Sacramento Kings move to Seattle rejected

Washington, May 16 (IANS)

The NBA board of governors rejected a bid which could see Sacramento Kings move to Seattle and voted instead to keep the franchise in Sacramento.

“This was not an anti-Seattle vote, it was a pro-Sacramento vote,” said NBA commissioner David Stern, who also expressed his hope to have a deal in place within two days with a group that wants to buy the team from the Maloof brothers, reports Xinhua.

The 22-8 vote Wednesday, followed a recommendation made last month by the NBA’s relocation committee, rejected the deal that would have sold 65 percent controlling interest of the franchise, valuing $625 million, to a Seattle group led by investor Chris Hansen, who boosted the offer twice after the NBA showed an unwillingness to relocate.

Hansen hoped to move the franchise to Seattle and rename it the SuperSonics. The original Seattle Sonics were moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 and were renamed the Thunders.

It’s the second time since 2011 that the Maloof brothers have made plans that would have ended in relocation for the Kings. The first target was Anaheim, California.