UPDATE: Steve Ballmer Owns The L.A Clippers

It's done....

Ok, at least the sale, in the minds of the NBA, Shelley Sterling and Steve Ballmer is done. The league announced that Shelley Sterling and the Sterling trust has closed the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft magnate Steve Ballmer.

Ballmer already had the O.K of the league to purchase the team, but the sale was contingent on a written order by a California court confirming Shelley had the power to complete the sale.

That happened right about noon eastern time.

Oh, did we mention that Ballmer is paying $2 billion for the team?

Yes, $2 billion.....

We should also note that now former owner and crazy guy Donald Sterling is expected to appeal the judges ruling and the sale, but nobody expects that to derail the proceedings at this point.

Meanwhile, the NBA, according to the Los Angeles Times has filed a countersuit vs. Mr. Sterling claiming he owes them for "devastating and incalculable" harm to the league". We aren't sure what that means, but Donald Sterling already has filed suit against them, so we're guessing this is the part where lawyers make a lot of money.

For the Clippers, it means a chance to move forward and an opportunity to put the mess in the rear view mirror. Coach Doc Rivers and several players had mumbled privately they were considering not playing or boycotting should the sale not go through.

Instead, they are celebrating their good fortune. They get a rich owner, they get...at least eventually some stability. And they get a chance to get ready for yet another NBA season right on the horizon....

KCBS gives us the early TV story:

DEVELOPING: Judge Says Shelly Sterling Acted "Appropriately"

((HT: MyFoxLA))

Judge Michael Levanas has come down with the opinion/ruling that Shelly Sterling acted appropriately in the decision to challenge her estranged husband's mental state in the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Closing arguments the first of three pending Donald Sterling lawsuits were earlier in the day and Levanas ruled Shelly Sterling, tentatively, has the authority to act for the Sterling Family Trust.

Here's the preview before the decision from the judge
Los Angeles News | FOX 11 LA KTTV

The next deadline for the proposed sale to Steve Ballmer is August 15th- the date of the next NBA owner's meetings. But the sale is still tentative pending all other litigation (which sends us back to the other two Donald Sterling lawsuits).

"We are pleased that the court has affirmed Shelly Sterling’s right to sell the Los Angeles Clippers to Steve Ballmer," said NBA spokesman Mike Bass in a statement. "We look forward to the transaction closing as soon as possible."

Donald Sterling's lead attorney, Bobby Samini, says he was told by his client that he was to keep proceeding in other legal activites and "keep fighting on other fronts."

So Donald Sterling May Need A Sale To Cover A Huge Debt

((HT: MyFoxLA))

Darren Schield, the Chief Financial Officer of the Sterling Trust, took the stand in the court proceedings today in Los Angeles and admitted in open court that the Trust needs to sell the Clippers to cover half a billion dollars in outstanding loans for other Sterling properties.

Once Donald Sterling dissolved the Trust, the banks that are holding the notes could jump in and declare the Sterlings in default of the notes.

If the Clippers aren't sold, Schield admitted that Donald Sterling would have to dump that same amount of value in apartment buildings or other Sterling properties- a move that could flush the real estate market into the toilet.

Here's the coverage from the trial today that isn't all that optimistic


Ramona Shelburne said after the trial appearances today, Donald Sterling met with possible-new owner Steve Ballmer and his estranged wife, Shelly.

Sterling Trial Pushes Back Sale Deadlines

((HT: KABC-TV/LA Times, Panzer-Cook))

The end result of Shelly Sterling returning to the stand in the Donald Sterling competency hearing means that the sale completion of the Los Angeles Clippers is pushed back and won't meet the NBA deadlines.

What that means, really, is anyone's guess...

Does it affect the overall sale...? How patient will the league be over time if this drags on...? Will players be as patient as the league may or may not be if this drags out all the way to next season...?

Shelly Sterling described her husband's emotions in and around the time of the sale of the team to Steve Ballmer. Pierce O'Donnell, Shelly's lawyer, trumpeted his client's cause after the hearing.

Naturally...

Here's the latest from outside the courtroom


Judge Michael Levanas said the trial is taking next week off to let Donald Sterling's lawyer, Max Blecher, go on a planned vacation. Closing arguments are scheduled for July 28.

Chris Hansen Wants To Buy More Land In Downtown Seattle

((HT: KING5-TV))

Seattle Arena project and wannabe sports franchise owner Chris Hansen has moved on from his relationship with Steve Ballmer. Or are they still working in concert for their bigger plans...???

Hansen has introduced and signed an option for another five acres in south downtown adjacent to other land he has already purchased as part of his Seattle Arena plan.

Prospective Seattle NHL owner Victor Coleman has bought some land on the north side of the Stadium District and Hansen is managing his flanks.

Here's Chris Daniels
Deadspin is reporting that there is no real reason keeping Steve Ballmer, if his Clippers purchase is okayed, to move the franchise north.

Which lends itself in the thoughts that Ballmer may have a home if things completely fall apart.

Sterling Agrees To Sell, All Lawsuits Dropped...

((HT: KABC-TV))

And, for this moment in time, the Los Angeles Clippers and the NBA are in one accord...

And we're also waiting for some next move to come from some angle somewhere... which may be why he hadn't signed any documents with any great speed...

Donald Sterling has thrown it in for the moment and the NBA is looking to give the team to Steve Ballmer for two-billion dollars


ESPNLA's Ramona Shelburne, who has been on top of the story from the beginning discusses...
((HT: ESPN))

Donald Sterling Fires Back: Files Suit Against NBA for $1Billion

((ht: nbcnews.com))

You knew this was coming. It had to be.

Amidst reports that wife Shelly Sterling has agreed to sell his beloved Los Angeles Clippers, NBC News reports team owner Donald Sterling is suing the NBA...

For $1 Billion Dollars:



Yeah...that's what we thought too.

The suit is supposedly to block the sale of the team and to fight the NBA's decree that Sterling sell his team.

Read the NBC News story RIGHT HERE

Did we add that TMZ reports Sterling is and has been suffering from Dementia? For up to the past 3 years? And that's not to say he and his lawyers aren't serious here. We think they are....

His lawyers say the reports "Overstate" his condition. But it's exactly that condition that Shelly has used to take over the franchise and negotiate the potential sale to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

Make sense?


But everyone involved in the current game. Donald Sterling, Shelley Sterling, Adam Silver and the NBA are all putting their cards on the table ahead of Tuesday's vote to possibly take the team away from Donald..

Donald Sterling Diagnosed With Alzheimer's, Thus The Trust's Moves

((HT: TMZ Sports/ESPNLA))

TMZ is reporting on the Clips on a few fronts...

First, that the Ballmer bid of $2-billion is all cash...

Second, that Donald Sterling was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.

From the TMZ article:

We're told earlier this month Donald agreed to an examination by 2 prominent neurologists. He underwent extensive tests, including a CT and PET scan. We're told both doctors diagnosed Donald with Alzheimer's and concluded he may have had the disease for as long as 5 years. The doctors both concluded he did not have the ability to conduct the business of the team.

If two doctors come up with the same diagnosis, the Trust can then take over for the incapacitated partner. That meant that Shelly Sterling could do what she wanted when it came to the proposed sale of the club to another party.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne confirms the Alzheimer's diagnosis.

Here's your live shot outside of Staples Center to recap Thursday in the Clippers saga
((HT: KABC-TV))

Mental Incapacitation Gives Sterling Trust Green Light With Ballmer

((HT: MyFoxLA))

From Ramona Shelburne at ESPN again:

Espn has learned that experts had declared Donald Sterling mentally incapacitated, leaving Shelly as sole trustee & power to sell the team

That way, Shelly Sterling didn't need anything resembling her husband's permission to negotiate a deal.

Here's the early thoughts on the deal heading to the NBA office
Los Angeles Local News | FOX 11 LA KTTV

The next move is Donald Sterling's, but he'll have to go after his wife first before chasing the NBA.

From James Rainey, Andrea Chang, and Chris O'Brien:

Bobby Samini, an attorney for co-owner Donald Sterling, said as he left Sterling's home: "There's been no sale. There can be no sale without Donald's signature."

Ah, the layers...

Report: Clippers To Be Sold To Former Microsoft CEO, Price Agreed To But Will He Sell? (UPDATED)

((ht: latimes.com))

We will start this story by saying this: While the LA Times is certainly a credible news organization, and we believe this report to be true because it makes sense, don't assume it's a done deal.

The Los Angeles Times reports that former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has won the bidding war for Donald Sterling's Los Angeles Clippers.

The price: $1.8 billion....

Yes, that's right, $1.8 billion for a team that 20-years ago was the laughingstock of the NBA.

Ballmer's bid was the highest among the groups that made offers to Donald Sterling's wife Shelly.

Read more from the LA Times RIGHT HERE

Now...this report is tempered by the fact that depending on what time it is, Donald Sterling will say it's up to him to sell the team, he doesn't want to sell, he wants to fight the NBA.

And maybe he will. It's no secret Sterling will do things just to piss people off and he may do that here.

But how do you pass up $1.8 billion?

When it comes down to it, we don't think he will pass it up. But he will make the NBA, commissioner Adam Silver, the players and pretty much everyone else sweat while he takes his time making up his mind.

So there's that...

PM UPDATE: The LA Times Andrea Chang is hanging out outside the Sterling mansion right now and has reaction from Donald Sterling's attorney on her Twitter feed...

Sterling's lawyer just told me, in Sterling's driveway, "My belief is he will not sell this team."

Donald Sterling refused to come to the door of his home, but I could hear him holler, "How could she have the nerve to come here?"

Sharon Terlep over at the Wall Street Journal has the conditions of the sale for Sterling:

In order for the NBA to sign off on a sale, as it is required to, the league wants Mr. Sterling agree to several provisions: to not sue the league, to pay a $2.5 million fine levied by the league and to accept a lifetime ban imposed by the league.

2100 UPDATE: Ramona Shelburne is reporting that there is a "signed, binding agreement between Ballmer and the Sterling Family Trust" and that "the agreement is going straight to the NBA for final approval"

Still awaiting the reaction from Donald Sterling, though...

Sterlings Working Both Sides Of The Street: Donald Looks To Sue, Shelly Looks To Sell

((HT: KTLA-TV/ESPNLA))

First, from KTLA's Christina Pascucci, via her Twitter:

#EXCLUSIVE #BREAKING I've learned #DonaldSterling plans to sue @NBA and will likely file suit by end of week

Filed through his attorneys, Blecher, Collins, Pepperman, and Joye the complaint involves the desire for a jury trial on a complaint of "Violations for Denial of Constitutional Rights, Breach of Contract, Antitrust Violations, Conversion, and Breach of Fiduciary Duty" whatever all that means...

At the same time, Shelly Sterling is looking to have all letters of intent in house by the end of business eastern time today and is ready to have Bank of America vet all serious bidders by the end of Thursday.

The LA Times James Rainey has word that Shelly Sterling's term letter calls for a 100-percent stake for the new owners- apparently, giving the impression that she will not be around. All that despite Donald Sterling's intent to stay owner and fight the NBA and his wife in the battle for ownership.

Getting all this...???

Rainey lists the main four to pay attention to as:

A Guggenheim group that includes Oprah Winfrey, Larry Ellison, and David Geffen
A Grant Hill-involved group that includes Ares Management's Tony Ressler and Tribune chairman Bruce Karsh
The Steve Ballmer group
A group of middle eastern investors

Bill Simmons, via his Twitter, maintains that Guggenheim will announce their intent Thursday, but the larger issue may be that the Sterlings want $300-million non-refundable up front of the purchase. That would be some kitty for lawyers as Donald Sterling (and, possibly, Shelly independently) would be in court.

Here's the Dean with Donald Sterling's initial response to the NBA's point-of-view from last night
((HT: NBC Los Angeles))


And, yes, it is now somewhat official as Ramona Shelburne confirms on her Twitter through Blecher that Donald Sterling has changed his mind since the letter to the NBA was sent a week ago.

Blecher says that "On May 22 that’s what [Sterling] wanted to do. But as time has evolved he’s come to a much more hardline position."

Chris Daniels Catches Up With Michael McCann About Seattle + Clippers

((HT: KING5-TV))

Chris Daniels caught up with sports law guru Michael McCann about the whole Ballmer-Sterling-Seattle to the Clippers idea which really isn't going anywhere, but needs to be addressed because everyone is freaking out about it.

But what this whole dynamic does is bring Hansen-Ballmer to the fore even if they don't get the Clippers. TMZ reporting a meeting before (perhaps) the NBA knew about the dalliance won't sit well in New York City- ever...

There are six groups looking at the Clips including a Grant Hill group and the Ballmer group. But if another NBA team goes on geographic life support or the league wants to expand, they could be in line.

Just nothing in Seattle at present...

Shelly Sterling Met With Steve Ballmer Over Clippers, But Don't Bet On A Move

((HT: Ramona Shelburne/The Score))

Shelburne's Tweet credited TMZ Sports with the news here- which would reinforce a few things from KING5-TV's Chris Daniels conversations in the last month or so...

TMZ reports, however, a concern over a move of the Clippers to Ballmer's home turf of Seattle.

But, Shira Ovide's interview with Ballmer in the Wall Street Journal before his commencement address to students at Southern Cal's Marshall School of Business, pooh-poohs any such idea:

The HQ reversed the two questions Ovide asked Ballmer for the sake of not blowing continuity of copy...

WSJ: So you wouldn’t move the Clippers to Seattle?

Ballmer: If I get interested in the Clippers, it would be for Los Angeles. I don’t work anymore, so I have more geographic flexibility than I did a year, year-and-a half ago. Moving them anywhere else would be value destructive.

WSJ: You’ve tried a couple times to buy an NBA franchise to return a basketball team to Seattle. Are you interested in the Los Angeles Clippers, if the team goes up for sale?

Ballmer: I have nothing definitive to say. Am I right on top of what’s going on there? Absolutely I am. I love basketball, and I’d love to participate at some point in the NBA. If the opportunity is outside of Seattle, so be it. I will learn about any team that comes up for sale at this point.

Re-running Hansen's piece from last month about a possible move, here's the thoughts and they're not all that optimistic for the pacific northwest- and this was last month:
((HT: KING5))

But, remember, any Hansen-Ballmer sniff of the Clippers better go through proper channels with commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA office or the duo could be shut out entirely. Just because Ballmer may meet with Shelly Sterling doesn't mean much for putting them at the front of the line for prospective owners of the team.

For Hansen-Ballmer, their first phone call after securing the meeting with Sterling and her lawyer, Pierce O'Donnell, better have been to New York City if they want to play in the reindeer games down the line.

More On Bettman's Visit To Seattle, Phoenix Already On The Clock...??? (UPDATED W/Prospective Owners)

((HT: KING-TV))

Chris Daniels broke the news about the Gary Bettman-Bill Daly visit to Seattle last week and now there's a bit of an update...

Here's Daniels original salvo


Now, in a series of Tweets, Daniels has a little more info...

NEW: Seattle Mayor Ed Murray tells me #NHL initiated last wk’s meeting, & asked city to alter #SeattleArena MOU. Murray says he told them No 

MORE: Mayor Murray says he believes the Seattle City Council has no interest in changing MOU, said he brought up Key Arena. 

Seattle Council President Tim Burgess reiterated that he believes #SeattleArena won’t work with an #NHL first scenario.

The HQ's feelings here are that they're trying to find a quick home for somebody if something falls down. Phoenix makes the most sense with the attendance out that the LeBlanc group has. But keep an eye on the Florida Panthers and their wont to have the city pony up to $60-million for improvements to their arena in the town of Sunrise.

What makes the most sense over time is Phoenix slides up to Seattle and Florida will go to Quebec City- but that's just us thinking out loud now...

PM UPDATE: The Score, reporting Daniels again, has the proposed ownership group all figured out.

Victor Coleman and Jonathan Glaser are thought to be the driving force behind the bid. Coleman is CEO of Hudson Pacific Properties, which owns a long list of properties in and around Seattle.

Coleman and Glaser, along with Jeff Marks, met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

So, there you go... now we know... and we also know they're very serious in Seattle...

Bettman Visited Seattle For Arena Update Last Week

((HT: KING-TV))

Chris Daniels reported that the NHL Commish, Gary Bettman, and #2 Bill Daly were visiting with Seattle political-types last week to check on how things stand with the idea of a new arena in town...

Are you listening Phoenix...???

They met with King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. The only caveat that Bettman has ever said was that the town needs to address it's arena issues- even as he admitted the NHL would like to put a franchise in the market at some point.

Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer have agreed to partially fund a new arena, which is undergoing an environmental review.

The Hansen-Ballmer Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) says construction can begin on a new arena after the review and when an NBA team is approved for the market. It doesn't say anything about an NHL team, even though Hansen-Ballmer aren't interested in the league and others are.

The key thought from Hansen:

A new NHL team would likely have to play at least one year in Key Arena, depending on the status of a new complex. It's unclear if the NHL would be willing to commit a team to Seattle without some sort of guarantee a state-of-the-art, hockey-friendly facility was definitively on the way.

Bryan Stevens, spokesperson for the Seattle Department of Planning and Development, said on Tuesday that the environmental review on the project is now not scheduled to be completed until "sometime this fall". He added, that he believed, that there had been "no measurable movement" in the last few weeks.

Here's a piece that was done back in June 2013 by Daniels suggesting that Key Arena was ready if needed

NHL To Seattle Sometime Soon...???

((HT: Mitch Levy/950KJR Radio))

Mitch's Twitter has been busy Tuesday evening...

He has people (and we all know how influential and accurate "people" are) that are telling him that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is telling the Board of Governors that, when the Arizona Coyotes sale goes through and is approved, an expansion team is recommended to go to Seattle.

Here's the series...

The current MOU would undoubtedly need to be tweeked to keep the arena on track

The ownership group that was interested in buying the Phoenix franchise remains in play here, amongst others.

All of this contingent upon 1) a solid ownership coming forward and buying the team and 2) the new arena staying on track to be built

If approved, the new expansion Seattle NHL club would cost approximately $275M. It would begin playing here in the 2014-2015 season.

The end game here is that, if the arena stays on track, the city would be attractive for an NBA franchise when the NBA expands- as is anticipated when the new television contract comes up for discussion...

Ownership groups would, obviously, include the Hansen-Ballmer group that has (currently) lost out on an NHL franchise.

And this also brings up the question for franchise 32- Quebec City or Markham...
The HQ thinks Quebec with the Sun Media connections and the framework that's in place...

Here was the conversation from June when Seattle mayor Mike McGinn admitted talking to Commissioner Bettman about the league in Seattle when the Coyotes were in the discussion...
((HT: KING-TV))

Kings Stay In SacTown, Now What...???

((HT: KING-TV))

Well, if you're Kevin Calabro, the former voice of the Seattle SuperSonics, you think that the town will get a team back by the time the new television contract comes around...

“The Sonics will be coming back, I believe, as an expansion team and I think it will be coming back when the new TV contract is in full swing, which will be the ’15-’16 season,” he said. “It would fall in line with the framework of the MOU, so I’m optimistic.”

Chris Hansen's memorandum of understanding runs for five years... and the vote for moving was 22-8, which included Portland owner Paul Allen in the affirmative...

And, oh... the whole selling to SacTown thing...???

"There is no pressure on us... zero,” George Maloof said.

Here's KING-TV's early returns...



Chris Hansen said on his SonicsArena.com website, obviously, was disappointed, but he's not done:

While we are obviously extremely disappointed with today's relocation vote and truly believe we put forth both a significantly better offer and Arena plan, we do thank the league and the owners for their time and consideration and look forward to hearing back on our agreement to join the Maloofs as Limited Partners in the Kings.

But most of all I would like to thank everyone in Seattle who has been a part of our effort and supported our cause. Words simply can't express how much your support has meant to me personally and to our City. I truly believe we did everything possible to put our best foot forward in this process and you all should be proud and hold your heads high today.

Our day will come...and when it does it will just be that much sweeter for the struggle.

I love you Seattle!

And the SacTown version...
((HT: News10.net))
Mayor KJ says that negotiations will start in earnest around the clock. He thinks a deal could be done in the next two or three days- despite what George Maloof maintains above... Remember, the fans aren't big on the "backdoor" plan that the family had with the Hansen-Ballmer group...
So, we'll see just what direction this goes...
The HQ knows we're far from done...

And The Winner Is...Sacramento...Kings Are Staying...

((HT: News10.net/USAToday Sports))

After voting and going behind closed doors at the Hilton Anatole hotel in Dallas, the NBA relocation committee and owners have decided to stay in town with the future with the Sacramento Kings, according to USA Today Sports and their Twitter. The more interesting reaction will be from the Hansen-Ballmer group now as the league and its members move forward.

Will they pack up or will they stay in the fight to bring another team/expansion franchise to the Hansen-Ballmer project...???

There were some other ideas on the table going into their closed door sessions after 4:00 eastern time. Outgoing commissioner David Stern was animated in some talks, even removing his jacket while talking things out with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, and Wyc Grousbeck of the Boston Celtics in the hall outside the conference room assigned to the league.

Last week, the board's relocation committee voted unanimously, 7-0, to recommend not to approve the relocation of the SacKings to Seattle. The board of governors is expected to vote along the committee's recommendation. And the owners themselves need only a majority to keep the SacKings in town...

The vote for ownership changing is 60-percent approval...

Here's the early morning ideas from Sacramento...
On Tuesday, current owner George Maloof claimed if a minority share of the team was sold to the Chris Hansen-Steve Ballmer group in Seattle, the new partners would work in good faith to try to build a new arena in Sacramento. But, at the same time, a lot of people thought that idea was only a backdoor approach to get a team in Seattle. Hansen-Ballmer would, then, leverage their dollars and be in place if and when the current Sacramento arena idea/talks would not come to fruition. Maloof said Tuesday he has only met prospective SacKings Lead owner Vivek Ranadive once, and still hasn't talked to Sacramento ownership group that Mayor Kevin Johnson has assembled. "If it's only a matter of a few million, that's one thing," Maloof said to News 10. "But if the offers are far apart, it's a different story." Perhaps, that's another reason that Hansen-Ballmer raised their kitty as high as they did and put the whole amount in escrow immediately to show the NBA that they were serious- regardless of dollar figure. But there is a prevailing thought that the lack of interaction between the Hansen-Ballmer group and the league itself is a negative while the city of Sacramento has kept everyone abreast of the situation WITH league interaction... And the HQ knows just how much the league likes to have people jump through their hoops and not go rogue... More when we know more... 1800 UPDATE: Sources, including one owner, are telling the Sacramento Bee's Ailene Voisin and the Seattle Times Bob Condotta

Report: Kings to Seattle Move: Maloofs Have Plan B

((ht: espn.com))

The seemingly never ending story of the Maloof brothers trying to sell the Sacramento Kings and move them to Seattle keeps continuing with more and more chapters.

In the latest move, ESPN.com reporter Brian Windhorst reports that Joe and Gavin Maloof have a plan B in the event the NBA Board of Governors reject the proposed sale to Seattle financier Chris Hansen and Microsoft mogul Steve Ballmer. If rejected, the Board wants to recommend the team be sold to a group headed by billionaire Vivek Ranadive.

If the league says no, the Maloof's reportedly would sell a minority stake in the team (2-% for $120 million) to Mr's Ballmer and Hansen. And that has the potential for a major mess.


Read the entire ESPN.com story RIGHT HERE

What is fairly obvious here is the Maloof's want to get the Kings out of Sacramento no matter what. But the other nugget in the story is this: The NBA appears to have concerns the Ranadive Group may not have the backing to be sustainable.

The league is trying to bend over backwards to prevent a franchise from relocating and that stance is in many ways admirable. With the reports over the past two days that Hansen and Ballmer continue sweetening the deal and the new nugget that they are will to pay a substantial ($115 million) relocation fee, we could have an issue here.

Windhorst reports the NBA's relocation committee wants to revisit the proposed sale to each party before the Board of Governors vote on it next week. It's beginning to sound a bit like they are having second thoughts. If those thoughts come to fruition, Seattle may eventually end up landing the Kings before this is all said and done.

Though we fully expect several more back and forth stories on it.

And Now Chris Hansen Increases His Seattle Bid...

Chris Hansen, half of the wanna-be owners of the SacKings moving to Seattle to re-become the SuperSonics, has increased his total bid of the Sacramento Kings from $550 million to $625 million. Hansen also announced on his website, sonicsarena.com, that he has guaranteed other NBA owners that the new Seattle franchise would pay into revenue-sharing instead of taking moneys out.

Hansen hooked up with the Maloof brothers to buy the Sacramento Kings back in January. 65-percent of the team was offered up for US$525-million and the an additional 25 million dollars came across the table.

Now, it's an additional 75-million on top of that...

Hansen said on the website:

While we appreciate that this is a very difficult decision for the league and owners, we hope it is understood that we really believe the time is now to bring the NBA back to Seattle, and that it is paramount that we do everything we can to put Seattle’s best foot forward in this process.

All this ahead of the Wednesday vote to decide relocation... or not...

Here's KING-TV's coverage of the upping of the bid...

The HQ rubs its chin as to why Hansen did all this now...
//somethingtothinkabout