So the Kings might move, huh?
How is this news?
If you check out the quote from Joe Maloof, you get an impending sense of doom about the Kings viability to stay in Sacramento until the rest of NBA time.
“We are looking at all options to ensure the long term viability of this franchise. We’re looking at all our options. Of course you’re going to look at your options! We’re businessmen. We’ve been at this for 10 years without any (arena) success.”
That looks very scary until you put it into the context of the situation at hand. Joe Maloof went on to say what we’ve known all along about the Maloofs and their feelings on keeping the Kings here. They’re working their butts off with the mayor to figure out a way to keep them here.
“There is a sense of urgency because we’ve been at this for so long,” he said from his cell phone. “We can’t sugarcoat it. Everybody knows the region needs a new arena. When the NCAA (Tournament) is refusing to schedule events in Sac, you have to acknowledge that you need an entertainment venue. I can’t give you a timetable, but at some point, something has to get done. (Sacramento) mayor Kevin Johnson is working with four different groups, looking at four plans, and we’re hoping something comes out of this. We want to be right here in Sacramento. We’ve always said that. It’s been what? Eleven years? Rumors, rumors, rumors. I get tired of answering all these questions. Can’t we just talk about how much better DeMarcus Cousins is getting?”
Well that doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?
This is the same thing we’ve seen before. The Kings need a new arena. And whether you think it’s posturing by the Maloofs for getting a new arena or not, the city of Sacramento needs a new arena for more than just making money for the Maloofs.
Bigger and better concerts will happen here if the Kings get their new palace. Have you ever been to a concert at Arco Arena? It’s horrible. The PA system makes it sound like you’re next to a Cutlass Supreme that has more bass than it can handle so it’s just doing that annoying vibrating thing that makes the entire block wish this guy’s car battery would explode.
The NCAA tournament would come back to Sacramento with a new arena and the area might even get games from the later rounds too if it’s nice enough.
An arena could revitalize downtown in a way that could be huge for the city’s identity. And let’s be honest, without a new arena this city’s identity is currently whatever Phil Jackson improperly lamented it to be a decade ago when he was waging psychological warfare on his team’s biggest threat.
While the quote out of context sounds scary, it doesn’t mean the Kings are going anywhere right now. The paper work hasn’t been filed to relocate. Hell, there isn’t really a good option to relocate anyway.
Kansas City has the arena but they don’t have enough support to get the Maloofs to swoon over Middle America.
Anaheim and San Jose have immense territorial rights with the Lakers/Clippers and Warriors, respectively, and make moving a team there a huge headache for the current owner.
Las Vegas has too much red tape and no viable arena right now.
Seattle had a state of the art arena 15 years ago that was so awesome Clay Bennett decided to move his team back to his own hometown. Last I checked, the same arena is still in the Emerald City, so the Kings fans don’t have to worry about the team relocating there until they get THEIR arena situation… well… situated.
Next key date in all of this mess is January 25th when the four new proposals will be bandied about by Kevin Johnson and the city council in trying to determine which effort has the best chance of becoming a reality. If all of those proposals are failures and not a single one can possibly move forward, then it’s time to start getting worried about the team staying in Sacramento.
Until then, websites and cities will take quotes out of context in hopes of fulfilling their NBA-less municipal lives.
Now let’s talk about the reawakening of Tyreke Evans…
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