Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has a lot of interests besides running one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Today, rumors are flying that Ballmer is leading a group of investors that are preparing to purchase the Sacramento Kings NBA basketball team and bring them to Ballmer's backyard of Seattle.
Yahoo Sports reports, via unnamed sources, that Ballmer's investment team, which also includes hedge-fund manager Chris Hansen, are preparing a bid of $500 million to purchase the Kings from their current owners, the Maloof family, best known for their ownership of the Palms casino in Las Vegas. The plan is for the team to start playing in Seattle in time for the 2013-2014 season. After playing for two years in Seattle's KeyArena, the team will get a brand new arena for their games.
Seattle previously had an NBA team, the Seattle SuperSonics, but the team moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 under less than welcome circumstances. If Ballmer's group does buy the Kings, the apparent plan is to give it the Seattle SuperSonics name.
Assuming Ballmer helps to bring a new NBA team to Seattle, they may have to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers, which was purchased in 1988 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.
Source: Yahoo Sports
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