Sacramento Kings’ Future Is A Coin Flip
Tyreke Evans
With Petrie in the last year of his contract, it seems very likely that he would want to make a trade that would keep him his job. The general manager has instead seemed to have had his hands tied by ownership and their stringent policy of maintaining the Leagues lowest payroll. The Maloofs have essentially cut the teams payroll by over 30 million since 2006, and have spent almost nothing on bringing in any big name players. With the their current attempt to sell the team becoming an all too familiar subtext to the NBA playoffs.
With the NBA stating that it will need more time to decide due to the unprecedented nature of the situation The Kings have certainly gained some favor with other owners and both David Stern and NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver who have both been questioned for taking sides. Both Stern and Silver have spent several of the past six years trying to find a way to keep the Kings in Sacramento, and with a competitive offer from Sacramento and its group of investors, the NBA Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner have had to put cold water on the flames of the Seattle media who are trying to say that the NBA is picking sides.
The NBA has never been a major proponent of the relocation of NBA franchises, and is not trying to establish a different standpoint. With the Oklahoma City Thunder being such a prominent force in today’s NBA title conversation, The Seattle movement has seemed to gain momentum. But Sacramento is not Seattle. As far as small-market franchise’s are concerned, the Kings rank amongst the top. The Kings are amongst the top 125 professional sports teams as ranked by ESPN. The Kings were once ranked number 4. Sacramento has also maintained a steady spot at 20th in the NBA in television ratings. The facts are right in front of anyone who cares to look. Seattle has never had the type of fan base with regards to the Sonics and the Kings. The city of Sacramento has done everything the NBA has asked of them, and have shown their love and support for their team the whole way.
The simple solution to most of the problems occurring with the Sacramento Kings is that the Maloofs are at best poor businessmen, who have run their families empire into the ground, and currently seem content on taking the Kings and the city of Sacramento with them. If the NBA votes against the sale and relocation of the team, the Maloofs will not be obligated to sell the team to the potential Sacramento Group. The Maloofs are bad for the NBA, and regardless of whether or not the Kings stay in Sacramento; the NBA must do away with the Maloof Family.