Sacramento Kings Staying For At Least Another Year, According To Report

The city of Sacramento scored a major win on Friday as mayor Kevin Johnson staved off relocation, at least for another year. Johnson had been putting together a last-ditch plan to put-off relocation to Anaheim, securing donors in an effort to buy the city time to secure funding for a new arena. The Maloofs had been trying to take the team to Anaheim and it appeared to be a foregone conclusion the Kings would be heading out of town as soon as May.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Johnson’s plan passed muster and the relocation committee, headed by Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, is expected to recommend the Kings stay in Sacramento, at least for the next year.

With the new May 2 deadline approaching, the relocation committee is expected to convene late next week.

If Sacramento’s offer stands up, the committee is expected to recommend that the Kings remain in the city for next season.

The report also states the Maloofs can still request a move to Anaheim, but the same relocation committee would be the one making the ruling. For now, it appears Sacramento has staved off relocation thanks to the impressive efforts of Johnson and the city as a whole.

Congratulations to Sacramento and Kevin Johnson for saving their franchise. With any luck, Sacramento will be a viable NBA city for years to come.

For more on this story, stay with Sacramento Kings relocation StoryStream.

Clay Bennett In Sacramento To Evaluate Kings Relocation Plan

The NBA is in Sacramento on Thursday, working to evaluate whether a last-ditch plan to save the Kings is feasible, or whether the Maloof brothers will shuttle the team off to Anaheim during the offseason. Heading the committee evaluating the proposals is Clay Bennett, the owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder whose experience relocating a team is well-documented. Initial reactions to David Stern naming Bennett the head of the relocation committee were less than positive, and his presence in Sacramento is sure to rattle some nerves.

But the news was good for Sacramento on Thursday as the NBA, and Bennett, will return on Monday to further evaluate the plan. Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson has been working to secure a buyer while pushing a plan to build a new arena (via Sacramento Bee)

In a further indication that the NBA is open to keeping the Kings in Sacramento for another year, league staffers will be back in town on Monday to thoroughly research local corporate commitments to purchase luxury suites and season ticket packages next season, sources close to the negotiations told The Bee.
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Should the league decide to give the Kings one more season in Sacramento, that timeline would come with a significant restriction, the sources said: plans for a new arena must be finalized by next March in order for the city want to keep the team long-term.

The plan would be a one-year stop-gap for Sacramento, giving Johnson more time to push an arena plan through. Johnson is working to secure funding for the 2011-12 season, showing the city can support the team and is committed to keeping it in Sacramento. Johnson's efforts are a positive sign for the city, but the road ahead is long and the fight is far from over.

We'll be following the story in Sacramento while examining the parallels to our own efforts to keep the Sonics years ago and the renewed efforts to bring the NBA back. Stay with this StoryStream for the latest as more becomes available.