Sacramento Kings owners get extension on move request

NEW YORK (KABC) -- The NBA has announced a delay in any decision regarding the Sacramento Kings possibly moving to Anaheim. The league is extending the deadline for the Kings owners to file the necessary paperwork.

The original deadline of March 1 was pushed back to April 18. Thursday, NBA Commissioner David Stern said he is pushing that deadline back to May 2.

The National Basketball Association Board of Governors met at the St. Regis Hotel in New York, where they heard from Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof, who want to move their franchise to the Honda Center.

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait also made the trip to lobby for the team's move to his city.

However, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former NBA All-Star, is fighting to keep the team in his city.

Johnson said he secured a more lucrative offer to either keep the Kings in Sacramento or move another team to the city, possibly with the help of investor Ronald Burkle, the co-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The league is considering the merits of that proposal.

"The terms of the relocation to Anaheim were not fully understood by the committee and having to do with the lease and various other issues," said Stern. "In addition, Mayor Johnson came in and said that there are lots of additional dollars available that would improve the Kings' economic performance in Sacramento if they stayed."

Some of that addition money could come from Burkle, who expressed some interest in buying the Kings. The Maloof brothers, however, say they are not selling.

Meanwhile, in order for the deal to be sealed, a majority of the NBA owners would have to approve the move.

It is still not clear how the move would affect the Lakers and the Clippers - especially the Lakers, who are now trying to create a cable channel for their team that would cover the entire L.A. market, which includes Anaheim.

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