This is a matter of "who do you trust?" Artestify! shared a SbB post in the FanShots. Here are the relevant quotes, which come from John Ireland, who is a sportscaster in Los Angeles.
Forget the fact that the local media has been on top of the arena issue, and that any number of reporters at The Bee, KHTK or one of the TV news stations (Jim Crandell at Fox 40, specifically) would have had this stuff before Ireland gets it. And forget how flimsy — "the people I have talked to in the NBA" — the sourcing here is. Forget all that. Just look at the argument.
If there is no arena solution in three years, the NBA won't have to force the Kings to move. The Kings will move. This was the fear for next season … until the Maloofs promised they will not file for relocation this season. If there is no progress by next summer, this will again be a major fear. Not because the NBA will demand that the Kings fill Phil Anschutz's coffers somewhere. But because the Maloofs will no longer be able to lose money (or put out 20-win teams trying to avoid losing money) with no arena light in sight. At some point sooner than 3-5 years from now, the Maloofs will get the hint.
Further, this has nothing to do with politics. This is to do with finances. As in, financing an arena from the private sector, or using a public entity (Cal Expo) to help speed up the construction of the gym. I sincerely doubt Mayor Johnson will trot out a tax measure for the arena, even if circumstances take the plan back to the railyards. As such, the NBA, the Maloofs — no one is relying on a tax measure, or the political climate.
This is not reporting. This is rumor-mongering. It's clear Ireland — even if he is hearing these things from legit voices — has no feel for the actual situation up here. At least that's my opinion, and it's why I'm filing this crap in the "parse and ignore" pile.
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