NBA Owners Keep Kings in Sacramento

Christopher Trotman/Getty Images(DALLAS) --  The NBA owners have voted, and the Kings are staying in Sacramento.

Ownership representatives from all 30 NBA teams met Wednesday in Dallas for nearly four hours and voted to reject the Kings' proposed move to Seattle.

Last month, a relocation committee unanimously recommended to keep the Kings in Sacramento, but it all became official on Wednesday.  NBA commissioner David Stern confirmed that the vote was 22-8 in favor of Sacramento.

"I would say it's a victory for Sacramento, not a victory for the NBA," Stern said after acknowledging the toll this has taken on both cities over the past 2 1/2 years.

Stern also added that the Maloof family, which owns the Kings, has a right to retain ownership under league bylaws, but the team could be eventually sold to a group led by Sacramento mayor and former NBA point guard Kevin Johnson.

Deputy commissioner Adam Silver added that "We've never wavered in our desire to return to the Seattle market at some point...and we fully expect we'll return there one day."  Silver will be taking over for Stern in February 2014.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Stern Announces Seattle Group Has Filed to Relocate the Kings

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- NBA Commissioner David Stern announced Wednesday that the Seattle group led by Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer, who reached an agreement to purchase the Sacramento Kings, has formally filed with the league to relocate the Kings to Seattle.

The Seattle application is to play in Key Arena (the old home of the Seattle Supersonics), where they would play for "two years possibly three," Stern said in Minneapolis before a game between the Timberwolves and Spurs. "There is no final approval with respect to a new building in Seattle but events are well under way moving in that direction."

Despite the fact that the Kings' current sale price of $525 million would be an NBA record, Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson is trying to find investors to match the price and keep the Kings in Sacramento.

"The mayor of Sacramento has advised that he will be back to us soon with a proposal from a group to buy the team in Sacramento...and build a building in Sacramento...with a substantial subsidy from the city of Sacramento," Stern said.

The commissioner said it will take a majority approval of the Board of Governors to relocate the franchise and a three-fourths majority to approve the sale of the franchise.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

Spurs Fined $250,000 For Sitting Players

Bruce Bennett/Getty Image(NEW YORK) --  The NBA has fined the San Antonio Spurs $250,000 after head coach Gregg Popovich sat key players in a 105-100 loss to the Miami Heat on Thursday night.

Popovich sent Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Danny Green on a commercial flight home instead of playing them in a nationally televised game against the Heat.

Popovich said it was in the best interest of the team that they rest for the Spurs' home game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.

"The result here is dictated by the totality of the facts in this case. The Spurs decided to make four of their top players unavailable for an early-season game that was the team's only regular-season visit to Miami. The team also did this without informing the Heat, the media, or the league office in a timely way. Under these circumstances, I have concluded that the Spurs did a disservice to the league and our fans," NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Spurs Facing Sanctions for Sitting Players

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images(MIAMI) -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has made NBA commissioner David Stern mad.

Popovich decided to send players Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green on a flight back home instead of having them play in Thursday night's game versus the Miami Heat. The Spurs were playing their fourth game in five nights and Popovich wanted to rest them before the team played the Western Conference-leading Memphis Grizzlies Saturday. But Stern wasn't a fan of the decision.

"I apologize to all NBA fans," Stern said in a statement. "This was an unacceptable decision by the San Antonio Spurs and substantial sanctions will be forthcoming."

Popovich has a history of resting players. Last season, he didn't bring Parker, Duncan or Ginobili to a road game in Utah. Neither the Spurs nor Popovich were disciplined for that decision.

One issue with the Spurs not playing their best players had to do with the Miami Heat's dynamic ticket-pricing system. The Heat charge more money for tickets to games against high-profile teams, which the Spurs are considered.

Despite all of the attention to the Spurs' lack of stars, the game was close. The Heat won 105-100.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

David Stern to Retire in Early 2014

Boris Streubel/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- NBA Commissioner David Stern will end a 30-year run on Feb. 1, 2014, when he'll officially retire.  Stern has been the NBA's commissioner since Feb. 1, 1984 and made the announcement on Thursday.

"Life is a journey and it's been a spectacular journey," said Stern, who started in the league back in 1966 as an outside counsel. "Each step along the way there are things you have to do, things you maybe wish you hadn't done but I don't keep that list."

"I'm totally pleased and particularly pleased with the transition we're now embarking," he continued.

Adam Silver, Stern's deputy, will take over as the NBA’s new Commissioner.  Silver was unanimously approved Thursday by the NBA Board of Governors.

Stern said on Thursday that he made the decision to step down in 2014 about six months ago.

"You'll be remembered as the best of all time," Silver told Stern, sitting to his left on Thursday.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

NBA Finalizing Flopping Procedures

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images(ELIZABETH, N.J.) -- The NBA has had enough of watching its players flop on the court. NBA spokesman Tim Frank said on Thursday that the league is finalizing procedures to help eliminate flopping on the court.

Flopping is the act of, or some would call the art, of falling down and drawing a foul when very little or no contact was made. This is to trick officials into calling the fouls, which can help swing momentum during a game.

Commissioner David Stern feels that flopping has become a big problem in the NBA, and he wants to put a stop to it. Part of the procedure might involve a post-game review of the play by the league office. No infraction would be called during the game, but a player would likely be fined for committing the act.

"If you continue to do this, you may have to suffer some consequences," Stern said during the NBA Finals. "What those exactly should be and what the progression is, is to be decided, because ... we want to put a stake in the ground that says this is not something that we want to be a part of our game."

The anti-flopping procudures could go into effect as soon as this upcoming season.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Kobe Bryant Disagrees with Olympic Age Limit

David Becker/Getty Images(MANCHESTER, England) -- Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant doesn't agree with the 23-and-under concept proposed by NBA commissioner David Stern regarding the Olympics.

Team USA arrived in London on Tuesday and the Lakers forward spoke at an appearance at the town hall in Manchester about the issue.

"It's a stupid idea.  It should be a (player's) choice," Bryant said. "Our (Team USA teammates) discussion is this: Basically, it's just a dumb idea and we (discuss) it that way. ... We just discuss it like that (and) kind of voice our opinions through you (media) guys."

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul would also miss out if this proposal came into effect.

"If you look at the track record for it, I can honestly say my best season in the NBA statistically was the 2008-09 season, which was after my first Olympics. You see guys, when they come back from playing on a team like this, they go into the new season with the ultimate confidence," the 27-year-old Paul said on Tuesday.  "We talk during the season, we talk about how tired we're going to be in the summer, but as soon as we all get out to Vegas, we're excited. We're ready to go -- it's on. It's better than being at home just working out and playing ball. You get to play against the best players in the world."

Team USA will play against Team Great Britain in an exhibition game on Thursday night.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

David Stern Vows to Stop Flopping in the NBA

Patrick McDermott/​Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Flopping in the NBA isn't necessarily anything new, but more and more it has become a near epidemic around the league. It's something the NBA commissioner David Stern has taken notice of and wants it to stop immediately.

"'Flopping' almost doesn't do it justice," Stern told reporters before Game 1 of the NBA Finals. ""Trickery. Deceit. Designed to cause the game to be decided other than on its merits. We'll be looking at that."

"Instant replay and elimination of tricks that are designed either to fool the ref or, if you don't fool the ref, to make the fans think that the refs made a bad call by not calling it," Stern later added. "That shouldn't have a place in our game."

Stern as well as the competition committee will begin meeting next week and this issue is sure to be on the docket. The committee is made up of a couple owners, a couple general managers, players, and owners. Flopping can already be called a foul by referees, but it is difficult to fully define when a player is or is not flopping.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

NBA Commissioner David Stern Has Faith In Jordan

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- In an interview with ESPN Radio on Monday, NBA Commissioner David Stern spoke about the state of the Charlotte Bobcats who just ended a season in which they recorded the worst NBA winning percentage in league history.

Questions around Charlotte have been directed at majority owner Michael Jordan and if he is really committed to turning the franchise around.

"Without question, I see it more because I don't discuss players with him, but his commitment to the operation down there, with respect to sponsors, season ticket holders, community events, he has been all in and it's been great," Stern told the Colin Cowherd show on ESPN Radio.

The Bobcats ended the season on a 23-game losing streak and finished 7-59 with a .106 winning percentage.

"It was I'm sure no fun for the players," said Stern. 

But he does believe there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Bobcats.

"I remain impressed with seven-foot-seven wingspans and young guards who can put the ball in the basket, we've had other teams, maybe they haven't been quite this horrible but the draft and intelligent free agent signings based upon cap room can do a lot for a team," said Stern on if the Bobcats can rebound from a miserable 2011-12 season.

Stern also said he wouldn't bet against the six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan and is confident in Jordan's abilities to turn the franchise around.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

Lakers' World Peace Reacts To Suspension

Harry How/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- After being suspended Tuesday for seven games for his hit on Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden, the artist formally known as Ron Artest, Metta World Peace, spoke about the punishment laid down by NBA Commissioner David Stern.

"It was a brutal elbow," said World Peace.  "During that possession there was so much passion, when I'm out there on that court that passion bottled up."

World Peace admitted that his emotions got the best of him but the elbow to Harden wasn't meant to cause harm.

"It seemed like anger but it was a lot of passion involved, it was erratic fire, erratic passion, it was just way too much," said World Peace.

Lakers head coach Mike Brown said his forward will have to make sure that a move like this doesn't happen again.

World Peace will miss Thursday's game against the Kings; he will serve the remainder of his suspension during the playoffs. If the Lakers do not play six games in the playoffs, the remaining games will be added on next season.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio