Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson assembling potential Kings ownership group

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson isn’t going to let his city give up the Kings franchise without a fight. Sacramento City Hall was brimming with action on Thursday, as Johnson continues to work on recruiting and assembling a local ownership group capable of bidding on the Kings. Jeff Dorso, the leader of the Mayor’s task force, told the Sacramento Bee that the potential local ownership group may be revealed next week.

NBA commissioner David Stern has avoided any acknowledgement of the rumored offer for the Kings from a Seattle-based group of investors headed by Chris Hansen, and he has noted that Johnson has requested to address the NBA’s board of governors.

The identity and existence of the Kings franchise as we know it is at stake, and the same Sacramento Bee report notes that local business owners are expected to play a prominent role as the public face of the potential ownership group while other investors take care of the majority of the financial commitment. Sleep Train executive Dale Carlsen has been mentioned as a local business owner who has expressed interest in taking part in joining the group. Supermarket tycoon Ron Burkle and Mark Mastrov are other potential names that have popped up in various reports.