They haven't yet. The committee meets tomorrow and it's expected that they will make a recommendation; although, there's no guarantee of that.
With baseball and football, it would be near impossible to pull off an odd number of teams. The NBA schedule is so haphazard, it would be do-able...but admittedly strange.
When I got on board there were 17 teams. Mahbe it was 13. I don't think I could count to 17 yet. I forgot, but until about 2000, it was odd almost as many years as even.
I guess Stern had a press conference today? http://blogs.seattletimes.com/nbain...m-silver-press-conference-on-future-of-kings/ Sent from HCPs Baller-Ass iPhone 5...FAMS!
@KBergCBS: Stern reveals that the Sacramento group has a binding offer with a downpayment and that both offers are "in the same ballpark." Sent from HCPs Baller-Ass iPhone 5...FAMS!
@daldridgetnt: Asked if league is risking alienating Seattle it rejects sale, Stern says, "..there's going to be a disappointed city, one way or another." Sent from HCPs Baller-Ass iPhone 5...FAMS!
@KBergCBS: Stern says there will be a resolution before the draft lottery. Sent from HCPs Baller-Ass iPhone 5...FAMS!
Stern says that SAC has submitted a signed proposal to buy the team but that the Maloofs haven't countersigned it yet.
Stern says that Expansion has not been discussed at all YET. Not an option at this point. He left a small out on this saying yet but sounds like it won't happen.
Owners are going to meet late next week to finalize discussions and then from that date they have 7 days to vote. So 14 days or so from now before a decision.
Stern says both offers are in the same ballpark. Sounds like SEAs offer is higher however (this part is just me speculating though).
No doubt about it, Stern wants the Kings to stay in Sacramento. Again, the timeline shifts to allow Sac to catch up to Seattle. I'd be pulling out my hair right now if I were a Sonics fan. If the Kings stay in Sac and the NBA gives no expansion promise to Seattle, I actually wonder if the NBA will return to Seattle. The "process" that Stern and Silver keep talking about is so anti-Seattle that I could imagine they give up. If I were on the Hansen/Balmer squad, I'd either give up or I'd keep upping the bid just to make Stern miserable. Man, I'd love to be in a place to make Stern squirm. I think if I were Balmer, I'd increase the bid on Monday just to watch Stern continue to be in an awkward position.
Stern also apparently said that Sac's offer would be complete by the close of business today or tomorrow. In other words, they're not putting the two deals on the table and making a decision. They're putting them on the table, identifying the Sac shortfall, calling Sac to lobby for improvement and waiting while Sac gets it's ducks in a row. Could be just a way to fire up a bidding war, but it seems more like he's trying for a Sac win.
According to ESPN, the Maloofs favor deal with Seattle and have sent a letter out to other NBA owners
Sure seems like the NBA have given a LOT of extra time to the kings for reason that don't make a lot of sense. Sounds like Hansen is either going to have to up the amount he wants to pay by a decent amount if he wants to make sure the owners vote for the Seattle deal.
I still think Seattle wins this battle. Front office putting on a show to make it appear they gave Sacramento all the opportunities to keep the Kings. A lot of backlash in the media for letting the Sonics leave to OKC. Alot of people felt he didn't stand up whatsoever for them to stay in the 206!
Boy, the Maloofs better plan on never coming back to Sacramento... (Of course, why would they? Why would anybody who doesn't actually work there?)
