Sacramento Kings

Sacramento Kings
2013–14 Sacramento Kings season
Sacramento Kings logo
Conference	Western Conference
Division	Pacific Division
Founded	1923
History	Rochester Seagrams 1923–1942 Rochester Eber Seagrams 1942–1943 Rochester Pros 1943–1945 Rochester Royals 1945–1957 Cincinnati Royals 1957–72 Kansas City-Omaha Kings 1972–75 Kansas City Kings 1975–85 Sacramento Kings 1985–present
Arena	Sleep Train Arena
Location	Sacramento, California
Team colors	Purple, Black, Silver, White
Head coach	Mike Malone
Ownership	Vivek Ranadivé
Championships	1 1951
Conference titles	1 (1951)
Division titles	3 (1979, 2002, 2003)
Home Away Third

The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Kings are the only team in the Major professional North American sports leagues located in Sacramento; they play their home games at Sleep Train Arena.

The Kings can trace their origins to a local semi-professional team based in Rochester, New York in the early 1920s. The team was officially established professionally in the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1945 as the Rochester Royals. The Royals defected to the NBL's rival, the Basketball Association of America, in 1948. In 1949, as a result of that year's absorption of the NBL by the BAA, the Royals became members of the newly formed NBA.

The Royals were often successful on the court, winning the NBA championship in 1951. However, they had trouble turning a profit in the comparatively small market of Rochester, and relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1957, becoming the Cincinnati Royals. In 1972, the team relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, initially splitting its games between Kansas City and Omaha, Nebraska, and taking up the name Kansas City Kings. The team again failed to find success in its market, and moved to Sacramento in 1985. After the San Antonio Spurs lost the 2013 NBA Finals to the Miami Heat in seven games, the Kings are now the only franchise to never trail in a single NBA Finals series (when they defeated the New York Knicks in the 1951 NBA Finals in seven games as the Rochester Royals; a series in which they won the first three games, lost the next three, and came back to win the clinching Game 7 for their only NBA championship to date).

Franchise history

1923–1957: Rochester

The logo of the Rochester Royals

The present day Kings started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the semi-pro Rochester Seagrams sponsored by a local Seagram's distillery. The team was known as the Rochester Seagrams from 1923-42, the Rochester Eber Seagrams from 1942-43 and the Rochester Pros from 1943-45. Between 1920 and 1940 many strictly pro operations folded, but the sponsored Seagrams stayed afloat as others fell by the wayside during the Great Depression. Under the watch of Hall Of Famer Les Harrison, the team grew in talent, hosted increasingly better competition, and became a greater local treasure as years went by.

At the conclusion of World War II, the National Basketball League was returning to success after waiting out the War Years. It was looking to add successful operations to its circuit, and Rochester was a natural candidate. The team had changed its name to the Rochester Pros, and moved to the 4500-seat Edgerton Sports Arena in 1942. Invited to join the NBL for the 1945–46 season, Les Harrison and brother Jack parted ways with sponsor Seagram's, who doubted the team would profit from the jump. The team then held a rename-the-team contest in Rochester's largest newspaper. The winner was 15-year-old Richard Paeth for his entry, the "Royals."

Success for the Royals was almost immediate. Founded in 1945 by owner/coach/general manager Les Harrison (Hall of Famer) and his brother and co-owner/business manager Jack Harrison, the team won the NBL championship in 1945–46, its very first year in the circuit. The team was led by Bob Davies, Al Cervi, George Glamack, and Otto Graham, a future NFL Hall of Famer, who, in his only season in professional basketball, won a league championship before moving on to football and leading the Cleveland Browns to ten straight championship games, winning seven. Additionally, the Royals had doubled the original investment of the Harrisons in just one season. Playing numerous exhibitions in addition to the NBL schedule, the team was arguably at its Rochester peak in 1946.

The following season, NBL Governors voted that the regular season "Pennant Winner" would be declared as the official NBL Champion, and the post-season would consist of a separate, non-championship tournament. The Royals finished 31–13 (.705), capturing their second NBL Championship in as many years, and lost in the post-season tournament finals to George Mikan and the Chicago American Gears.

The following season the NBL scrapped their one-year "pennant" experiment, and from that point forward the post-season playoffs determined the NBL Champion. The Royals again finished with the league's best overall record at 44–16, and lost to George Mikan's new team, the Minneapolis Lakers, 3 games to 1 in the NBL Finals.

The countless exhibitions, plus the season schedules, wore the team down by 1948, with injuries figuring in the 1947 and 1948 NBL Finals. The team added Bobby Wanzer, a Seton Hall University recruit made by Davies, to replace Cervi, among other roster moves. The team's strong reputation also soon made it part of the NBL – BAA merger.

In 1948, the Royals moved to the Basketball Association of America along with the Fort Wayne Pistons, Minneapolis Lakers, and Indianapolis (Kautskys) Jets. A year later, the BAA absorbed into it the remaining NBL teams to become the National Basketball Association.

The move to the BAA took away Rochester's profitable exhibition schedule, and placed it in the same Western Division that Minneapolis was in. Of the two best teams in pro basketball, only one of them could play in the league finals, 1949–1954. Minneapolis, with Mikan, was almost always a little better at playoff time than the Royals. With their smallish arena and now-limited schedule, the Royals became less profitable even as Harrison maintained a remarkably high standard for the team, which finished no lower than second in its division, 1945–1954. He spent much of the 1950s looking for a buyer for his team as debts mounted.

The Royals won the NBA title in 1951 by defeating the New York Knicks 4 games to 3. It is the only NBA championship in the franchise's history. However, the title did not translate into profit for the Royals. The roster turned over in 1955, except for Wanzer; the team moved to the larger Rochester War Memorial. Now a losing team filled with rookies, the Royals still did not turn a profit. Meanwhile the NBA was putting pressure on Harrison to sell or relocate his team to a larger city. With this in mind, the 1956–57 season was the Royals' last in Rochester.

The Royals' twelve-year stay in Rochester featured the services of nine future members of the Basketball Hall of Fame, one member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and a Hollywood Walk of Famer: Al Cervi, Bob Davies, Alex Hannum, Les Harrison, Red Holzman, Arnie Risen, Maurice Stokes, Jack Twyman, Bobby Wanzer, Otto Graham, and Chuck Connors.

1957–1972: Cincinnati Royals

Logo used in Cincinnati

In April 1957, the Royals were moved to Cincinnati by the Harrison brothers. This move followed a well-received regular season game played at Cincinnati Gardens on February 1, 1957. The change of venue had been said to have been suggested by Jack Twyman and Dave Piontek, who were two of several roster players on the new Royals from that region. Cincinnati, which had a strong college basketball fan base and no NFL franchise to compete with, was deemed the best choice for the Harrisons. The Royals name continued to fit in Cincinnati, often known as the "Queen City".

During the team's first NBA draft in Cincinnati, the team acquired Clyde Lovellette and guard George King. They teamed with the 1–2 punch of Maurice Stokes and Twyman to produce a budding contender in the team's very first season in the Queen City. Injury to Marshall and the loss of star guard Si Green to military service dropped the team into a tie for second place in the NBA Western Division during the 1957–58 season's second half.

In the season's finale, All-Pro star Maurice Stokes struck his head when he fell after pursuing a rebound. He shook off the effects of the fall, even as he had briefly been unconscious. After Game One in the playoffs three days later, Stokes' head injury was greatly aggravated by airplane cabin pressure during the flight back to Cincinnati for Game Two. He suffered a seizure and was permanently hospitalized, a tragedy that greatly shook the team. Stokes, a tremendous talent who could play center, forward and guard, was 2nd in the NBA in rebounds and 3rd in assists, a double-feat only Wilt Chamberlain has matched for a full season. Without Stokes, the team nearly folded.

Fellow All-Star Twyman rose to All-Pro level the next two seasons for Cincinnati, even as the team posted two 19-win seasons. The 1958–59 Cincinnati team featured five rookies, with Lovellette, King and other key players having left the team in the wake of Stokes' tragic injury. The Harrisons, under pressure to sell to a local group, sold to a local ownership headed by Thomas Woods. The fact that Stokes was simply dumped by the team and the new ownership infuriated many.

Jack Twyman came to aid of his teammate and even legally adopted Stokes. Raising funds for Stokes' medical treatment, Twyman helped him until his death in April 1970. The 1973 feature film Maurie, which co-starred actors Bernie Casey and Bo Svenson, dramatized their story.

Shooting often for the beleaguered team, Twyman was the second NBA player to average 30 points per game for an NBA season. Twyman and Stokes were later named Hall of Famers.

1960–1970: The Oscar Robertson era

In 1960, the team was able to land local superstar Oscar Robertson. Robertson led a team that included Twyman, Wayne Embry, Bob Boozer, Bucky Bockhorn, Tom Hawkins and Adrian Smith over the next three seasons. The Royals reversed their fortunes with Robertson and rose to title contender. An ownership dispute in early 1963 scuttled the team's playoff chances when new owner Louis Jacobs booked a circus for Cincinnati Gardens for the week of the playoff series versus the champion Boston Celtics. The Royals home games were at Xavier University's home Schmidt Field House.

In late 1963, another local superstar, Jerry Lucas, joined the team. The Royals rose to second-best record in the NBA. From 1963 to 1966, the Royals contended strongly against Boston and the Philadelphia 76ers, but won no titles. The team's star players throughout the 1960s were Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas. Robertson met with individual success, averaging a triple-double in 1961–62 and winning the Most Valuable Player award in 1964. Robertson was a league-leading scorer and passer each season. Lucas was Rookie Of the Year in 1964, led the league in shooting, and later averaged 20 rebounds per game over three seasons. Both were All-NBA First Team selections multiple times.

The team failed to keep promising players and played in the tough NBA East division, dominated by the Boston Celtics, even as a Baltimore team played in the West Division for three years, denying the team likely visits to the NBA Finals.

In 1966, the team was sold to a pair of brothers named Max and Jeremy Jacobs. That same season, the Royals began playing some of their home games in neutral sites such as Cleveland (until the Cavaliers began play in 1970), Dayton and Columbus, Ohio which was the norm for the rest of the Royals tenure in the Queen City.

New coach Bob Cousy traded Lucas in 1969. Robertson was traded to Milwaukee in 1970, where he immediately won an NBA title. The declining franchise left Cincinnati shortly thereafter, moving to Kansas City in 1972.

1972–1985: Kansas City-Omaha Queens

The Royals were renamed the Queens because Kansas City already had the Royals baseball team. (However, at that time St. Louis still had two teams named the Cardinals, including the football team that now plays in Arizona, and the New York Giants are often called the "New York Football Giants" to distinguish themselves from the baseball team that played there until 1957.) The basketball team agreed to change its nickname, even though it had used the name for 25 years before the baseball team was established. The team initially divided its home games between Kansas City and Omaha until 1975, when it abandoned the Omaha market. During that time the team was officially called the "Kansas City-Omaha Queens". The move from Omaha marked the opening of the 16,785-seat Kemper Arena in Kansas City. During the first days the Kings played at the 7,316-seat Municipal Auditorum in Kansas City and the 9,300 seat Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha.

1972–1976: The Nate Archibald era

The team netted a new superstar in Nate Archibald, who led the league in scoring and assists. The Kings later played several home games in St. Louis during the early 1980s to large crowds.

While still in Cincinnati, the Kings introduced Michael Jordan and a most unusual uniform design, which placed the player's surname below his number. The design remained intact through the first several seasons of the team's run in Sacramento, even when the shade of blue on the road uniforms was changed from royal blue to powder blue, and the script '"Kansas City"' which adorned the road jerseys was scrubbed after the move in favor of a repeat of the "Kings" script on the home shirts. The Kings' back jersey template was later adopted by the WNBA and the NBA Development League, as well the NBA during the All-Star Game since 2006.

The Kings had some decent players throughout. Tom Van Arsdale, the shooting forward, "Jumpin" Johnny Green, and Matt Guokas helped Archibald in the first year in Kansas City. Toby Kimball was a fan favorite. Jimmy Walker teamed with Archibald as the Kings made the playoffs the second year. Sam Lacey, an effective passing center, became one of the most dependable players in the league. Archibald became the first player to lead the league in scoring and assists in the first season in Kansas City. However, the management traded Archibald, and wasted high draft picks. Bob Cousy gave way to Phil Johnson, who was fired midyear in 1977 and replaced by Larry Staverman, a player on the team on two separate occasions when it was in Cincinnati and who later became the Cleveland Indians groundskeeper.

1976–1985: Bad Luck settles in

The Kings finally achieved some success in their new home when they hired Cotton Fitzsimmons as coach. Coach Fitzsimmons won the Midwest Division in 1978–79 with rookie point guard Phil Ford who was NBA Rookie of the Year in 1979. Kansas City was led by shooting guard Otis Birdsong, strong on both offense and defense, all around shooting forward Scott Wedman, and passing center Sam Lacey, who had a trademark 25-foot (7.6 m) bank shot. They also drew an average of 10,789 fans to Kemper Arena that season, the only time during their tenure in KC that average attendance was in five figures (the attendance even at the peak was only two-thirds of Kemper's capacity). The Kings made the playoffs in 1979–80 and again in 1980–81, despite finishing the regular season at 40–42. The Kings made a surprise run in the NBA Playoffs, reaching the Western Conference Finals. Big Ernie Grunfeld played the point in this run, as KC used a slow half court game to win the first two rounds. Power forward Reggie King had a remarkable series, dominating the opposition. After upsetting the Phoenix Suns by winning Game 7 at Phoenix in the Conference Semifinals, they bowed to the Houston Rockets in five games in the Conference Finals.

However, a series of bad luck incidents prevented the team from building on its success. Ted Stepien, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers lured Wedman and Birdsong away with big contract offers, the roof literally fell in at Kemper Arena because of a severe storm, forcing the team to play most of the 1979–80 season at the much smaller Municipal Auditorium, and the ownership group sold the team to Sacramento interests for just $11 million. The general manager was fired in a bizarre scandal in which he was found to be reusing marked postage stamps. When the Kings rehired Joe Axelson as general manager, they brought back the man who had previously traded superstars Oscar Robertson, Norm Van Lier, Nate Archibald and Jerry Lucas, and used the third pick in the ABA dispersal draft on Ron Boone. Axelson stayed on after the Kings left Kansas City where, in their last game ever, fans wore Joe Axelson masks. Axelson later said he hoped his plane would never touch down in Kansas City.

Axelson became the first general manager in the history of sports to fail with the same franchise in four different cities: Cincinnati, Kansas City, Omaha and Sacramento. He was not fired for good until he rehired coach Phil Johnson, whom he fired in midseason in Kansas City ten years before. The Kings also had the misfortune of entering this period competing with the Kansas City Comets for the winter sports dollar, when the Comets were led by marketers—the Leiweke brothers. Their final season, 1984–85, resulted in a dismal 31–51 record as fans stayed away from Kemper Arena in droves, with average attendance of just 6,410. The most notable moment of this season lives in infamy, when New York Knicks standout Bernard King suffered a devastating knee injury on March 23. The writing was on the wall for Kansas City.

1985–present: The Sacramento years

The Kings moved to their current home of Sacramento, California in the 1985–86 NBA season, with their first Sacramento season ending in the first round of the Western Conference 1986 NBA Playoffs. However, they saw little success in subsequent years, and the team did not make the playoffs again until the 1996 NBA Playoffs in the 1995–96 NBA season. Some of their failure was attributable to misfortunes such as the career-altering car crash suffered by promising point guard Bobby Hurley in 1993, and the suicide of Ricky Berry during the 1989 offseason; some was attributed to poor management such as the long tenure of head coach Garry St. Jean and the selection of "Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison with the first overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft. Current Kings television broadcaster Jerry Reynolds and NBA legend Bill Russell were among the early coaching staff.

1991–1998: The Mitch Richmond era

File:Mitch Richmond.jpg

Mitch Richmond was a key player on the Kings' rise to prominence in the 1990s.

File:Sacramento Kings alternate logo.svg

Alternate logo.

The early 1990s were difficult for the Kings. Sacramento was known for having strong fan support, and while they won over 60% of their home games, the team struggled on the road, going 1–40 on the road in a single season. But prayers were answered when they acquired Mitch Richmond, who previously played for the Golden State Warriors. The former NBA Rookie of the Year was selected as an All-Star six times while making the All-NBA Second Team three times. Garry St. Jean was chosen as new coach in 1992 and coached the team all the way through 1997, where he was replaced by Eddie Jordan.

Besides Richmond, Sacramento had other stars like Spud Webb, Walt Williams, Olden Polynice and Brian Grant during the 90's, but they only lasted with the team for a few years. Webb was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Tyrone Corbin in 1995, Williams would be sent to the Miami Heat for Billy Owens (who was drafted by the Kings in 1991, and traded to Golden State for Richmond) midway through the 1995-96 season, Grant went to free agency during the 1997 offseason and sign with the Portland Trail Blazers, and Polynice signed with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1999.

One accomplishment the team achieved under St. Jean during their tenures was a playoff appearance in 1996. The series was lost 3-1 to the Seattle SuperSonics who, led by Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, finished as that year's conference champions. They did not make a playoff appearance again while Richmond was still on the Kings. He was soon traded along with Otis Thorpe to the Washington Wizards for Chris Webber in May 1998. Although Richmond was lost, this trade proved to be one of the keys to finally achieving playoff success after so many seasons of mediocrity.

1998–2006: "The Greatest Show On Court"

The Kings began to emerge from mediocrity with the draft selection of Jason Williams in the 1998 NBA Draft, the signing of Vlade Divac, and the trade for Chris Webber prior to the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season. These acquisitions coincided with the arrival of Peja Stojakovic, who had been drafted in 1996. Each of these moves was attributed to general manager Geoff Petrie, who won NBA Executive of the Year twice.

The Kings improved and became perennial playoff contenders. Led by new head coach Rick Adelman, and aided by former Princeton head coach and Kings assistant Pete Carril, the so-called "Princeton offense" impressed others for its quick style and strong ball movement. Some criticized the Kings for their poor team defense, Williams's "flash over substance" style with its many turnovers, and Webber's failure to step up in important match-ups. Still, they quickly garnered many fans outside of California, many of whom were drawn to the spectacular pairing of Williams and Webber. Despite their success, they were young and defeated by more experienced teams in the playoffs, the Utah Jazz in 1999 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000.

Following the 1999–2000 season, the Kings traded starting small forward Corliss Williamson to the Toronto Raptors for defensive shooting guard Doug Christie, a move made to improve the subpar defense. Stojakovic moved into the starting small forward role, where he and Webber proved to complement each other well, and as the Kings continued to improve, their popularity steadily rose, culminating in a February 2001 Sports Illustrated cover story entitled "The Greatest Show On Court" with Williams, Christie, Stojakovic, Webber, and Divac gracing the cover. In 2001, they won their first playoff series in twenty years, defeating the Phoenix Suns three games to one, before being swept in four games by the Los Angeles Lakers, who eventually won the NBA Championship.

In July 2001, Jason Williams was traded to the Vancouver/Memphis Grizzlies, along with Nick Anderson for Mike Bibby, and Brent Price. Despite Williams' spectacular (though erratic) play, the Kings had sought more stability and control at the point guard position. This move was complemented by the re-signing of Webber to a maximum-salary contract, securing the star long term.

With Bibby, they had their best season to date in 2001–02. They finished with a league-best record of 61–21, winning 36 of 41 at home. The Kings went on to play the archrival and two-time defending Champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, which is regarded as one of the greatest playoff matchups in history, and in a controversial series, lost in seven games, one game away from the NBA Finals. This was a crushing blow to the Kings; a playoff defeat by an archrival during their prime year would leave the team to begin to decline and age, and the team would never be the same again.

After going 59-23 and winning the division during the following season, 2002–03, the Kings sought to avenge their playoff loss to the Lakers. However, Webber was out due to a knee injury in the playoffs, and the Kings lost to the Dallas Mavericks in a seven game series. Webber's knee required major surgery. He returned mid-season in 2003–04, but without his quickness and athleticism, which had been the focal point of the offense, the Kings ended the season with a playoff defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves in seven games.

The 2004–05 season marked change for the Kings, who lost three starters from the 2002 team. In the off-season of 2004, Divac signed with the Lakers, which led Brad Miller to start at center. Early in the season, Christie was traded to the Orlando Magic for Cuttino Mobley, and in February, Webber was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for three forwards (Corliss Williamson, Kenny Thomas, and Brian Skinner). The Kings lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Seattle SuperSonics. The 2005 off-season continued with changes, when they traded fan-favorite Bobby Jackson for Bonzi Wells and acquired free agent Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

The 2005–06 season started poorly, as the Kings had a hard time establishing team chemistry. Newcomers Wells and Abdur-Rahim made major contributions early, but both were injured and missed a significant number of games. As the Kings' season continued, the Maloofs decided to make a major move. Stojakovic was traded for Ron Artest, known for his volatile temper. With Artest, the Kings went 20–9 after the 2006 NBA All-Star Weekend, which was the second best post-All-Star break record that season. They finished the season 44–38, and 4th in the Pacific Division. The Kings were seeded 8th in the Western Conference playoffs, and were matched up in the first round against the San Antonio Spurs. Though the Kings were surprisingly competitive, the Spurs eliminated them 4-2. This was the end of the Webber era, and to date, the last winning season by the Kings franchise.

2006–2009: The Period of Struggle

The 2006 off-season began with the disturbing news that head coach Rick Adelman's contract would not be renewed. The Kings named Eric Musselman as his replacement.

In 2006–2007, the disappointing play of the Kings was coupled with the distraction of legal troubles. Coach Eric Musselman pleaded no contest to DUI charges early in the season, while Artest got into trouble for neglect of his dogs, and was later accused of domestic assault. The Kings relieved Artest of basketball duties, pending investigation, then later reinstated him. They finished the season 33–49 (their worst in 9 years) which landed them in fifth place in the Pacific Division. They posted a losing record (20–21) at home for the first time since 1993–94. Their season included a seven game losing-streak that lasted from January 4 to January 19. The Kings missed the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the first time in eight seasons. Musselman was fired in April. The Kings' future appeared to rest on the shoulders of Kevin Martin, who was a lead candidate for 2007 NBA Most-Improved Player of the Year.

Kevin Martin shoots a free throw at a Kings home game.

The 2007 off season was a time of change. Head coach Musselman was replaced by former Kings player, Reggie Theus. The Kings selected Spencer Hawes with the 10th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. In addition, they acquired Mikki Moore from the New Jersey Nets. Martin signed a contract worth $55 million, extending his period with the team for five more years. The Kings lost key players over the off-season, with backup Ronnie Price leaving for the Utah Jazz, and Corliss Williamson retiring.

They claimed fourth-year Beno Udrih off waivers from Minnesota. Udrih quickly assumed the starting position for an injured Bibby. It was announced in February that the Kings had traded Bibby to the Atlanta Hawks for Tyronn Lue, Anthony Johnson, Shelden Williams, Lorenzen Wright and a 2nd round draft pick. The move was presumably made to clear cap space. Bibby had been last player from the Kings team that reached the Western Conference Finals in 2002.

The Kings improved by 5 games and finished the 2007–08 season 38–44, and missed the playoffs by a bigger margin (12 games) than the previous season (8 games). They went 26–15 at home and 12–29 on the road. After selling out every home game since 1999, the 2007–08 season sold out only three games at ARCO Arena with attendance averaging 13,500 fans per home game, almost 4,000 below capacity.

Following a quiet 2008 off-season, it was confirmed on July 29, 2008 that the Kings would trade Artest and the rights to Patrick Ewing, Jr. and Sean Singletary to the Houston Rockets in exchange for former King Bobby Jackson, Donté Greene, a future first round draft pick, and cash considerations for Rashad McCants and center Calvin Booth.

Reggie Theus was fired in the middle of the 2008–09 season, giving way to Kenny Natt as the interim head coach. The Kings continued to struggle under Natt, ending up with the NBA's worst record for the 2008–09 season at 17–65. On April 23, 2009, Kings' Vice President Geoff Petrie announced the firing of Natt and his four assistants, Rex Kalamian, Jason Hamm, Randy Brown and Bubba Burrage.

2009–2011: "Here we Rise" Period

With the worst record of the 2008–09 season, the Kings had a 25% chance of obtaining the first overall pick in the NBA draft. Overall, the Kings had a 64.3% chance of obtaining one of the top three picks in the NBA draft and could not draft any lower than number four overall. The Kings ended up with the fourth selection in the 2009 NBA Draft. Along with new head coach Paul Westphal, they selected Tyreke Evans with the 4th pick. With the 23rd pick, they selected Omri Casspi from Israel.

Omri Casspi played for the team from 2009 until 2011.

On April 27, 2010, Evans was the first Sacramento era player to receive the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Evans also became the 4th player in NBA history, joining Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James, to average 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game as a rookie.

On June 24, 2010, the Kings selected DeMarcus Cousins with the 5th pick of the 2010 NBA Draft. They also selected Hassan Whiteside, with the 33rd pick of the 2010 NBA Draft.

Despite the excellent play of Cousins and Evans, both of whom where frontrunners in Rookie of the Year voting and received All-Rookie First Team honors, the Kings still finished their respective seasons poorly, going 25-57 in Evans' rookie year, and 24-58 in Cousins' rookie year. Some of this was due to the poor fit of the roster around Evans and Cousins, and some was because of the uninspired coaching of Westphal.

The 2010–2011 season was marked with uncertainty towards the end of the season. Frustrated by the lack of progress towards an arena and dwindling profits from other businesses, the Maloofs sought an immediate relocation of the franchise to Anaheim. The move seemed certain towards the end of the year, as Grant Napear and Jerry Reynolds signed off at the final home game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers.

In the 2011 NBA draft the Kings traded for the draft rights of Jimmer Fredette in a three team deal with the Charlotte Bobcats and the Milwaukee Bucks also involving John Salmons, Shaun Livingston, Beno Udrih, Corey Maggette, and Stephen Jackson. Around this time, the team also took the slogan "Here we rise!" for its marketing campaign.

In the 2012 NBA draft the Kings drafted Thomas Robinson out of Kansas.

On February 21, 2013, the Kings traded Thomas Robinson, the 5th overall pick of the years draft, as well as Francisco Garcia and Tyler Honeycutt, to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Patrick Patterson, Toney Douglas and Cole Aldrich.

2011-2013: Unsuccessful Relocation Plans

Anaheim

On February 19, 2011, NBA commissioner David Stern admitted that the Kings and officials in Anaheim, California had discussions about relocation. It was later found that the organization went as far as to file for a trademark of the name "Anaheim Royals", among others. The Maloofs prepared to make their case for relocation at the NBA Board of Governors meeting in New York, in what many expected to simply be a formality.

In a surprise announcement, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson announced during a presentation to the NBA that Ron Burkle, a billionaire associate of former United States President Bill Clinton and Democratic Party fundraiser, wanted to buy the Kings and keep them in Sacramento. Johnson also pledged some $10 million from local businesses as a show of support from Sacramento. This, in addition to support from Sacramento citizens, may have swayed Stern and the relocation committee to tell the Maloofs to withdraw their relocation plans.

The Kings huddling prior to the tip of the 2011–12 exhibition opener against the Golden State Warriors.

Sacramento rail yards

On February 27, 2012 the Kings' owners, the city, and the NBA came to a tentative deal on the construction of a $387 million facility in the rail yards in downtown Sacramento. The city would pay more than $250 million up front, raised by leasing city-owned parking lots to a private company. The Maloofs would contribute $75 million up front as well as the money from the sale of the current Sleep Train Arena. In addition they would pay a 5% surcharge on ticket sales to generate another $75 million through the span of the deal. Arena operator AEG was to contribute another $60 million up front for the right to operate the arena. With this agreement, it was expected that the Kings would play in the new arena as early as 2015.

Amid great fanfare, the outline of the deal was approved by the city council on March 7, 2012. On April 13, 2012, the Maloof family announced that they had backed out of their deal with Sacramento.

Virginia Beach

Although there had not been as much progress in these negotiations as there had been with Anaheim, another market trying to lure the Kings to move there was the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. Virginia Beach said it was willing to build an 18,000 seat arena with Comcast Spectacor managing it in the hopes of luring a team to the area. Both parties could not formalize an agreement and the deal was soon dead.

Seattle

On January 9, 2013, NBA.com reported that the Maloofs, majority owners of the Sacramento Kings, were in discussions with a Seattle based ownership group led by Chris Hansen, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, and Eric Nordstrom and Peter Nordstrom from the Nordstrom corporation, to sell and relocate the team. Chris Hansen had recently purchased $6.8 million of parking spaces for Seattle's new arena. On January 20, USA Today reported that a deal had been reached where the Maloof family would sell their majority ownership in the Kings to the Seattle ownership group, although Stern affirmed he would allow Mayor Johnson to address either the Board of Governors, or the Relocation Committee, prior to the approval of the sale or relocation if he desired to do so. The next day, Yahoo! Sports reported that the sale to the Seattle group had been finalized, and that the league would shortly approve the sale and relocation to Seattle, with an official announcement to come later in that week. According to this report, efforts by potential Sacramento ownership groups were too late.

DeMarcus Cousins looks on to Golden State's Andrew Bogut, 2013

On January 21, 2013 it was confirmed that a deal to sell the team to the Seattle based ownership group was reached, with the contingency that the NBA Board of Governors approve the deal. The Maloof family said in a statement that they had agreed to sell the team to a Seattle group led by investor Chris Hansen, but the deal was pending approval by the NBA Board of Governors. The sale would have been for 65% of the franchise and based upon a $525 million valuation, with the new owners expected to relocate the franchise to Seattle and utilize the SuperSonics name. The Maloofs would have had no ongoing stake in the team.

On February 6, 2013, David Stern stated the Seattle ownership group had filed with the NBA for franchise relocation from Sacramento to Seattle.

On February 28, 2013, Kevin Johnson announced a counteroffer and framework towards an arena deal in a city address. The arena would be funded by Ron Burkle, while 24 Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov would provide backing for franchise bid.

On March 1, 2013, it was announced that Kings minority owner John Kehriotis, who owns 12% of the team, would attempt to exercise his right of first refusal and submit a bid to purchase the Maloof's share of the team.

On March 8, 2013, David Stern revealed during the Rockets-Warriors game that the bid made by Sacramento would not even be considered unless it was as large as the Seattle group. Additionally, Sacramento's investors needed to provide a different bid by April 3, 2013 so the NBA Board of Governors could make a final decision by at least April 19, 2013.

On March 21, 2013, it was announced that Vivek Ranadivé had joined Ron Burkle and Mark Mastrov to be the 3rd major investor in the attempt to purchase the Kings. In order for Ranadivé to purchase the Kings, he would be required to sell his minority share of the Golden State Warriors.

On March 25, 2013, it was announced that the CEO of Qualcomm, Paul E. Jacobs joined the team of Sacramento investors trying to purchase the Sacramento Kings.

On March 27, 2013, Chris Hansen submitted a bid for an additional 7% minority stake in the Sacramento Kings franchise. Pending approval by the NBA and a California bankruptcy court, Hansen was set to own 72% of the Sacramento Kings franchise before he relocates the Kings to Seattle beginning in the 2013-2014 NBA Season.

On April 8, 2013, it was reported that Ron Burkle would cease all financial involvement as an investor towards the potential Sacramento ownership group or a proposed Sacramento arena due to a conflict of interest that concerned the NBA.

On April 10, 2013, the Maloof family gave Sacramento's potential ownership group an ultimatum to match the Seattle ownership group's $341 million offer, by 5 PM on April 12, 2013 as a backup option in the event that the Seattle ownership group's purchase agreement was denied by the NBA Board of Governors. Otherwise, Sacramento's potential ownership group would not receive any consideration to purchase the team, even if the NBA Board of Governors were to reject the Seattle Bid.

On April 12, 2013, Chris Hansen announced that his Seattle based ownership group has increased their purchase price for the Sacramento Kings from $525 million to $550 million. Hansen's 65% share was estimated at $357.5 million and was expected to further increase the values of all NBA franchises.

On April 29, 2013, the NBA Board of Governors Relocation Committee that studied the situation unanimously voted 7-0 against relocating the Kings to the Seattle, with the official vote of the 30 NBA owners scheduled for May 13.

On May 10, 2013, Chris Hansen announced that his ownership group increased the price on their purchase of the Maloofs' share of the Sacramento Kings, from a $550 million to a $625 million franchise valuation. On May 11, reports indicated the Maloofs would decline to sell to any Sacramento owners, instead opting to sell 20 percent of the franchise to Hansen's group for $125 million as a contingency.

On May 15, 2013, after meeting in Dallas, Texas, the NBA owners voted 22-8 to reject the Kings' relocation to Seattle. The vote effectively ended the Hansen group's efforts to buy the Kings and move them.

2013: New owners, New beginning

On May 16, 2013, the Maloof family reached agreement to sell the Sacramento Kings to a group led by Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur Vivek Ranadivé for a record NBA franchise valuation of $535 million. The new owners intend to keep the team in Sacramento. On May 28, The NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale, ending several years of efforts by other cities to take possession and move the Kings out of Sacramento. Plans were already underway to move forward on an arena, as the Downtown Plaza was reportedly being sold to the Sacramento ownership group.

On May 27, 2013, it was reported that longtime GM Geoff Petrie's contract would not be renewed.

On May 30, 2013, the Kings decided to part ways with Keith Smart.

On May 31, 2013, the Kings closed escrow, finalizing the sale to the Ranadivé group at a record valuation of $534 million.

On June 2, 2013, the Kings hired Golden State Warriors assistant coach Mike Malone as their new head coach.

On June 17, 2013, the Kings hired Pete D'Alessandro, Vice President of Basketball Operations of the Denver Nuggets, to be their new General Manager.

On June 27, 2013, the Kings selected Kansas shooting guard Ben McLemore, who was widely projected to be a top-five pick, with the seventh overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft. They also selected Ray McCallum, with the 36th pick.

On July 5, 2013, the Kings sent Tyreke Evans to the New Orleans Pelicans in a three-team deal involving Robin Lopez, Greivis Vasquez, Jeff Withey, Terrel Harris, and picks.

On July 9, 2013, the Kings traded a future second-round draft pick to the Bucks in exchange for defensive small forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.

On July 15, 2013, the Kings signed Carl Landry, who had played a stint with the team in it's previous ownership, to a 4-year deal worth 28$ million.

Team logo, uniform and colors

The initial Rochester Royals logo featured a purple and white shield with the word "ROCHESTER" on the top, with a white banner with the word "ROYALS" on it. In 1957, the team logo became a basketball with a cartoon face. The basketball was depicted as wearing a crown with the city of Cincinnati within it. The word "CINCINNATI" was featured above the logo while the word "ROYALS" was below. The crown also had the team name on it. This logo was white with blue outlines. In 1971, the team would adopt a red crown with a blue half-basketball below it. The word "CINCINNATI", in blue, was placed above the logo. The word "ROYALS", in white, was placed on the crown.

Following their move from Kansas City in 1985 the Kings still used the same color scheme of red, white and blue. The logo of a crown atop a bottom half of the basketball was also carried over. However, the shades of blue used on their home and road uniforms were different for five seasons. The home uniforms use royal blue, while the road uniforms use powder blue. The striping patterns were also different between the two uniforms, with the script "Kings" wordmark on the sides of the road shorts, and basic side stripes on the home uniforms. Carrying over from Kansas City was the unusual placing of player names at the bottom of the number at the back of the uniform.

The uniforms changed slightly in 1990, with royal blue now used on the road; the shorts now incorporate the Kings logo, and the name and number switch places to a more standard basketball jersey. The player names were now in a standard monotone serif font which was used by several NBA teams. This version would mark the last time the classic script "Kings" wordmark was used until 2005.

In 1994, the Kings radically changed their look, adopting a new color scheme of purple, silver, black and white. The uniform set consists of one wide side stripe running through the right leg of the shorts, with the primary Kings logo prominently featured. The home uniform is in white, while the road uniform is in black. From 1994–97 a half-purple, half-black uniform, featuring checkerboard side panels was used as an alternate uniform, which was panned by fans. However, the uniform would be revived for the 2012-13 season during Hardwood Classics Nights. A new purple uniform which shares the same template from the home and road uniforms, was introduced in the 1997–98 season.

Before the start of the 2002-03 NBA season, the Kings changed their uniforms once again. This set included a modernized version of the "Kings" script on the home jersey, and the city name on the purple road jersey. The side stripes now run through the uniform. In the 2005–06 season they introduced a gold alternate uniform, featuring the classic script "Kings" wordmark. However, this alternate lasted only two seasons.

In 2008, the team introduced a new style of uniforms, with the names switching designations with a modernized "Kings" script on the road jersey in black text, and "Sacramento" on the home jersey still in white text. In doing this, the Kings became unique; most professional franchises place the team nickname on the home jerseys and the city name on the road jerseys. The numbers are black on both uniforms. The side panels were revamped, now only featured on the shorts and at the top half of the uniform. Before the 2011–12 season a black alternate uniform was introduced, sharing the same template as the home and road uniforms, but with the classic script "Kings" wordmark and silver numbers.

Mascot

Since autumn of 1998, the official Kings mascot is Slamson the Lion. Immediately prior to Slamson, the Kings mascot was "The Gorilla" from 1985 to 1998.

Season-by-season records

Main article: List of Sacramento Kings seasons

Home arenas

• Rochester War Memorial (1955–1957)
• Cincinnati Gardens (1957–1972)
• Kansas City Municipal Auditorium (1972–1974)
• Omaha Civic Auditorium (1972–1978)
• Kemper Arena (1974–1985)
• ARCO Arena I (1985–2012)
• Sleep Train Arena (formerly ARCO Arena II/Power Balance Pavilion) (2012–2015)
• New Downtown Arena (pending construction) (2016-beyond)

All-time roster

Main article: Sacramento Kings all-time roster

Rivalries

Prior to moving to Ohio, the Royals' biggest rival was the Syracuse Nationals. That team went on to become the Philadelphia 76ers. This left upstate New York without a team until the Buffalo Braves were established in 1970. This third attempt did not last, with the Braves moving to San Diego, California in 1978 to become the San Diego Clippers.

In 1970, the Cleveland Cavaliers were established. This brought a new rival for the Royals, as well as a new team in Ohio. This rivalry did not last, and the Royals moved to Kansas City only a few years later. Although the NBA previously had a team in St. Louis, Missouri in the form of the St. Louis Hawks, by 1972 that team moved to Atlanta, Georgia, thus preventing a potential new rivalry for the Kings. This made the Kings the first team in the state in four years. Thirteen years later, the Kings moved to California, leaving Missouri without a team.

Los Angeles Lakers

The rivalry with the Lakers began when the Kings traded for Chris Webber in 1998. Featuring matchups such as Vlade Divac vs. Shaquille O'Neal, it became one of the most competitive in the NBA, climaxing when the two teams met in the 2002 West Conference Finals. From that point on, injuries and trades would dull the rivalry, though it has begun to emerge again with the Kings drafting center DeMarcus Cousins, and the Lakers trading for center Dwight Howard. Both teams, however, have had a lack of success, with the Kings failing to make the playoffs and the Lakers being swept in the first round as the number 7 seed.

Current roster

Sacramento Kings roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From G 22 Carter, Devin  6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 193 lb (88 kg) 2002-03-18 Providence F 24 Crawford, Isaiah (TW) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 2001-11-01 Louisiana Tech G/F 10 DeRozan, DeMar 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1989-08-07 USC G 23 Ellis, Keon 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 167 lb (76 kg) 2000-01-08 Alabama G 5 Fox, De'Aaron 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1997-12-20 Kentucky G/F 9 Huerter, Kevin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 198 lb (90 kg) 1998-08-27 Maryland G 20 Jones, Colby 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 207 lb (94 kg) 2002-05-28 Xavier F 17 Jones, Isaac (TW) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 2000-07-11 Washington State G 8 Jones, Mason (TW) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1998-07-21 Arkansas C 25 Len, Alex 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1993-06-16 Maryland F 41 Lyles, Trey 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 234 lb (106 kg) 1995-11-05 Kentucky F — McDaniels, Jalen 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1998-01-31 San Diego State G — McLaughlin, Jordan 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1996-04-09 USC G 0 Monk, Malik 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1998-02-04 Kentucky F 13 Murray, Keegan 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 2000-08-19 Iowa F/C 77 Robinson, Orlando 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 2000-07-10 Fresno State F/C 11 Sabonis, Domantas 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1996-05-03 Gonzaga

Head coach Mike Brown Assistant coach(es) Jimmy Alapag Leandro Barbosa Doug Christie Dutch Gaitley Luke Loucks Jim Moran Jay Triano Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (GL) On assignment to G League affiliate (TW) Two-way affiliate player Injured Roster Last transaction: August 7, 2024

FIBA Hall of Famers

• Vlade Divac

Retired numbers

Sacramento Kings retired numbers
N°	Player	Position	Tenure
1	Nate Archibald 7	G	1970–76 1
2	Mitch Richmond	G	1991–98
4	Chris Webber	F	1998–2005
6	Fans ("The Sixth Man")	-	1985–present
11	Bob Davies	G	1948–55 2
12	Maurice Stokes	F	1955–58 3
14	Oscar Robertson 7	G	1960–70 4
21	Vlade Divac	C	1998–2004
27	Jack Twyman	F	1955–66 5
44	Sam Lacey	C	1970–81 6

Notes:

• ¹ 1970–72 Cincinnati, 1972–76 Kansas City.
• ² All in Rochester.
• ³ 1955-57 Rochester, career-ending injury in 1957-58, team's first season in Cincinnati.
• ⁴ All in Cincinnati.
• ⁵ 1955–57 in Rochester, 1957–66 in Cincinnati.
• ⁶ 1970–72 in Cincinnati, 1972–81 in Kansas City.
• ⁷ Archibald and Robertson were named two of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1996.

The 2005 Sacramento Monarchs WNBA Champions banner, as well as the Monarchs 2006 Western Conference Champions banner, also hang from the rafters of Sleep Train Arena.

Individual awards

Hall of Famers

• Nate Archibald
• Al Cervi
• Bob Davies
• Jerry Lucas
• Lester Harrison
• Arnie Risen
• Oscar Robertson
• Maurice Stokes
• Jack Twyman
• Bobby Wanzer

NBA MVP

• Oscar Robertson – 1964

NBA Rookie of the Year

• Maurice Stokes – 1956
• Oscar Robertson – 1961
• Jerry Lucas – 1964
• Phil Ford – 1979
• Tyreke Evans – 2010

NBA Sixth Man of the Year

• Bobby Jackson – 2003

NBA Coach of the Year

• Phil Johnson – 1975
• Cotton Fitzsimmons – 1979

NBA Executive of the Year

• Joe Axelson – 1973
• Geoff Petrie – 1999, 2001

All-NBA First Team

• Oscar Robertson – 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969
• Jerry Lucas – 1965, 1966, 1968
• Nate Archibald – 1973, 1975, 1976
• Chris Webber – 2001

All-NBA Second Team

• Maurice Stokes – 1956, 1957, 1958
• Jack Twyman 1960, 1962
• Jerry Lucas – 1964, 1967
• Oscar Robertson – 1970
• Nate Archibald – 1972
• Phil Ford – 1979
• Otis Birdsong – 1981
• Mitch Richmond – 1994, 1995, 1997
• Chris Webber – 1999, 2002, 2003
• Peja Stojakovic – 2004

All-NBA Third Team

• Mitch Richmond – 1996, 1998
• Chris Webber – 2000

NBA All-Defensive First Team

• Doug Christie – 2003

NBA All-Defensive Second Team

• Norm Van Lier – 1971
• Brian Taylor – 1977
• Scott Wedman – 1980
• Doug Christie – 2001, 2002, 2004

NBA Rookie First Team

• Jerry Lucas – 1964
• Ron Behagen – 1974
• Scott Wedman – 1975
• Phil Ford – 1979
• Kenny Smith – 1988
• Lionel Simmons – 1991
• Brian Grant – 1995
• Jason Williams – 1999
• Tyreke Evans – 2010
• DeMarcus Cousins – 2011

NBA Rookie Second Team

• Travis Mays – 1991
• Walt Williams – 1993
• Tyus Edney – 1996
• Hedo Türkoğlu – 2001
• Isaiah Thomas – 2012

See also

• Pete Carril
• Scott Moak

References

The Rochester Sports Project, by Douglas Brei

External links

• Sacramento Kings official web site
• Cook, Kevin (1996). "The Rochester Royals The Story of Professional Basketball" (PDF). Rochester History. LVIII (1). Retrieved November 18, 2008.
• Bee Sports staff (April 14, 2011). "Kings through the years: Cheers, jeers, sighs and cries". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
• http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1086154/index.htm
• http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003012/index.htm
• http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1075305/index.htm
• http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1081879/index.htm