One of the most popular Kings during his playing days, Jackson has been an assistant coach for the last two seasons. He's waiting for the sale of control of the Kings from the Maloofs to the group led by Vivek Ranadive to know his future.
"You can't talk to anybody until the sale goes through and everything is final," Jackson said. "So at the end of the day you're still waiting and that's not going to get done until maybe June. So at the end of the day you're still waiting on something to get done."
Head coach Keith Smart's contract runs through next season. That doesn't guarantee that he will remain the head coach, but that's more security than the rest of the coaching staff and front office has at this point.
"I don't have a contract (for next season)," Jackson said. "None of the coaches have a contract except Keith so it's a process you've got to go through. Hopefully we do come back but if not you've got to start making calls."
Jackson will be at Thursday's "Long Live the Kings" rally from 5-9 p.m., at Cesar Chavez Park.
Considering how long the saga of where the Kings would be played out, Jackson said he was "ecstatic" over the news the Kings would not be moving to Seattle.
"This thing has been going on for a long time," Jackson said. "And to be a part of the good years and now, you always want this city to thrive. I was extremely happy."
The lottery will be at halftime of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals between San Antonio and Memphis. The game begins at 6 p.m.
The Kings have a 6.3 percent chance of winning the lottery and landing the first overall pick.
The Orlando Magic had the worst record in the NBA and has a 25 percent chance of winning the first overall selection.
As I pack up for the flight to Oakland for Game Six of the Western Conference semifinal between the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs, here are a few final thoughts, observations and tidbits:
]]> • When I was a young journalist attempting to establish myself in the business, a wise man known as Pat Riley once advised me: "Write what you see, not what you hear." Lesson learned. The body language and demeanor of George Maloof, David Stern, Adam Silver, Kevin Johnson, Chris Hansen and Vivek Ranadive, among others, pretty much told the story. The Kings are staying in Sacramento, the Maloofs are intent on finalizing a deal to sell their majority interest to the Ranadive group within the next few days, and in something of a shocker, the Cold War appears to be over. KJ effusively praised the Maloofs, and after publicly acknowleding the mayor's efforts to put together an ownership group and an arena deal to counter the $341 million offer from investors Chris Hansen/Steve Ballmer in Seattle, George Maloof, in a one-on-one conversation in the hotel lobby, sounded genuinely impressed with Sacramento's political/business/financial/civic coalition that secured the Kings. Undoubtedly, and given his history, George Maloof will fight to get the best deal for his family. But he appears ready to compromise and finalize an agreement, and wave goodbye to Sacramento without relocating the Kings.• Seattle will be getting an expansion team, and in the very near future. The league announced Monday that it has reopened negotiations on a new television contract, and while the decision to keep the Kings in Sacramento was the right thing to do on many levels - see AV columns in The Bee - there is no way Stern or Silver don't try to keep Hansen and Ballmer in the fold. Once the sale of the Kings is finalized, the expansion discussion will gain traction. Nothing against any competing cities, but it is hard to imagine any groups from Las Vegas, Virginia Beach, Kansas City, outdueling Hansen and Ballmer for a franchise. Remember, Sacramento was an incumbent city. And once upon a time, Seattle was a great NBA town.
• I believe this to be true about the Maloofs: Emotionally, Joe, Gavin and Colleen Maloof were determined not to sell controlling interest in the franchise. But they entrust George with their financial matters, and at some point, he clearly decided the family needed to shed their debt and 65 percent interest in the franchise. My disagreement with him is on this point: if the family needed to sell, fine. The economy toppled a lot of financial empires. But if he wanted to sell, he should have said so publicly, ensuring that investors intent on keeping the team in Sacramento were aware of his intentions. Sports is different than other businesses. Note the very quick assembling of Ranadive, Jacobs, etc., that pushed the NBA execs to the brink. This rush-to-sell didn't was bruising, for all concerned. Stern looks sooooo ready for his Feb. 1 retirement.
• The emotional tugs for Sacramento were considerable. KJ is a native son, and Mark Friedman comes from a prominent local family. Speaking briefly, and with subtle passion during the late afternoon press conference, Friedman recalled evenings when his mother read to him from the book, "The Little Engine That Could." Folks around the NBA are still stunned that Sac pulled this off.
• Ranadive would be a very involved owner, and undoubtedly, would eviscerate much of the Kings business and basketball operations. His choice of basketball execs will be particularly interesting. People tend to hire people and players they know. Fortunately for Sac, Ranadive's reps shot down reports that he was infatuated with undersized ex-Warriors guard. Ellis gets traded for Andrew Bogut, and even while Bogut is injured, the Warriors evolve into one of the league's more entertaining and successful teams. This is not a coincidence.
• Most of the league execs flew out of Dallas shortly after the meetings ended, among them Clay Bennett (Oklahoma City) and Jason Levien (Memphis Grizzlies), whose teams played the series finale in OKC shortly thereafter. Meanwhile, many of us were still at the hotel when tornado warnings were issued for the area. We were told to seek shelter in the bathrooms if we were in our rooms. Other journalists working in the downstairs media room were directed to a larger, more secluded conference room, coincidentally, the same room where the Board of Governors convened earlier in the day.
]]>Alex Len (Maryland), Richard Howell (North Carolina State), Tim Hardaway Jr. (Michigan), Tony Snell (New Mexico), Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State) and Reggie Bullock (North Carolina).
The Kings will have 12 more interviews this week.
I did ask Petrie about his future and if he had a plan:
"Oh yeah, but I can't talk about it," he said.
There's still much to be decided for the Kings (such as who will own them when the season starts) but the front office is preparing for the draft as if they will be running the show next month.
No one has told them not to work, so they continue to work.
Petrie, Wayne Cooper, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Mike Petrie and coach Keith Smart are all in Chicago.
Also, the Kings have until June 30 to make Tyreke Evans a restricted free agent (after the playoffs are over).
Prior to this season, the Kings and Warriors often battled to see which team wouldn't finish last in the Pacific Division. That, of course, has changed. The Warriors host the San Antonio Spurs tonight in the Western Conference Semifinals, a series the Warriors should be leading 2-0 if not for their epic collapse in Game 1.
The change in culture coach Keith Smart talked about creating with the Kings has actually happened with his old team in Oakland.
Coach Mark Jackson said on Thursday part of the changing of the culture began last season when popular guard Monta Ellis to Milwaukee in the deal and brought Andrew Bogut to Oakland.
"It helped change the culture," Jackson said. "Obviously it was easier to pull the trigger because we knew what we had in Klay (Thompson) and it was time for him to be a starting two-guard. And he does everything right."
Jackson asked how the deal changed the culture. He was careful with his answer.
"It helped change the culture," Jackson said after pausing briefly.
Anything specific?
"You know," was the answer.
Oddly enough the Warriors have changed the culture in part with players the Kings passed on in the draft and the key player the Kings acquired for Kevin Martin (Carl Landry).
The Kings passed on Stephen Curry in the 2009 draft after Tyreke Evans dominated him in a 3-on-3 predraft workout.
The franchise could lose Evans to free agency while Curry has become one of the NBA's emerging stars.
The Kings could have had Klay Thompson in 2011, but passed on him and opted for Jimmer Fredette. Fredette has languished on the bench for long stretches while Thompson is becoming one of the NBA's best shooters.
In last year's draft the Kings selected Thomas Robinson with the fifth overall pick while small forward Harrison Barnes slid to seventh (after Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard was picked sixth) and became a starter.
Robinson was traded during the season and was buried on the bench in Houston.
Meanwhile the Kings are still searching for a long-term answer at small forward.
And that culture of selfishness and bad basketball the Kings have talked about changing still exists.
The Warriors are fun to watch, but it's hard to watch them and not wonder what might have been if some of the Warriors ended up in Sacramento and how the culture might be different.
I write about the Pacers' history and their resilient fan base in Friday's Bee, but it's hard to summarize this franchise and the transformation of this city in 25 or so inches. Forget about the fact Indianapolis has become one of the world's sports destination cities - a place for NCAA Tournaments, All-Star Games, Super Bowls, World Basketball Championships, etc.
Indy comes highly recommended (by me) for two specific reasons: First, there is no basketball facility that remotely compares with the authenticity of the Hoosiers-themed Bankers Life Fieldhouse that seats just over 18,000 and actually feels like a place built for basketball. And secondly, the compact, vibrant downtown that now features dozens of hotels and restaurants, is one of the great walking cities in America. (Who can ever forget the sight of a devastated George Karl walking toward the Marriott Hotel after Team USA's historic epic loss in the 2002 World Basketball Championships?)
Plus, what's not to embrace about the Pacer People? Ah, yes, the Pacer People. Before earplugs were required at Arco Arena and everyone started gushing about decibel levels at the Warriors' Oracle Arena, the noise at Market Square Arena was comparable to the best of the best - the old Boston Garden, the old Chicago Stadium, the Salt Palace and even the new palace in Salt Lake City. My ears are still ringing from the sounds of the engines roaring - and, yes, they pumped in the faux noise back in the day - but mostly from the enthusiasm of the crowds.
Small markets don't necessarily do it better, and in fact, they have to work harder. Maybe that's why they tend to be louder.
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Andre Ranadive, however, quickly volunteered that he was a huge fan of the Kings' teams that featured Vlade Divac, Chris Webber, and Peja Stojakovic, among others.
The NBA's relocation committee voted unanimously last Monday to block the Kings move to Seattle. An investment group that is headed by Ranadive and included the Jacobs family, Chris Kelly, Mark Mastrov and Mark Friedman submitted a backup offer of $341 million for the Maloofs majority interest in the Kings. The parties are expected to negotiate these next two weeks, with the full Board of Governors expected to meet on May 15. Historically, the league's owners rubber stamp the sales and relocation recommendations provided by their committees.
]]>A few minutes prior to tipoff, Nuggets coach George Karl, though a former coach and longtime fan of the city of Seattle, pulled me aside in the hallway. "I was really happy for the fans back in Sac," he said. "They deserve to keep their team."
]]>The Kings appear to be staying put, per the news of a unanimous vote by an NBA committee on Monday, and forgive the longest tenured employee of the Sacramento Kings if he dances in the street. Reynolds, at times the face of the franchise over his 28 Sacramento seasons, has hinged on every twist and turn in recent months - even years - as a man with a deep investment of time and emotion into all things Kings.
Reynolds has worn many hats with the Kings - assistant coach, head coach twice in a pinch, front-office executive and TV color voice. He said Sacramento collectively can stand tall with the news.
"It's pretty darn good news, great news," Reynolds said. "It's a very, very good day in Sacramento. There's reason to be excited."
Reynolds reiterated that nothing is finalized, but that the Kings clearing a first hurdle like this bodes well. He said Sacramento's success as a small-market franchise had to resonate with the owners and the finance committee, with this tidy reminder: In 28 years in the state capital, the Kings had 19 sellout seasons. What's all the more remarkable is the Kings have produced just eight winning teams and 10 playoff groups.
"I think the committee took a look at the overall picture," Reynolds said of fan support. "It's a pretty clear message what we have here. Seattle deserves a team, and I'm sure it'll have one someday. They deserve one - just not this one, and I think that's how a majority of the owners see it."
Reynolds said he has witnessed how the NBA can transform cities during his travels.
"This is great for the city because it's a chance for the franchise to get back to where we all want it to be, and to see the downtown developed," he said. "We're a major city, but to be quite honest, it's the most undeveloped downtown in America. I've seen what sports and entertainment arenas have done to cities, and that's what can happen to Sacramento."
* Major changes? - With change comes uncertainty, and Reynolds understands the business of the NBA can be unkind.
If the Maloofs do indeed sell to the local group quickly brought together by Mayor Kevin Johnson, there's a sense sweeping moves will follow. What happens to president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie, whose contract expires in June? Or coach Keith Smart, who has one more year on his deal? Or Reynolds, also the director of player personnel?
It's very common for new owners to bring in their own people, from the general manager to the coaching staff.
"Oh, absolutely they'll be change, significant change," Reynolds said. "They'll certainly be less change if there was a relocation. But I don't worry about myself. I worry about others, the young people. I was once 35 and 40 years old. I know people don't believe that, but I know at that age, you need to work.
"My wife and I have our life and we know where we'll be next season: right here in Sacramento. I'd like to keep working, but I don't need to out of necessity. I enjoy working the games. We're not going to starve if I'm not wanted, and I understand if there's change."
Reynolds said he'll continue to attend Kings games and concerts in a new arena, regardless of his role. He's a basketball fanatic and a throwback John Mellancamp and Rolling Stones fan, adding, "I'm branching out. I like Adele, too. I'll see them all."
- Joe Davidson
- On Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD
- On Podcast: ESPN1320.net
• This was the best performance of DeMarcus Cousins' young career. Soft midrange jumpers, quick moves and one-handed runners, twisting drives, passes to teammates in the corners, pursuit of rebounds, challenging shots. His talents were on full display.
While Cousins can be a complete "knucklehead," as Charles Barkley likes to say, the third-year center also has been thrust into an almost untenable situation: Young coach; future whereabouts unclear because of the arena uncertainty; absence of a bonafide playmaker and complementary frontline rebounder/shotblocker; an overabundance of selfish, dribble-obsessed teammates; lack of organizational leadership. And yet Cousins still has the instincts, emotional intelligence and competitive drive to come up with 36 points, 22 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in what could be the last NBA game ever played in Sacramento? His teammates should care so much .... and remembering Charles when he was 22.
• Cousins' emphatic block on on a drive by Matt Barnes in a fourth quarter, followed by his emphatic salute to the energized crowd, was the play of the game.
• Seattle native Isaiah Thomas has been a class act throughout. The way the diminutive guard competes, you wouldn't know whether he's from the Pacific Northwest or Northern California.
• Poor rebounding was a crippler throughout the season. Apart from Cousins' 22 boards, none of the Kings managed double-digit rebounds against the Clips. In your home building, in this setting, this is truly unacceptable.
• I spent part of the evening wondering why so many of the Clippers' folks appeared so uptight before, during and after the game. Much too tense for a team jostling for postseason positioning. Later, I read T.J. Simers' column in the Los Angeles Times about coach Vinny Del Negro's future and what appears to be intense, ongoing strife within the organization. This is far from the ideal vibe for a team that should be enjoying its best season since Donald Sterling bought the team in 1981. Some things apparently never change. All-Star Chris Paul has to be studying his situation, looking at the Lakers, and wondering about the possibilities...
The season ended for the Kings (28-54) with 36 points, a career-high 22 rebounds and three blocked shots in a loss to the playoff-bound Clippers (56-26).
Now the waiting begins as the NBA sorts out who will own the Kings next season and if the team will even be in Sacramento.
It was the fourth loss in a row to end the year, but the arena remained filled with fans chanting "Sacramento" and fans holding signs of support for the franchise.
It also didn't take long for a "He we stay" cheer to begin as the court was roped off by security.
Isaiah Thomas had 15 points and tied his career high with 10 assists.
Chris Paul led the Clippers with 25 points and 11 assists.
THIRD QUARTER
Clippers 78, Kings 70
The Kings came out strong to start the third. Sacramento opened the period on a 16-5 run and led 62-59 with 6:22 to play in the quarter. But the Clippers bounced back to close the quarter with the eight-point lead they had at halftime.
DeMarcus Cousins has 22 points and 18 rebounds for the Kings. He also has two blocked shots and is playing with kind of tenacity expected all season, but we haven't seen enough.
Isaiah Thomas has 13 points and five assists.
Chris Paul leads the Clippers with 22 points and eight assists.
HALFTIME
Clippers 54, Kings 46
Travis Outlaw provided a spark off the bench, but the Kings couldn't' make up any ground on the Clippers.
Outlaw has 11 points, his third consecutive game scoring in double figures. But the Clippers are shooting 50 percent while the Kings are at 44.4 percent, and have given up nine points off eight turnovers.
The game has had a few tense moments. DeMarcus Cousins was upset when Chris Paul drove to the rim and caught him with an elbow to the groin.
Cousins caught Paul with a shot to the ribs as he attempted a lay up on the next Clipper possession.
Both players complained to the officials about being hit.
Cousins has 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Kings. Isaiah Thomas has 11 points and four assists.
Paul has 14 points and four assists for the Clippers.
FIRST QUARTER
Clippers 27, Kings 26
A packed Sleep Train Arena saw DeMarcus Cousisn get off to a monster start. Cousins already has 12 points and eight rebounds, but the Kings are down by one.
Isaiah Thomas added eight points and four assists.
But the Clippers are shooting 52.2 percent and have scored four points off three Kings turnovers to hold the slim lead.
Chris Paul has six points and four assists for the Clippers.
Among those in attendance for the season finale are former Kings Mitch Richmond, Brad Miller and Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson.
Tyreke Evans (left quad strain) and Toney Douglas (sore hip) are out tonight for the Kings.
]]>Marcos Breton column: No good reason for Kings to move from Sacramento]]>