WASHINGTON, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The NBA board of governors on Wednesday reject a bid which could see Sacramento Kings move to Seattle and voted instead to keep the franchise in Sacramento.
"This was not an anti-Seattle vote, it was a pro-Sacramento vote," said NBA commissioner David Stern, who also expressed his hope to have a deal in place within two days with a group that wants to buy the team from the Maloof brothers.
The 22-8 vote, followed a recommendation made last month by the NBA's relocation committee, rejected the deal that would have sold 65 percent controlling interest of the franchise, valuing 625 million US dollars, to a Seattle group led by investor Chris Hansen, who boosted the offer twice after the NBA showed an unwillingness to relocate.
Hansen hoped to move the franchise to Seattle and rename it the SuperSonics. The original Seattle Sonics were moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 and were renamed the Thunder.
It's the second time since 2011 that the Maloof brothers have made plans that would have ended in relocation for the Kings. The first target was Anaheim, California.