NBA Rumors: David Stern Hoping to "Get a Building for Seattle, or Sacramento"

As the Sacramento Kings await a ruling on their future, the contract negotiations between NBA Commissioner David Stern and Kevin Johnson, remain as enigmatic as ever. While optimism seems to be at a premium, so does ambiguity.

While all parties involved seem optimistic, it's hard to gauge how likely either scenario truly is. While Johnson, the Mayor of Sacramento, seems optimistic, it's hard not to see a slight sign of fear in his eyes.

The NBA has already tarnished the future of the New Orleans Hornets by vetoing a trade that likely would have sent them right back to the playoffs. In Sacramento, they could go a step further by moving the Kings to another city and state entirely. A city who the NBA had already taken a franchise from.

Still there is hope.

Mayor Johnson, a three-time All-Star with the Phoenix Suns and potential Hall of Famer, told MSNBC, "There is a sincere effort on both sides to see if this deal can happen."

David Stern echoed the sentiment, but was quite vague about the NBA's future in Sacramento. When posed with questions about the future of the New Orleans Hornets, as well as the Kings and a potential team in Seattle, Stern responded by saying:

"

“Right now what I'm working hard to do in a perverse kind of a way is for Seattle's perspective is to sell New Orleans to stay in New Orleans, and get a building for Seattle, or Sacramento ... I can't say for sure it's a pathway, I will say the only way to have a team these days is to have a world class building.”

"

Seattle OR Sacramento? Come on, Commish. If you're going to give an optimistic answer, at least don't lace it with doubt.

After years of holding their breath, it's time to allow the people of Sacramento breathe easy and make a decision. The right decision.

"Our city, our team."