Amick pulls no punches regarding the likelihood of the Kings leaving, saying that "every conceivable factor falls in Seattle's favor", but he's also quick to point out that "people in the know here continued to swear that this story may not end with the Seattle Sonics being born again at the expense of Sacramento." The reason for the continued optimism, Amick says, is because of Kevin Johnson. And Amick is right. As KJ demonstrated once again with this morning's address, he has a way of inspiring Kings fans to never give up.

Amick also clarifies a few pieces of the puzzle that were hotly debated around here yesterday. Regarding the amount Sacramento would need to come up with for a counter-offer, Amick says:

If Sacramento's target is around or under $350 million, it is much easier to see how a locally-based ownership group could make such an offer. We didn't consider it impossible for a local group to offer that $425-$450 million range, so a lower target is just more good news.