Sacramento Kings likely to stay put

In a unanimous vote the NBA’s relocation committee is recommending that the Sacramento Kings should not be relocated to Seattle. The NBA’s Board of Governors is expected to vote on the matter on the week of May 13th. Approval from 26 of the league’s 30 owners is required before any franchise can be sold.

NBA Commissioner David Stern had this to say regarding the report:

“I didn’t see a unanimous vote coming,” Stern said. “But they decided as strong as the Seattle bid was, and it was very strong, there’s some benefit that should be given to a city that has supported us for so long, and has stepped up to contribute to build a new building as well.”

If the Board of Governors vote against the sale of the Sacramento Kings to the group led by Valiant Capital’s Chris Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, then Maloof family may have to consider the counter-proposal offered by the group that intends to keep the franchise in Sacramento.