A decision on a move by the Sacramento Kings to Anaheim has been put off to May 2.
The timetable for the Kings to make a decision was extended from this Monday as a potential move dominates a weekend National Basketball Association meeting in New York.
On Thursday, the NBA’s Board of Governors heard arguments from a string of influential stakeholders on both sides of the relocation.
Anaheim officials, including Mayor Tom Tait and Henry Samueli—cofounder of Irvine-based Broadcom Corp. and owner of the Anaheim Ducks and the company that runs the city-owned Honda Center−made their presentation to NBA owners on Thursday.
So did Sacramento Mayor and former NBA star Kevin Johnson and Sacramento lobbyist and developer Darius Anderson, who has close ties to California supermarket tycoon and Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ronald Burkle, a potential white knight in keeping an NBA team in Sacramento.
Burkle, a billionaire with political clout and allies, has emerged in the 11th hour as a potential savior for the franchise in Sacramento.
Burkle and Anderson said they could lead a team of investors to buy the Kings or bring another NBA team to capital city, according to reports.
The NBA’s relocation committee sought the extension on a decision to allow more time to study issues surrounding a move to Anaheim and counter proposals to keep the team in Sacramento.
The committee is headed by Clay Bennett, chairman of the Oklahoma City Thunder, which were the Seattle Supersonics before moving in 2008.
Opposition from the Los Angeles Lakers, Southern California’s basketball powerhouse, also could be a factor.
The Lakers reportedly are mounting up a behind-the-scenes effort to oppose a Kings move.
Lakers owner Jerry Buss and coach Phil Jackson are leading the charge.
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling hasn’t publicly opposed a move. But he could push for a relocation fee of $30 million or more from the Kings.
Kings co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof have said they’re not interested in selling the team.
The team could generate $30 million or more in ticket sales per season in Anaheim, based on what the team now does in Sacramento and an initial novelty factor it would have.
Earlier this month Anaheim’s City Council approved $75 million in bonds to fund a basketball team relocation, including some $25 million in renovations to Honda Center.
Sacramento’s outdated Arco Arena is a major stumbling block for any NBA team’s finances and without a new arena deal in the works, the city will be hard pressed to keep the Kings or find another franchise to relocate.
