bibby1023 wrote:Almost a for sure chance there isn't an expansion team....at least for the next 3-5 years in my honest opinion.
I am not so sure, a couple of reports this week started to talk about expansion. Which is good, I mean we have done a good enough job to make our market being able to compete with Seattle's market. Maybe that's not the case but I am sure when the word "India" popped up from the Sacramento camp, it became a game changer. Regardless of the snide comments we make (I am guilty of making some of them) about Seattle "giving up" the Sonics, there is no doubt they are a great market. Then on the other side, you got the one show in town thing with Sacramento, Stern loves that. Now we add in India, with potential to expand into that massive developing market is exactly what the NBA wants. Many around the NBA have said Vivek Ranadivé has connections to make good on his promise the NBA in India, he has already started to do some of it while being just the minority owner of the GSW.
So back to my point, 2 months ago everyone said we have no chance to keep the team and no other team would come here if we lost the Kings, the fact the word expansion is being tossed around means that the NBA feels like it doesn't want to lose out on either of the situation that are being presented.
Overall I think the sale to Seattle is denied, we get a deal done in about a month or two, and by the end of the year there is serious talk about expansion. Money will always come first as opposed to talent dissolution.