From an interview with Kings co-owner Joe Maloof in today’s Sacramento Bee:

Question: Yet you still seem committed to the market?

Answer: We are, we are. But it all comes down to a facility, and in small markets like Sacramento, that means there has to be a public/private deal. Arco is the second-oldest building in the league. It doesn’t work anymore, not if you want to stay competitive. So if we look at 2008, something has to get done. Someone has to bring us a project. And do people still want us here? We don’t want to be anywhere people don’t want us. We just can’t keep stringing along. We have to get something done.

The problem is that the Maloofs want to take in the lion’s share of profits from a new arena while paying virtually $0 to fund its construction. Couple that with tightwad Sacramentans (whom I can’t really blame for not wanting to get stuck with the entire bill) and the prospect of moving the team from Cow Town to Sin City, and you have a team ripe for relocation.

Call me pessimistic, call me paranoid, but I just don’t see the Kings being here in 5 years.