train Arena that houses the team's basketball operations.

Paul Kitagaki Jr. Bee file, 2010 Former Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson is itching to become involved in personnel, and Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie has lost his golden touch.

Hector Amezcua

Vivek Ranadive's Purchase of the Kings Is Bittersweet

Source: Bleacher Report

Depending on who you ask, Vivek Ranadive's agreement to purchase the Sacramento Kings (as reported by Tony Bizjak, Ryan Lillis and Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee) is either great or disgusting.

Obviously, those longing for an NBA team to return to Seattle will be in the latter group. On the flip side, Sacramento basketball fans are thrilled to have saved their team from the Emerald City.

At one time it seemed almost inevitable that the Kings franchise was destined to become the new Seattle

Kings' new ownership group kicks off team's new era

Source: Sacramento Bee

The Sacramento Kings, adrift for years and nearly lured away from the city, effectively reopened for business Friday.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, right, shakes hands with Phil Oates, one of the local investors in group involved with the purchase of the Sacramento Kings, during a rally, in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, May 17, 2013. Johnson told the crowd that the Maloof family, owners of the Kings had signed a deal to sell the NBA franchise to a Sacramento group led software tycoon Vivek Ranadive.

Sacramento Kings: A New Beginning

Source: A Royal Pain by Marilyn Kenyon

Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

A palpable collective sigh was felt across Sacramento as news about the sale of the Sacramento Kings to the Sacramento investment group was announced last night by Tony Bizjak, Ryan Lillis, and Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee. This followed the announced rejection by the NBA on Wednesday, May 15, for the Sacramento Kings to relocate to Seattle.

While I cannot speak for all Sacramento Kings fans, for myself, this has been an emotionally draining process, especially this past year. The news,

NBA roundup: Maloofs sign deal to sell Kings (The SportsXchange)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson announced Friday that the deal for the Maloof family to sell the Kings to software billionaire Vivek Ranadive has been signed.

Pavelski, Sharks Looking To Bounce Back

Source: ESPN YouTube

Joe Pavelski discusses the Sharks' series against the Kings.

Sacramento Kings stay: Community congregates at city hall to celebrate today

Source: Cowbell Kingdom by Jonathan Santiago

Nearly five months to the day that a deal to sell and move the Sacramento Kings to Seattle was announced, the community once again gathered this morning at city hall.  Not to announce an ambitious effort to keep the Kings, but this time to celebrate victory.

Here are some notable quotes and images of those who spoke at today’s gathering at city hall chambers this morning.

Mayor Kevin

Deal to sell Kings to Sacramento group sealed in Dallas as NBA debated relocation

Source: Sacramento Bee

The Maloofs' agreement to sell the Kings to a Sacramento investor group was essentially sealed late Wednesday in Dallas, after the Sacramentans agreed to sweeten the pot.

George Maloof, one of the owners of the Sacramento Kings, talks with reporters following an NBA Board of Governors meeting Wednesday, May 15, 2013, in Dallas. NBA owners voted Wednesday to reject the Kings' proposed move to Seattle, the latest in a long line of cities that have tried to land the franchise.

Sac mayor Kevin Johnson: Deal to keep Kings done (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Today's announcement ends months of maneuvering by Mayor Kevin Johnson to secure a new ownership group to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

Sac mayor Kevin Johnson: Deal to keep Kings done

Source: CSN Bay Area by gjames

Today's announcement ends months of maneuvering by Mayor Kevin Johnson to secure a new ownership group to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

The 10-man rotation, starring Dirk Nowitzki’s legendary one-footed jumper (Video) (Ball Don't Lie)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out. C : YouTube.com/NBA . Dirk Nowitzki hasn’t played a game of basketball in a month, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get all of our hearts a-flutterin’ as we look forward to this year’s NBA Finals. PF : Pro Hoops History . Curtis Harris delves into the career of George McGinnis, who put up some ridiculous statistics in both the ABA and NBA. SF : Daily Thunder . Thunder super-scribe Royce White discusses the various options Oklahoma City has with disappointing big man Kendrick Perkins. SG : SB Nation . It wasn’t because of a terrible mismatch, and it wasn’t because he was playing poorly, but Tim Duncan sat out the crucial stages of his team’s series-deciding win on Thursday night. Mike Prada tries to discovery why that was, exactly. PG : Sports Illustrated . Rob Mahoney also breaks down parts of the same stretch with a focus on Kawhi Leonard, who has been playing brilliant (and somewhat frighteningly-good) ball with Duncan off of the floor.

Careers: Check Out New Kings Job Openings

Source: NBA.com

Careers: Check Out New Kings Job Openings

Kings Staff Attends Draft Combine

Source: NBA.com

Kings Staff Attends Draft Combine

Johnson: Kings' sale has been signed (The SportsXchange)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson announced Friday that the deal for the Maloof family to sell the Kings to software billionaire Vivek Ranadive has been signed.

Kings To Be Sold To Sacramento Group

Source: ESPN YouTube

Brian Windhorst discusses the reported deal made by the Maloof family to sell the Kings to a Sacramento group led by software tycoon Vivek Ranadive.

Royal Reflections: The Maloof’s Redemption as the Kings Drama ends

Source: A Royal Pain by Bryant West

April 26, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings owners Phil Maloof, George Maloof and Gavin Maloof stand up after the win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Power Balance Pavilion. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-96. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

In the span of two days, the city of Sacramento went from potentially losing the Kings to not only keeping the Kings but getting a new exciting ownership group as well.

And, in a sick and twisted way, we have the Maloofs to thank mightily for the outcome.

First and foremost, Sacramento owes this victory to Major Kevin Johnson

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson says deal to keep Kings done (Comcast SportsNet Bay Area)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Today's announcement brings to an end to months of maneuvering by Mayor Kevin Johnson to secure a new ownership group to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson says deal to keep Kings done

Source: CSN Bay Area by gjames

Today's announcement brings to an end to months of maneuvering by Mayor Kevin Johnson to secure a new ownership group to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

Maloof family to pocket about $230 million from Sacramento sale

Source: Sacramento Bee

On the face of it, the Maloofs are accepting a purchase price for the Sacramento Kings that's $90 million less than the offer they were pursuing with investors from Seattle.

George Maloof, one of the owners of the Sacramento Kings, talks with reporters following an NBA Board of Governors meeting Wednesday, May 15, 2013, in Dallas. NBA owners voted Wednesday to reject the Kings' proposed move to Seattle, the latest in a long line of cities that have tried to land the franchise.

George Maloof applauds Mayor Kevin Johnson: 'Hand it to the mayor'

Source: Sacramento Bee

"It's a difficult day for us, but it's time for a new chapter."

Sacramento Kings owners George Maloof, left, and his brother Joe, right, leave the NBA Board of Governors meeting Wednesday, May 15, 2013, in Dallas. NBA owners voted Wednesday to reject the Kings' proposed move to Seattle, the latest in a long line of cities that have tried to land the franchise.

Phil Jackson visits Jay Leno, talks Seattle, shows off/takes his hat out of the coaching ring (Video) (Ball Don't Lie)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Phil Jackson went on Jay Leno’s late night television show on Thursday to promote his book "Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success," speaking on record at the peak of the NBA’s coach-grabbing season . Though Jackson has spent most of the spring talking up his potential as a front office fixture , Leno couldn’t resist asking Jackson if a return to the sidelines was probable for the 67-year old 13-time (counting his playing career) NBA champion, along with other various tawdry subjects, and the inevitable comparison between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant . Jay Leno, who is no stranger to openly musing about taking someone’s job while that person still actually has the job, also asked if Jackson would consider returning to the Los Angeles Lakers as head coach should Mike D’Antoni be asked to move the Tonight Show to midnight be fired in the offseason. Jackson, at around the two-minute mark of this video, was tactful in his response. Watch:

Mayor announces rally, headlined by Cake, to celebrate sale of Kings to Sacramento investors

Source: Sacramento Bee

Mayor Kevin Johnson held a triumphant press conference at City Hall this morning, hours after word leaked out that the Maloofs had signed a deal to sell the Kings to a Sacramento group.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announces Friday morning the deal by a Sacramento group to buy the Kings from the Maloof family.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announces Friday morning the deal by a Sacramento group to buy the Kings from the Maloof family has been signed.

Mayor: Deal to sell Kings has been signed (The Associated Press)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said Friday that the deal to sell the Kings to a group led by software tycoon Vivek Ranadive has been signed.

Mayor: Kings deal 'about not letting somebody take something that isn't theirs'

Source: Sacramento Bee

Mayor Kevin Johnson held a triumphant press conference at City Hall this morning, hours after word leaked out that the Maloofs had signed a deal to sell the Kings to a Sacramento group.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announces Friday morning the deal by a Sacramento group to buy the Kings from the Maloof family.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announces Friday morning the deal by a Sacramento group to buy the Kings from the Maloof family has been signed.

Sale of Kings means needed front office, coaching changes (NBC Sports)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Whatever happened with the sale of the Kings, one thing was a lock — big front office changes and a coaching change were on the way. Now that the deal is done and the Kings will be staying in Sacramento, don’t expect it to be long before you see changes — Geoff Petrie and Keith…

Hansen-Ballmer Decline Refund Of $30M Non-Refundable Deposit From NBA's Other Owners

Source: Yardbarker

The NBA owners offered to refund a $30 million non-refundable deposit made by the Chris Hansen-Steve Ballmer ownership group that was made when entering into a purchase agreement with the Sacramento Kings. The Seattle-based group had agreed to buy the team from the Maloof family. Hansen and Ballmer declined to accept the offer, which would have come from each of the NBA's 30 owners.

Sacramento Kings owners reach deal to sell team to local investors (Reuters)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

By Eric M. Johnson (Reuters) - The owners of the Sacramento Kings basketball franchise have struck a tentative deal to sell the sought-after California team to local investors after the National Basketball Association denied a proposal to move the team to Seattle, a spokesman for Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said on Friday. The deal by an investor group led by tech titan Vivek Ranadive follows months of bitter wrangling between Seattle investors who wanted the team to replace a beloved Pacific Northwest franchise lost in 2008 and California investors who wanted it to stay put. ...

Friday press conference: open thread

Source: Sactown Royalty by Tom Ziller

1140AM will be broadcasting. I suspect you'll be able to find it on News10.net, as well. 10 a.m. Pacific or so. City Hall, if you're in the area.

!!!

Sacramento Kings Expected To Let Coach Keith Smart Go

Source: A Royal Pain by Bryan Rosa

Feb 24, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Keith Smart reacts at New Orleans Arena. The Hornets won 110-95. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

This one is a little more than beyond obvious, but, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, the Sacramento Kings are not expected to retain head coach Keith Smart.

Per Amick:

That could lead to some of his current co-workers coming along with him. If Kings coach Keith Smart is not retained as is expected,

Maloofs agree to sell Kings to Ranadive group

Source: Yardbarker

NBA Commissioner David Stern got his wish as the Maloof family agreed to sell the Sacramento Kings for a franchise valuation of $535 million, which will be a league record, to a local group led by software magnate Vivek Ranadive.

Michael Malone expected to be Kings coaching candidate

Source: Sactown Royalty by Tom Ziller

Within the next week or so, the NBA will approve Vivek Ranadivé's purchase of the Sacramento Kings. And at that point the team will almost assuredly be looking for a new general manager, as Geoff Petrie's contract expires at the end of June. But there's also a good chance that a new coach could be in order. Keith Smart is signed through 2013-14, but new owners and GMs tend to pick their own coaches, as Smart knows all too well.

If Smart is replaced, USA Today's Sam

Sacramento Kings owners reach deal to sell team to local investor group (Reuters)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

(Reuters) - The owners of the Sacramento Kings basketball franchise have struck a deal to sell the sought-after California team to an local investor group led by tech titan Vivek Ranadive, a spokesman for Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said on Friday. The deal by an investor group that includes former Facebook Inc executive Chris Kelly and 24-Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov, among others, comes after the National Basketball Association denied a proposal to move the Kings franchise to Seattle following months of bitter wrangling among potential suitors. (Reporting by Eric M. ...

Maloofs agree to sell Sacramento Kings to Ranadive group

Source: Yardbarker

NBA Commissioner David Stern got his wish as the Maloof family agreed to sell the Sacramento Kings for a franchise valuation of $535 million, which will be a league record, to a local group led by software magnate Vivek Ranadive.

Thank you, Chris Hansen and the Maloof family

Source: Sactown Royalty by Tom Ziller

This may sound weird, but ...

Thank you, Chris Hansen, for convincing the Maloof family to sell the Kings. No one else had been successful in doing that. You made that happen, which set this whole process into motion. Otherwise, we'd probably be staring into the uncertain darkness right now, not celebrating the dawn of a new era. I don't agree with a lot of the comments you made about Sacramento's arena plan and the market here. But I'm glad you got the Maloofs' signatures on an agreement to sell the team and got them comfortable with that. And I know you'll deliver a team to Seattle before your deal with the city expires. And when you do, those games between the

Jerry Sloan says ‘no, thanks’ to the Milwaukee Bucks coaching job, wants to win now (Ball Don't Lie)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Depending on what the Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Clippers decide to do with their fluctuating situations over the next few weeks, there could be as many as ten NBA coaching openings to fill during the 2013 offseason. Despite walking away from a potential playoff team in Utah two years ago, a team he’d worked with as an assistant and then head coach for the previous 26 years, former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has tossed his name into the mix of available candidates to fill one of those job openings. Unless you’re the Milwaukee Bucks, an available team that is closest to Sloan’s home in rural Illinois. You can take that gig and stick it. (I think that’s how the song goes.) NBA.com’s David Aldridge was the first to report Sloan’s indifference , through quotes from Sloan’s agent Keith Glass. Glass, Aldridge relays, also represents former Bucks coach Scott Skiles: "The bottom line is, Jerry doesn't really feel it's the right fit for him right now," Glass said Thursday.

George Maloof applauds Mayor Kevin Johnson: "Hand it to the mayor"

Source: Sacramento Bee

"It's a difficult day for us, but it's time for a new chapter."

Sacramento Kings owners George Maloof, left, and his brother Joe, right, leave the NBA Board of Governors meeting Wednesday, May 15, 2013, in Dallas. NBA owners voted Wednesday to reject the Kings' proposed move to Seattle, the latest in a long line of cities that have tried to land the franchise.

Phil Jackson won't be taking Sacramento Kings position

Source: Sactown Royalty by Tom Ziller

Phil Jackson is interested in taking a front office NBA job. On Thursday, he admitted that he'd had serious talks with Chris Hansen about a role with the Seattle SuperSonics. There will be no Sonics next season, of course, so that's not happening. On Leno Thursday night, Jackson quickly followed up by saying he won't be taking a job with the Sacramento Kings. The discussion is right around the 4-minute mark here.

It doesn't appear Jackson has spoken to Vivek Ranadivé, Mark Mastrov or anyone involved in the new Kings ownership group -- likely because they weren't allowed to talk to

Mayor: Sacramento group's deal to buy Kings 'signed' and money wired

Source: Sacramento Bee

Mayor Kevin Johnson said this morning that the deal by a Sacramento group to buy the Kings from the Maloof family "has been signed on both ends" and that "the money has been wired."

Kevin Johnson and his wife, Michelle Rhee, arrive Thursday night for the Warriors-Spurs playoff game in Oakland.

Sacramento Kings New Arena To Open In 2016

Source: A Royal Pain by Bryan Rosa

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors vice chairman Vivek Ranadive (left) talks to Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson (right) during the second quarter in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Although not exactly shocking news given it was somewhat of a requirement for the NBA during their approval process, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson told News 10 this morning that the new downtown arena would be ready for the 2016