The Kings have the league's seventh-worst record, but they've been one of the most newsworthy teams all year, thanks to the uncertainty surrounding where they'll play next season. They also participated in perhaps the most significant trade at the deadline, sending 2012 fifth overall pick Thomas Robinson to the Rockets. There's more news on both fronts, as we detail here:
- Robinson says the trade shocked him, but added that he doesn't hold it against the Kings, as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee documents. "I don't have any regrets," he said. "I'm glad the Kings gave me a chance and drafted me. They put me in the league." That's in contrast to what he told Maurice Bobb of SLAM shortly after the deal, when he said he felt "somewhere between" happy and disrespected. Robinson could be on the move again, as he's rumored as potential trade fodder if the Rockets want to clear space for Dwight Howard.
- Sacramento County officials deny they've agreed to kick in $600K annually to help fund a new $448MM arena for the Kings, according to Tony Bizjak, Ryan Lillis and Dale Kasler of The Bee. A report circulated by the city of Sacramento stated that the county had agreed to the funding, but representatives from both the city and county say the matter isn't a significant hurdle to the arena plan.
- David Stern's trip to India this weekend had been scheduled long in advance and isn't related to India native Vivek Ranadive's recent emergence as the lead investor of Sacramento's bid to keep the Kings. Still, the connection can't hurt the city's chances in its duel with Seattle, The Bee's Ailene Voisin opines.
- Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe believes the most significant takeaway from this week's owners meeting on the future of the Kings was that Sacramento proved its bidders have the financial wherewithal to match Seattle's effort.