Seattle, NBA Reunion Coming If Sacramento Kings Sale Is Finalized By Maloof Brothers: REPORT

NBA Coming Back To Seattle?

Seattle may never get back Kevin Durant but the NBA could return soon.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Sacramento Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof are finalizing an agreement to sell the franchise to a group in Seattle led by billionaire Chris Hansen.

Laying the groundwork for such a move, Hansen reached a deal with the Seattle City Council in September 2012 that would place a new sports arena near Safeco Field, according to KGW.com.

Wojnarowski's tweets comes on the heels of a report from the Sacramento Bee that cited a source denying the rumor of the sale.

"That rumor is inaccurate," a source close to the Kings told Tony Bizjak and Dale Kasler of the Bee.

Wojnarowski would later remind his followers on Twitter that the deal had not been signed and noted that the Maloofs have a history of changing their minds late in the process. ESPNLosAngeles writer Arash Markazi also noted that tendency, even as Sonics fans were noticeably optimistic.

After the Kings' final home game of the 2010-2011 season, Grant Napear and Jerry Reynolds who've been Sacramento's team announcers for 23 and 25 years respectively, gave their heartfelt goodbyes to fans as the franchise was reportedly poised to move to Anaheim.

Neither the Maloofs or the city of Sacramento would initially comment on the latest report of an impending move.

"We've heard nothing from the NBA and nothing from the Maloofs and so for us, it wouldn't be appropriate for us to be commenting on rumors," said Sacramento Assistant City Manager John Dangberg to the Sacramento Bee.

A spokesman for the Maloofs issued a similar statement to Sports Illustrated.

“As we have said for nearly a year, we will not comment on rumors or speculation about the Sacramento Kings franchise,” said Eric Rose, a spokesman for the Maloofs, to SI.com.

When the franchise formerly known as the Supersonics left Seattle after the 2007-2008 season, an agreement was reached to keep the team's name and colors from heading to Oklahoma City along with Durant and the rest of the franchise.

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