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But Stern may not have the power to influence owners to see things as he sees them. "I think their whole business plan is flawed -- that the real estate numbers don't work, that they don't have enough money to make any of it happen," the owner said of Sacramento group's proposal to buy the Kings and prevent them from moving to Seattle. "So from all I can tell right now, it fails. "But," the owner added, "that could change if they brought in someone with big dollars." SI.com

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern 

NBA commissioner David Stern said the sale of the Sacramento Kings would not become a bidding war. Chris Hansen and the group seeking to purchase the Kings and move them to Seattle is making moves that prove otherwise. The Seattle group led by Hansen and Microsoft chairman Steve Ballmer announced Friday night they had reached agreement with the Maloof family to raise the purchase price of the Kings by $25 million to an NBA-record $550 million. In a statement on his website, Sonicsarena.com, Hansen said the group has voluntarily raised the purchase price as a sign of commitment in bringing the NBA back to Seattle. ESPN.com

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, Steve Ballmer, Chris Hansen 

On Thursday, sources close to the Maloofs said that if the Sacramento group submits a matching offer that satisfies the league's other owners, they will embrace an outcome that keeps the Kings in Sacramento. The league is expected to address the situation at the April 18-19 annual ownership meetings. Because of the complexity and unprecedented nature of the proceedings, however, with two legitimate groups bidding for one established team, league Commissioner David Stern has indicated the matter might not be resolved until later this month. Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, Joe Maloof, David Stern, Gavin Maloof 

NBA Commissioner David Stern, widely thought to be a strong supporter of moving the Sacramento Kings to Seattle, has been working to bolster efforts to keep the Kings in place. Multiple sources suggested Wednesday that a split has emerged between Stern and team owners over the fate of the Kings. Those sources, spanning the league and governments in Sacramento and Seattle, said Stern has been quietly maneuvering behind the scenes to propel a Sacramento counter bid. They said he has been personally seeking investors to join a new Kings ownership group -- even after several NBA team owners last week indicated their willingness to move the franchise to Seattle. king5.com

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern 

Sam Amick: People started assuming that David Stern wanted to put a team back in Seattle as part of his legacy. I just don't agree with that and the evidence is starting to really showing that that's not the case. news10.net

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, Kevin Johnson 

Sam Amick: One front-office guy put it really well to me: "David Stern has five owners in his pocket and five more with one phone call... but he wants a unified front, an overwhelming majority." news10.net

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, Kevin Johnson 

Brian May: At this very moment NBA Commissioner David Stern just attended his 1st ever event in Mumbai. That's in India. Twitter @BMayNews10

David Stern, India 

With an increasing number of foreign players making to the top in the professional basketball league, National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner David Stern Monday said an Indian hoopster could be seen playing in the league in the next five years. "We already had a woman (Geetu Anna Jose) try out for WNBA and we would expect to have men and women showing up for each of our professional leagues. If you need a specific answer, I would say five years," Stern told reporters here on his maiden visit to India. CNN-IBN

David Stern, India 

Marty Blake, the NBA's longtime director of scouting, died Sunday. He was 86. Blake worked in the NBA for more than 50 years and is considered the "Godfather of scouting." The NBA said Blake died in Alpharetta, Ga., but didn't provide a cause of death. Blake was general manager of the Hawks franchise before spending more than 35 years as the league's director of scouting. Commissioner David Stern said the NBA would "forever be indebted to him." ESPN.com

David Stern, Marty Blake 

David Stern's trip to India this weekend had been planned for months. Coincidence and conspiracy theories aside – and yes, it certainly is tempting to give the award-winning series "Homeland" a Sacramento spin – the commissioner's overseas escapade is unrelated to Vivek Ranadive's involvement with the group attempting to buy the Kings and partner with the city on a downtown sports and entertainment complex. Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, India, Vivek Ranadive 

Wilkins, the Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer who accompanied the Atlanta Hawks on their tour of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, believes popularizing the sport in India will be more incremental than explosive. "I went with Basketball Without Borders for its first visit in 2008," said Wilkins, "and it was a very different experience than the Soviet Union of 30 years ago. Russia, even when the wall was coming down, all the Cold War stuff, was much more familiar with the game. But then when I went back to India again two years ago, I definitely could sense a difference. It's not leaps and bounds, but I think the access to information, social media, the Internet, getting more NBA games on television is changing things." Sacramento Bee

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, India, Dominique Wilkins 

The prospect of again spurning the city of Seattle makes commissioner David Stern uncomfortable. And the prospect of pulling the Kings out of Sacramento after nearly three decades, and a local financial commitment for a new arena, also makes him uneasy. If Stern believed he was going to walk off quietly with his planned February 2014 retirement, he was mistaken. The decision on where the Kings end up could determine part of Stern’s legacy, especially in the Pacific Northwest. While the decision on whether they remain in Sacramento or relocate to Seattle is ultimately up to the Board of Governors, the NBA fate of two cities will be decided on Stern’s watch. Boston Globe

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern 

It was decided on March 1, 1971, by a 7-2 vote by the Supreme Court that Haywood was eligible to play. That has paved the way for countless stars to enter the NBA before their college eligibility expired. The attorney representing the NBA in the Haywood case was David Stern. He later became NBA Commissioner and will leave office next February. "Isn't that ironic?'' Ross said of Haywood getting into the Hall of Fame in the last class in which Stern is the commissioner. FOXSports Florida

David Stern, Hall of Fame, Spencer Haywood 

All very impressive, NBA Commissioner David Stern and Deputy Commissioner concluded on Wednesday after listening to the two groups make their pitch to buy the Kings – Hansen wanting to relocate the team to Seattle and Ranadive trying to keep the team in Sacramento. But Stern and Silver, along with a committee comprised of owners or team chairmen, ended a long day with many unresolved issues. The finish line for the sale of the Kings may not be the finish line at all. With so much at stake – the sale and potential relocation of an NBA franchise – the NBA might not have a decision on the purchase of the Sacramento Kings by the conclusion of the league's Board of Governors meeting on April 19. "We have a lot of work that we have to do from a construction timeline, a regulatory timeline, an ownership and capital structure timeline, and all kinds of other things that the committee has asked us to go back with lawyers and just get a lot more data and information," Stern said. USA Today Sports

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, Adam Silver 

In a contrast of post-presentation news conferences, the Seattle group was subdued and the Sacramento group was fired up. "The NBA does not want to move a team from one market to another, period. We already know that," said Sacramento Mayor and former NBA player Kevin Johnson, who represented the Sacramento group along with Sen. Darrell Steinberg and financial backers Vivek Ranadive, Mark Mastrov and Ron Burkle. "They normally move a team from one market to another when the fans don't support it or you can't build a building. That's not the case in Sacramento." USA Today Sports

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, Kevin Johnson, Adam Silver, Vivek Ranadive, Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov 

When asked if the offer needed to be increased, Stern told reporters, "That is not one of the issues." The Hansen-Ballmer group has already given the Maloofs a $30 million, nonrefundable deposit, but the question remains how the NBA will see that aspect of the deal and whether it may be decided that it is, in essence, the price of doing business in this potential transaction for the Seattle group. When asked about the deposit, Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said the deposit came with contingencies. "We're not going to speak to the specifics," Silver said. "And I tell you, it's two entirely different situations. Again, when the Seattle group put down the down payment, that was a contingent deal based on, of course, the ability to purchase and relocate the team. We're dealing with a different circumstance in terms of potential Sacramento buyers." USA Today Sports

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, Adam Silver 

Despite each side's optimism, Stern repeatedly called it a complex situation, and the NBA will seek clarity. Who knows when a decision will be made? It may not be at the conclusion of the Board of Governors meeting on April 19, but time is a factor. Stern said if there wasn't a decision by April 19, it shouldn't be much longer after that. He didn't offer a firm timetable. "We have to plan for a season, so there's a combination of timeline set out in the constitution for making a determination," Silver said. "Then there are also the factors as you point out, not just setting a schedule (but) selling a tickets for next season, sponsorships. The owners are mindful of all of those factors." USA Today Sports

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern, Adam Silver 

The future home of the Kings may not be settled this month after all. With owners facing a difficult choice between a move to Seattle or the team staying put in Sacramento, NBA Commissioner David Stern says the expected vote in two weeks may be delayed. Stern says, "We've never had a situation like this." A Seattle group led by investor Chris Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has a pending agreement with the Maloof family to buy 65 percent of the team and move it back to the city the SuperSonics left in 2008. Sacramento has put together its own group to make a competing bid. SI.com

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern 

Brian May: There is general agreement among all media in NY that Sac press conference easily won over Seattle. That has no bearing on final decision Twitter @BMayNews10

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern 

James Ham: Yes, Stern is wearing a purple tie. That is not just your TV set. Twitter @James_Ham

Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, David Stern