Maloofs nearing deal to sell Kings

Maloofs nearing deal to sell Kings to group that plans to relocate franchise to Seattle - Yahoo! Sports

The Maloof family is finalizing an agreement to sell the Sacramento Kings to a group that hopes to move the franchise to Seattle for the 2013-14 season, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

I predicted a little more than eighteen months ago that the Maloofs would lose control of the Kings.

Happy for Seattle, sad for Sacramento. Knew this day was coming though - this was the real reason Sac wouldn't discuss Cousins with anyone.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) January 9, 2013

The Maloofs couldn't afford to run an NBA franchise for YEARS. Cash-poor owners + small market = trouble. My 2011 take: es.pn/frjNBg

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) January 9, 2013

Yahoo's report on Sea-Sac sale: tinyurl.com/arbhm9j. Add from me: Relocation fee TBD. Chair of NBA's Relocation Committee? CLAY BENNETT.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) January 9, 2013

Worst Owners in Professional Sports

Looking at the MLB, NHL, NFL and NBA teams, EPSN ranked all 122 franchises on a number of factors. They graded the Maloofs as the worst ownership and Power Balance Pavilion as the second to worst stadium. Combining all of the factors, ESPN ranked the Sacramento Kings franchise as 121 out of 122, better only than the New York Islanders.

Ultimate Standings 2012 - No. 121 - Sacramento Kings - ESPN

How does a franchise come to feature the worst-ranked ownership in the Big Four? By following the Maloof family blueprint. In a nutshell, it all revolves around a lack of commitment. Financially, the Maloofs have ponied up one of the NBA's lowest payrolls for three consecutive seasons, which has resulted in few solid complementary players for the franchise's young faces, who have been disappointing themselves. We're looking at you Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins and Jimmer Fredette.

The Maloofs have also devoted little money to the upkeep of Power Balance Pavilion, a structure best put out to pasture.

Maloofs couldn't afford Sacramento arena deal

Maloofs couldn't afford Sacramento arena deal - Marcos Breton - The Sacramento Bee

It's all a smoke screen to cover up the fact that they can't make a deal because they don't have the money.

Arena deal for Sacramento falls apart

Arena deal for Sacramento falls apart - ESPN

The Kings' future in Sacramento is uncertain again.

A tentative deal for a new arena has fallen apart, leaving open the possibility the team's owners could again try to move from California's capital.

The Maloof family has balked at terms of the agreement reached last month, and though they say they want to remain in Sacramento, Johnson isn't so sure after meeting with them Friday and hearing their list of concerns he said hadn't previously been disclosed.

"It just feels like they were coming up with reasons of why not to do the deal," Johnson said.

I predicted almost a year ago that the Maloofs would lose both the Kings and the Palms within four years. I believe that they are making up reasons not to do the deal because they do not have the financial wherewithal to participate in the development of a new arena under any terms or conditions. The Maloofs are broke... What they really want is for someone to write them a big check like $50 million that they were going to get for moving the Kings to Anaheim.

Kings checkmated by money, luck

Bill Simmons: Breaking down the NBA's small-market woes with a little help from the Maloofs - ESPN

My [Bill Simmons] prediction: the league will pay full price for the Kings (or close to it), use them as lockout leverage (along with the Hornets), then work with Johnson and Sacramento on finding new ownership after the lockout. It's the right move. There's every reason to believe that Sacramento could turn into Oklahoma City or Portland in the right hands. But it needs the right hands. And those hands need to be able to write checks that pay for stuff.

After walking through the Palms last week and reading about some of their financial transactions of the last two years, my prediction [heringer] is that the Maloofs will lose both the casino and the basketball team in the next four years.

Updated 5/7/2011 - In his May 5 podcast with Berry and Abbott at the 1:05:00 mark, Bill Simmons says "they [the NBA] are going to take the team over from the Maloofs... they aren't going to be able to meet the payroll..."