Want to ask Rudy Gay a question? Leave it in this thread and it may get answered after the Kings take on the Houston Rockets today.

Today's Question of the Game is for your new small forward Rudy Gay.

The Question of the Game thread allows Str readers to pose a question for a particular player during a home game. Based on which question gets the highest number of recs (and the reasonableness of the question), I will track the player down and ask them that question during the postgame. The answer will then be posted right here in the thread.

Make sure to keep it to one question unless you have two questions that tie in together.

So leave your question for Gay in this thread and start pressing those rec buttons. And remember - he CAN play small forward, so no need to ask about that!

Boogie and the Great Rudini led the way as the Kings ran away from the Rockets late.

Rudy Gay scored 26 points on 10-20 shooting and DeMarcus Cousins added 21 on 7-14 with 10 rebounds as the Kings stunned the Rockets 106-91 in a Sunday afternoon game. Gay was awesome in his home debut, taking mostly clean shots and doing a lot more on the court. He had five rebounds, four steals and four assists. Cousins had five assists as well, helping out Isaiah Thomas, who finished with 19 on 7-12 shooting and eight assists. It was an incredible effort from the Kings' current big three.

Houston was pretty icy from long-range despite getting plenty of open looks. The Rockets shot 7-27 from long-range. Francisco Garcia, a beloved former King, shot just 1-6 from the floor.

Cousins thoroughly outplayed Dwight Howard, who finished with 13 and 10 and shot 5-13 from the line. (Cousins was 7-7 from the line.) All told, the Kings' rotations were bizarre. But Michael Malone is figuring out his new roster -- four players added in the past three weeks -- and seeing what everyone can do. Quincy Acy was basically the backup center; for a couple of substantial stretches, Malone went with Acy, Isaiah or Jimmer Fredette, Gay, Travis Outlaw and Derrick Williams. That's a weird little lineup! But everything Malone (and the Kings) did seemed to work.

The Kings are now 4-10 at home and 7-15 overall. Sacramento visits the Bobcats on Tuesday.

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From wire-to-wire the Rockets had a difficult time generating productive stretches both offensively and defensively, falling to the Kings in a deflating effort.

California appears to be the land of losses for the Rockets early on in the season, with a healthy handful of their games in the state early on in this season, including tonight's game against the Sacramento Kings.  The hallmarks of this game were sloppy offense, poor transition defense, and a bench effort that resembled the Houston Texans offense.

Derrick Williams, Isaiah Thomas, and Rudy Gay lead the Kings in the first half, helped by 11 Rocket turnovers.  They combined for 36 of their 57 first half points.  The Kings shot 46% to the Rockets 49% but got four more shots off and benefited from poor transition defense and a lack of effort on defense.

Omer Asik was, again, held out with an ‘injury' pending his imminent trade for what hopes to be a nicely wrapped lottery pick in this year's upcoming draft.  His defensive prowess would have been much appreciated tonight.  Jeremy Lin also sat out after a collision he had during the Warriors game.

Rockets were constantly trailing, committing bad turnovers and taking poor shots that put Sacramento in a position to score.  Defensively it seemed as if no one could, much less wanted to, stop anybody.  Even Patrick Beverley fouled Isaiah Thomas on a three point shot that resulted in a 4 point play.

In the second, James Harden rolled his ankle badly in the beginning of the third on a drive to the basket.  Crane shots at the free throw line afterwards before being taken to the locker room for x-rays.  He returned later in the third looked a bit lethargic and struggled to get into his shooting rhythm.

The fouth quarter featured heavier doses of Dwight Howard, which ended in held balls, missed shots, and foul shots (which he also missed many of).  We could not mount the comeback effort that we needed on a night against a team that is incredibly beatable.

This loss, to me, falls on the shoulders of the bench.  Make no mistake, the starters had a lackluster effort on defense and were not able to string enough plays together on offense, but we need to be able to count on at least one of the players on the bench to step up and provide a spark.  Greg Smith got his first minutes in ages after his knee injury after Terrence Jones got put on the bench.  Omri and Francisco have to be able to contribute more, at least in the form of three point shooting to keep struggling starters afloat.

Harden ended up with 25 points, 3 boards, and 3 assists, losing significant steam after his injury.  Parsons had the best game of the night with 19 points, 7 boards, 5 assists and steals.  Other than those two stat lines, the rest was generally underwhelming.  Even Dwight Howard's performance seemed pedestrian, albeit impressive at times.

Overall, it was a very depressing from a team that desperately needed a Jeremy Lin to come off the bench and get us back into it.  Losing to the Kings is not something I believe Daryl Morey and Les Alexander payed for this off-season.  For all of our sakes, I hope we don't have to watch these kinds of games often.

More comprehensive thought in a post later tonight

For now, read more over at Sactown Royalty

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Harden went to the line on a bum ankle, so naturally, he just shot on one leg.

Houston Rockets star James Harden injured his left ankle in the third quarter of the Rockets' loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, but he remained in the game to shoot the two free throws he was awarded on the play. The ankle clearly hurt quite a bit, which is why Harden went with a bit of an unconventional approach at the line (h/t to @cjzero):

And of course, Harden knocked both freebies down. Impressive.

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Gay has struggled in the restricted area this season, but he got it done at the rim in a big win over Houston on Sunday.

New Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay has come under a lot of fire in recent years for his highly inefficient ways on offense. After posting a career-low mark in field goal percentage last season, Gay was shooting just 38.8 percent from the field when the Toronto Raptors dealt him to Sacramento.

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In two games with the Kings, Gay has looked like a new player. In his Kings debut, Gay scored 24 points on just 12 shots in a loss to the Phoenix Suns. The 27-year-old followed that up with another strong effort in an impressive 106-91 victory over the Houston Rockets in his first game in Sacramento as a King.

Gay tallied 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting in the win, while also notching five rebounds, four steals and four assists. It was just the fifth time all season Gay recorded at least four assists in a game, and Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas said he was impressed by Gay's complete game, according to Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee:

"I knew he was good," Isaiah Thomas said after his club's 106-91 victory, "but when he's on your team, you really see all the things he can do out there besides score."

Gay also talked about his improved playmaking after the game, but what may have been most encouraging about his performance against the Rockets was the manner in which he scored his points.

One of the reasons why Gay's shooting percentage has been so low this season is because of his mediocre work around the basket. Gay is shooting just 54.7 percent in the restricted area this season per NBA.com's stats page, and while that's not a horrible mark, it should be better given his size, athleticism and talent.

The reason that mark is even that high is because Gay actually finished well at the rim against Houston. The swingman made all six of his shots in the restricted area, an impressive feat considering the Rockets employ Dwight Howard in the middle.

These last two games are certainly a small sample size, and Gay did struggle outside of the restricted area, going just 4-of-14 on all other shots Sunday. But his last two performances could be a sign of good things to come for Sacramento, and head coach Mike Malone is liking what he sees from his young talent thus far, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee:

"Now you have two guys that you can trust with the ball, Rudy and Isaiah Thomas, all around the perimeter," Malone said. "Then you have a go-to guy in the post with DeMarcus Cousins. There's three different pieces that you can go to throughout the game."

The Kings likely have no chance at a playoff berth this season because a deep hole has already been dug and the Western Conference is loaded. But at the very least, perhaps that trio can provide plenty of entertainment.

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We saw the best and worst games of the season this week, and made perhaps the biggest trade since Peja for Artest. It was a crazy week.

The Good:

1. Rudy Gay

See Player of the Week

2. Pete D'Alessandro's Aggressiveness

If there's one thing we can say about Pete D'Alessandro so far as a GM, it's that he's not afraid to take chances. He signed Cousins to a big contract extension. He decided not to match Tyreke Evans' contract. He made an offer to Andre Iguodala, and then pulled that offer. He traded future 2nd rounders for Mbah a Moute, then traded him in the first month of the season for Derrick Williams. However, none of those moves were as aggressive as the trade for Rudy Gay. When I heard the trade, my stomach dropped because I felt that there had to be a piece going back to Toronto like Isaiah Thomas. I vastly overrated the market for Gay when the Kings were able to get him for Salmons, Hayes, Patterson and Vasquez. Of those players, only Vasquez was playing better than average, and it served the dual purpose of allowing Isaiah Thomas to become the starting Point Guard. I wrote a couple weeks ago that the Kings needed to upgrade their talent level. Acquiring Gay does that in spades. Warts and all, he's still one of the more talented wings in the NBA. I don't expect Pete is done making moves either.

3. Isaiah Thomas, Starter

Isaiah Thomas was having a monster year as a sixth man. Then, after Greivis was traded, the question was whether he would be able to continue his high level of production as a starter. So far the answer seems to be "Yes, and then some". Thomas playing with the starters gives him better weapons to pass to, and it also means that we get into our offense quicker. Isaiah is also a much better first point of defense than Vasquez was, so while the Kings still aren't a great defensive team, they have a better foundation. Now that we are a full quarter of the season in, Isaiah Thomas is still in the top 15 in PER (10th), and Assist Rate (15th). He's also posting career high shooting percentages across the board and getting to the line at a phenomenal rate.

4. DeMarcus Cousins being unselfish

Cousins continues to be a beast around the basket and on the boards. Better than that in my mind though is how willing he's been to pass the ball. Cousins' current assist rate is 19.4%. That's top among Centers and second to Josh McRoberts in Power Forwards. Cousins probably won't make the All-Star team (see team's record) but he's definitely putting up All-Star numbers. He's 6th in the league in PER, just behind Kevin Durant in scoring rate, and 7th in rebounding average. The best part about Cousins to me is that he's still got a lot that he can improve. He needs to be a much better team defender, especially on Pick & Rolls. The Suns scored so many easy baskets this week simply by running Pick & Rolls. He needs to cut his techs (at this rate he'll be suspended before the All-Star break for reaching the tech limit). He needs to stop trying to run point unless there is nobody between him and the basket. The sky is the limit for Cousins, and I have to say that his contract extension (which I was against) is looking better all the time.

5. Aaron Gray/Quincy Acy

The other components of the Gay trade didn't get much hype, but it seems the Kings got two potential roleplayers with a little bit of upside in Acy's case. Gray was phenomenal against the Suns, grabbing boards, scoring around the hoop and setting amazing screens. Acy got the call against the smaller Rockets on Sunday, and he was active on both ends of the court.

6. Derrick Williams

I watch this guy play, and I see a fantastic athlete who can do a little bit of everything, and I wonder how Rick Adelman and Minnesota couldn't figure out how to use this guy. Williams is turning into a productive player for the Kings, and I for one would like him to be starting at PF over Jason Thompson. Williams had a career night against the Mavericks, scoring 31 points to go with 5 rebounds and 5 steals, missing just 4 shots the whole night. He wasn't that productive or efficient the rest of the week, but he's still giving us good minutes whenever he's in the game.

7. Jimmer Fredette

Malone doesn't seem to trust any of his backup PG options enough to give them meaningful time, but I think Jimmer Fredette has looked alright in spot minutes as a backup. In fact, I'd give him all the backup minutes as well as any minutes currently slated for Marcus Thornton at SG. I thought the lineup Malone showed off in the Rockets game with Gay as a ballhandling SG and Fredette as off-ball PG was interesting and perhaps a way for Jimmer to get more minutes. He can't be playing any worse than Thornton is now so I say why not give him a chance.

8. Beating the Rockets/Mavs

These were Sacramento's two best victories of the season-to-date. The Dallas game was a mixture of both the Mavericks playing awful and the Kings being on top of their game. Both Cousins and Williams scored 30 points, the first time that's happened for Sacramento since Martin and Bibby in 2007. Thomas chipped in 24 of his own with a career-high 12 assists. I thought the win against Houston was even more impressive though. The Kings were able to close out a tough opponent at home, and the outcome of the game wasn't really decided until the 4th quarter. It could have gone either way, but the Kings didn't suffer from too many lapses, responding almost every time Houston made a run of their own. It was a solid win at home against a top-notch opponent.

9. Jason Thompson against the Rockets

I think JT showed a little bit more of his old self than bad self this week, especially against the Rockets. He moved well off the ball, he ran in transition, and he had a couple of sweet blocks. That's the JT we need to see every night.

The Bad:

1. Losing to Phoenix

The defense in this game was atrocious. Nobody on the Kings could stop Goran Dragic or Eric Bledsoe. This game was a winnable one, but the Kings never figured out how to get a stop when they needed one.

2. Jason Thompson's incessant whining

Jason Thompson should never be allowed to talk to the officials ever.

3. Travis Outlaw's shot selection

I like that Travis has been making his shots this year. I just don't like where he takes them. He's a master of passing up wide open threes to take a contested 18 footer. Just shoot the three.

The Ugly:

1. Shooting Guard Production

Ben McLemore shot the ball 25 times this week. He made four of those shots. Marcus Thornton wasn't much better at 6-25. I'm willing to give McLemore more rope because he's a rookie and he's still trying to figure out his spots and learn the NBA game, but Thornton is a veteran. This is a guy just a couple years removed from leading this team in scoring. He was never efficient, but he's never been this awful either. It seems that every time he puts the ball up, it caroms off the rim and it ends up being a wasted possession. Right now this spot is the new gaping hole for Sacramento (now that we have a couple productive wings in Gay/Outlaw).

2. Getting blown out by Utah at home

Easily the worst loss of the season. The team with the worst record in the NBA came into Sacramento and absolutely dominated the Kings in every aspect of the game. The defense in this game was even worse than against Phoenix. Almost every Jazz player with meaningful minutes scored at least 8 points. This was a bad game from everyone involved, including Coach Malone, who played Cousins just 23 minutes including inexplicably leaving him out the entire 2nd quarter when he had just 2 fouls.

3. STOP sends in 35,000 petitions

If you wanted a reminder that the fight for the Kings isn't done just yet, STOP was kind enough to provide that answer by dropping off 35,000 signatures to put the arena on the June 2014 ballot. Crown Downtown and Region Builders supplied 15,000 petition withdrawal forms of their own. STOP needs 22,000 valid signatures to get the initiative they want. By all accounts, it will be close and we won't know for a month or so.

Player of the Week:

Rudy Gay

25.0 PPG, .563 FG%, 3.0 RPG, 2.5 AST, 2.0 STL, 1.5 BLK

The Kings traded for Rudy Gay with the hope that in Sacramento, he could return to being the same kind of guy he was in Memphis: a talented scorer that could also contribute in other areas. So far, in the two games that he's been able to play for us, Gay has been phenomenal. I've heard both Jerry Reynolds and James Ham describe him as a "fluid athlete" and I couldn't agree more. Everything he does is just so smooth, especially when he takes the ball to the basket for an underhanded layup. He's big and strong enough to play the 3 or the 4, and we even saw the Kings playing him as a ballhandling 2 at times against the Rockets. There have been some glimpses of bad Rudy to be sure, taking an unnecessary long range bomb or two, but I can't argue with the results so far. I don't expect that he will be as efficient as he has been so far, but I also doubt that he will be shooting anywhere near as bad as he was in Toronto. Playing with an interior presence like Cousins and an attacking guard like Isaiah will open things up for everyone involved.

Image / GIF of the Week:

You guys were off the charts this week following the trade. Here are my favorites.

by beeradgee88 on Dec 9, 2013 | 9:37 PMreply unrec (46)actions

by RORDAWG on Dec 9, 2013 | 10:01 PMupreply unrec (37)actions

by beeradgee88 on Dec 10, 2013 | 12:43 AMreply unrec (56)actions

Sactown Royal Minions

by Fireplug on Dec 8, 2013 | 5:25 PMupreply unrec (57)actions

Sums it up...

by Mechanical Shift on Dec 8, 2013 | 6:05 PMreply unrec (28)actions

Important fact...

by Fireplug on Dec 8, 2013 | 8:07 PMreply unrec (30)actions

by beeradgee88 on Dec 11, 2013 | 9:58 PMreply unrec (56)actions

Lost angle from tonights game...

by beeradgee88 on Dec 13, 2013 | 9:44 PMreply unrec (34)actions

Gayzilla

by LaBradford on Dec 15, 2013 | 7:49 PMupreply unrec (39)actions

Sorry I'm late (I was at the game)

but while I was at the game I caught napear celebrating backstage

by beeradgee88 on Dec 15, 2013 | 9:03 PMreply unrec (25)actions

Comment of the Week:

Just like the images, you guys were some funny S.O.B.s this week.

After the Mavs game:

Salmons, Hayes, PPat, and GV had their best game of the season tonight.

by fryingpan136 on Dec 9, 2013 | 9:41 PMreply unrec (29)actions

Ah yes, the Kings newest gladiator, Maximus Contractus,

by SPTSJUNKIE on Dec 9, 2013 | 9:49 PMupreply unrec (77)actions

Still time before February to make a deal to get Salmons back!

Round 3 anyone?

by andy sims on Dec 8, 2013 | 4:24 PMreply rec (45) flagactions

I'm not convinced Rudy Gay is that good.

But I’m 100% sure he’s better than Vasquez, Salmons, Patterson and Hayes.

by T Darkstar on Dec 8, 2013 | 4:33 PMreply rec (57) flagactions

Also, I guess God finally wants Salmons to go to Toronto

Only took 7 years!

by nbrans on Dec 8, 2013 | 4:39 PMreply rec (21) flagactions

So what your saying...

Is we didn’t just trade Salmons, but we kicked him out of the country! Winning!

by Skrewee13 on Dec 8, 2013 | 4:53 PMreply unrec (68)actions

Yea maybe we can get a 3rd round pick for Thornton

by kangsfan on Dec 8, 2013 | 5:48 PMupreply rec (38) flagactions

Vasquez continues to slow down our offense.

by toxik916 on Dec 11, 2013 | 3:39 PMreply rec (43) flagactions

In other news:

Marcus Thornton left depressed after neighborhood kids politely decline to play basketball with him.

by beeradgee88 on Dec 12, 2013 | 5:17 PMreply rec (37) flagactions

Also be sure to check out all the fantastic nickname suggestions and photoshops in the nickname thread.

FanPosts of the Week:

Just a banner week for you guys, multiple great FanPosts.

SacKing Rhapsody by Widowwolf

Kings Clinch Finals Berth With Victory Over Mavericks by beeradgee88

It's Rudy. I'm in Love by Widowwolf

Highlight of the Week:

Caption Contest:

Link to Last Week's Picture

Last Week's Winner: feelgood

Last Week's Runner-Up: Dirkula1

LBJ's "Crab dribble" ain't got nothing on Isaiah's "Snake dribble!"

Sssssssssssssss!!

This Week's Picture:

A reminder of the rules for the Caption Contest. Leave your caption in the comments below, and the most rec'd (to recommend a comment, hit action, then rec) caption wins.

Nostradumbass Prediction for Next Week:

11/17 @ Charlotte W (The Bobcats are surprisingly one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, but they play in the East and I'm not sure they have someone to stop DeMarcus Cousins who has had big games against Jefferson before.)

11/18 @ Atlanta L (The Hawks are a solid team and Al Horford completely owned Cousins the last time these two teams played)

11/20 @ Miami L (The Kings and Heat have had a couple of exciting games the last couple seasons in Miami, but I can't pick the Kings to beat the defending champs on their home floor)

11/21 @ Orlando W (The Magic'sArron Afflalo is quietly having an All-Star level season, but I feel like the Kings are overall the better team and should be able to pull this win out.)

Nostradumbass Record for the Year: 8-14 This team is super hard to predict.

Random Observations from around the league:

• As I mentioned above, Arron Afflalo is having a great season. 21 points, almost 5 rebounds, 4 assists a game. So far, it looks like the Magic have won the four-team Dwight Howard trade, especially when you factor in they got Vucevic/Harkless/future 1st rounders as well, and it's not even close.
• Kobe's back, but now Steve Blake is gone 6-8 weeks and with Farmar already gone, the Lakers don't have a Point Guard to speak of. Pau Gasol also seems to be on the outs with Mike D'Antoni, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him gone by the deadline.
• By all accounts Omer Asik is going to be traded this upcoming week. The reported target date is either Wednesday or Thursday. I wouldn't expect the Kings to be involved, although I guess it's possible they could be as a third team.

The Magic have a decent chance to win any of their three games this week, as their three opponents are a combined 26 games under .500.

Following their close loss to the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday night, the Orlando Magic have a record of 7-17, which puts them on a pace for 24 wins. They are 13th in the East, two games ahead of the last-place Milwaukee Bucks, but just three games behind the eighth seed.

The Magic may be favored in two of their three games this week. Here's a look at the upcoming schedule:

Monday, December 16th, Magic at Chicago Bulls, 8 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Florida

The injury-ravaged and struggling 9-13 Bulls, coming off a horrific 22-point home loss to the Toronto Raptors Saturday night, have lost 10 of their last 13 games as they try to adjust once again to the absence of their star and former MVP point guard Derrick Rose. Shooting guard Jimmy Butler is back after missing nearly a month with severe turf toe, forward Luol Deng recently missed four games with a sore achilles, and center Joakim Noah recently sat out a game. All three of them are relatively healthy now, and the Bulls could really use them as the team has scored 78 or fewer points in four of their last five games and have one of the worst offenses in the NBA. Deng averages 19.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game on 53 percent True Shooting. Power forward Carlos Boozer averages 15.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, while Noah averages 10.1 points and 9.5 rebounds. Despite all their struggles, the Bulls are the only team in the NBA to have beaten both the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers, and are tied for the eighth seed with two other teams in the East.

Wednesday, December 18th, Utah Jazz at Magic, 7 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Florida

The Magic start a season-long six-game homestand facing the 6-20 Jazz, who have the worst record in the West. Utah has been playing much better though after their 1-14 start, winning five of their last eleven games, including two in a row on the road. Their 2013 first-round draft pick, point guard Trey Burke, has returned after missing the first month of the season, which has coincided with the Jazz' improved play of late. Even though Burke is shooting just 38.5 percent from the field, he averages 13.1 points and five assists per game. Small forward Gordon Hayward leads the Jazz with 17.2 points per game on 50.3 percent True Shooting. Power forward Derrick Favors averages 13.5 points and 9.2 boards per game.

Saturday, December 21st, Sacramento Kings at Magic, 7 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Florida

The Kings come into Orlando with a 7-15 record, three games ahead of the Jazz in the West. Newly acquired forward Rudy Gay has scored 50 points in his first two games with the Kings, including a 106-91 victory over the Houston Rockets Sunday. The normally inefficient Gay has shot 56.3 percent in those two games. Center DeMarcus Cousins averages 22.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Point guard Isaiah Thomas averages 18.8 points and 5.2 assists per game.

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The Memphis Grizzlies have called up RGV Vipers swingman James Johnson, making him the seventh GATORADE Call-Up of the year.

Last season, as Memphis Grizzlies' brass put on their scouting hats at the NBA D-League Showcase, they took a special liking to RGV Vipers guard Chris Johnson. Despite not being ranked as one of the top prospects on NBA.com/Dleague, the swingman emerged to eat up some minutes in Memphis through the middle months of the season after being called up from the Showcase.

This season, however, the Grizzlies didn't wait as long to pluck an intriguing enough swingman out of Rio Grande Valley.

The team announced on Monday they have signed former Sacramento Kings turned Vipers guard James Johnson out of the NBA D-League, making him the seventh GATORADE Call-Up of the year.

The minor league proved to be an interesting route for Johnson to take following four seasons as a worthy enough role player in the NBA. That said, his plan worked to perfection, as tearing up the D-League through the season's early weeks proved to be the fastest way to catch another team's attention and break into The Association once again.

A key player in the Vipers' early season success and impressive recent nine game winning streak, Johnson averaged 18.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.4 blocks, and 1.9 steals per game through ten contests. Shooting 50% from the field and putting up such numbers in just under thirty minutes per game, the swingman also proved to be as efficient as they come.

Though currently under new management and new guidance with a new head coach in Nevada Smith, RGV has always been a team that makes sure to readily prepare "that next guy" to step up and embrace a forthcoming opportunity, should another one of their key players get called up to the NBA. It'll be interesting to see who fills Johnson's shoes from here on out.

An NBA veteran of three teams, one of Johnson's best moments from last season (a game-winning shot against the Knicks) can be watched below.

Herb Kohl has begun searching for additional investors to join an ownership group of the Milwaukee Bucks. Keeping the team in Milwaukee remains "a top priority."

Milwaukee Bucks owner Herb Kohl announced in a statement Monday morning that he is in the process of finding new investors to join an ownership group of the team:

Over the next several months I will be considering broadening the ownership of the Bucks as a way to strengthen the franchise and keep it in Milwaukee. I have retained Steve Greenberg, Managing Director of Allen & Company, as my advisor. I have done business with Allen & Co. for over thirty years and they are a great organization. In the event new investor partners are added, they will need to be as committed to keeping the team in Milwaukee as I am.

Kohl's statement lacked any absolute commitment to expanding team ownership, but every expectation is that this is the first step in the eventual handover of ownership from Kohl to his successor, be it an individual or ownership group. Kohl has owned the Bucks since 1985, when he purchased them from Jim Fitzgerald with the express purpose of keeping the team in Milwaukee. Kohl considered an offer to sell the team to a group led by former NBA star Michael Jordan in 2003 but ultimately chose to remain.

Kohl remains stalwart in his demands that any future owner should commit to keeping the team in Milwaukee for the foreseeable future, a task that has moved to the forefront of the franchise's long-term plan in recent years. The failure of a relocation plan for the Sacramento Kings led by the team's former owners and investors in Seattle, combined with the ongoing debate over the future of the BMO Harris Bradley Center, have left many questioning the future viability of professional basketball in Wisconsin. As long as Kohl was in charge, relocation always seemed unlikely, but incoming NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made it clear during a visit last September that finalizing a plan and securing financial backing for a new arena was critical. The writing was on the wall and the clock was ticking, and even Herb Kohl wouldn't be able to stem the tide forever.

Adding additional local investors would seem to be a significant step for the franchise as it grapples with the new reality of the NBA. While changes in the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement have expanded revenue sharing and presumably slapped a Band-Aid on fiscally-wounded small-market owners, the ability to maximize the value of a team's venue is now paramount. Most modern arenas contain year-round attractions, from restaurants to commercial space to additional event facilities. Many function as part of larger entertainment complexes, a la the L.A. Live complex surrounding the Staples Center. Even a substantial investment from other members of the Milwaukee community wouldn't eliminate the need for public financing to some degree, but it would allow Kohl to devote more of his attention--and money--to finding the Bucks a new home.

As Kohl made today's announcement, his team finds itself at a crossroads of sorts. A commitment to putting together a competitive team year after year has always been a hallmark of Kohl's ownership, but the Bucks have gotten off to an extremely poor start on the court this season under new head coach Larry Drew. Massive roster turnover introduced a number of new veteran players who were expected to lead another chase for a low playoff seed, but a swathe of injuries and ineffective play has sent the Bucks tumbling down the standings; As of Monday, they own the worst record in the NBA. This has given the team's youth a chance to earn major minutes, and the results have been...encouraging, at the very least. John Henson has played well in the absence of starting center Larry Sanders, and newcomer Khris Middleton has surprised many with his consistent production. But nobody has impressed more than first-round pick Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has exceeded every expectation and captured the attention of every fan the Bucks have left. With the makings of a young core seemingly falling into place, there has been added pressure from the fanbase to put an injunction on the annual win-now approach in favor of a rebuilding year, the intent being to secure a top pick in the highly-regarded 2014 Draft. This movement is perhaps best symbolized by the Save Our Bucks website, run by a collection of fans eager to see a change in approach.

It's too early to say that any change in ownership structure will be reflected by a corresponding change in team direction, but it would certainly open the door to new opinions. For a team that hasn't won a playoff series since the dawn of the new millennium, any change would seem to be a good one. The Milwaukee Bucks still have a lot of work to do before their collective seat cools off, but today's announcement at least shows that plans for the future continue to move forward. For now, that's enough to be excited about.

It's Prediction time!

Link to The Leaderboard

Below are a series of prediction questions for tonight's game. The first four questions will be asked every game, while the 5th will change each game.

Point value for predictions are listed next to the questions. If you believe that more than one player will lead a category, you can vote for multiple players, and this is worth double points if you are correct, but zero if you are wrong. Alternately, if you only guess one player when multiple players are tied, you get zero points.

All submissions must be input before tip-off. Any submissions after tip-off will not count. You are allowed only one submission and may not change unless specifically stated.

Questions:

1. Who do you think will win the game, and what will the final score be? (1 point for guessing winner. 2 points for guessing winner and correct score of one team. 5 points for guessing winner and exact score)

2. Who will be the game's leading scorer? (1 point for guessing scorer, 2 points for guessing exact points scored)

3. Who will be the game's leading rebounder? (1 point for guessing rebounder, 2 points for guessing exact rebounds)

4. Who will be the game's leading assist man? (1 point for guessing assist man, 2 points for guessing exact assists)

5. Predict Al Jefferson's FGA, Kemba Walker's 3PA, and Gerald Hendersons' FTA (1 point for one right answer, 3 points for two right answers, 5 points for all right answers)

The Sacramento Kings embark on their first real road trip of the season. Will it help their record?

Oh man, the Kings are finally on a road trip. Like, a real road trip. Not a road trip to Oakland or Los Angeles or Phoenix or Salt Lake or Portland. Like, a real road trip. The good news is that the real road trip is to the East Coast, where most teams are hideous.

This particular trip is four games long and visits two of the three East teams with winning records (Miami, Atlanta). So even by East standards it's on the tougher edge. Luckily, that doesn't necessarily apply to Tuesday. Hello Bobcats!

MATCHUP OF THE GAME

Kemba Walker vs. Isaiah Thomas.

Quick on quick. Kemba is the Bobcats' top scorer, but he's been really inefficient this season (shooting below 40 percent) and is a true combo guard: he's below 5 assists per game. But he's dangerous, and the Kings' defense has been totally mediocre all season.

On the other end, the Bobcats defense is really good, so Isaiah will need to help DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay find good shots and attack responsibly. Should be fun.

3 THINGS

1. Holy Charlotte defense! They rank No. 4 despite an Al Jefferson-Josh McRoberts frontline. I don't understand either. You know how we all hoped a new defensive-minded coach would will the team to a better defense? It actually happened in Charlotte. I can't wait to get a look at how they do it. (I am admitting I haven't League Passed in the Bobcats yet this season.)

2. DeMarcus Cousins and Al Jefferson tangling. Cousins has hung some points on Al in the past, but A.J. has done the same to DeMarcus. Can the Kings accept offsetting big games from these two?

3. Isaiah Thomas' minutes. Michael Malone was talking about getting Isaiah like 40 minutes a game the other day. The Kings have a back-to-back and four in five this week. Jeff Teague is due on Wednesday. Will Malone give Isaiah some rest and play Jimmer Fredette or Ray McCallum more than five minutes?

START FOUR

I can't believe how bad I am at this game.

PREGAME HAIKU

Where all the wins at?
Oh, here they are in the East.
Can we have them please?

PREDICTION

Kings 90, Bobcats 86.

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• The Kings' Sign Lady is in the Fan Hall of Fame
• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: 2013-14 Week Seven
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• Question of the Game: Rudy Gay
• Kings vs. Rockets preview: The home debut for Rudy Gay

A revamped Kings roster led by DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas and Rudy Gay come to the Queen City in cross-country battle.

Last year we weren't so certain the Sacramento Kings would ever be coming back to Charlotte, at least under the same name and city affiliation. The Maloof family, the now former owners of the Kings, were doing their best to move the team in the interest of a bigger market and more revenue after debt forced them to sell all but 2 percent of their stake in the Palms casino and hotel in Las Vegas. When relocation failed, they tried selling it. Soon an owner out of Seattle appeared. All seemed lost for the poor folks of Sacramento. Thanks to an ownership group devoted to retaining the Kings in Sacramento and the fight Kings fans put up against relocation, they proved to the NBA that Sacramento still supported their Kings. You don't have to cheer for the Kings, you don't even have to like them, but you should appreciate them. They're the result of fanbase's hard work.

The Kings aren't very good, however. They have a million guards, DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas, and they've added on the always polarizing Rudy Gay. This is a winnable game for the Bobcats.

Cousins is the focal point and leader of the Kings offense. One of the league leaders in usage with a usage percentage of 34.1 percent, Cousins is the go-to player for the Kings and the player the Bobcats need to focus a large part of their gameplan around.

When the Kings aren't going to Cousins they're slashing to the rim with their guards to try and kick out for jump shots. However, if that fails they are notorious for very quickly bailing from the plan and going for isolation sets.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO RUDY GAY! I am a Rudy Gay fan. I've always felt that he was vastly overpaid, which has made fans and media not able to appreciate the good things he can do, such as his defense. That said, the guy dances around in isolation sets and jacks up horrible midrange jump shots. And it doesn't help that he misses all the time. The Bobcats defense is built around forcing teams to shoot midrange jump shots so if they can get the Kings to force the ball into Gay's hands that could give them a significant advantage.

A matchup to watch tonight will be Kemba Walker vs Isaiah Thomas. Walker is being noticed more than ever this season for his solid play despite his early season bad shooting. Thomas is an extremely under-appreciated guard among the general public, which is a serious shame. He's an excellent point guard that is a blast to watch. You'll want to keep your eye on him.

The Bobcats should win tonight's game as they have a better defense and are at home. They aren't overwhelming favorites but they should definitely have the advantage.

So let's stop talking about it.

Over the last couple days, there have been reports that the Kings and Celtics were in talks to trade Rajon Rondo for a package involving Isaiah Thomas, Ben McLemore and future 1st round picks. The reports seemingly started with a post two days ago from the International Business Times.

Before we consider the report itself, let's acknowledge a few things:

• No NBA reporter made any mention of Rondo and the Kings before this article was posted. The website also mispells Marcus Thornton and Isaiah Thomas' names.
• Rajon Rondo is 28 and coming off of an ACL injury. Isaiah Thomas is 23, playing at an elite level, and will be a restricted free agent. Ben McLemore is a 20 year old rookie with a lot of upside.  There's no knowing how Rondo will look coming off that injury.
• The basis for this "rumor" seems to be asinine trade conjecture from Bill Simmons.
• The Kings can't even trade future first round picks until 2019 because of the pick owed to the Cavaliers that has multiple layers of protection.

Despite all the seeming evidence against this rumor, it still somehow managed to get picked up by more respectable websites and presented as fact.

So without further ado, here is Sam Amick:

FYI re: Rajon Rondo rumor, Celtics & Kings have had no talks about him or any other player, I'm told by both sides. Nothing to see here...

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) December 17, 2013

and A. Sherrod Blakely

Spoke w/source moments ago who said the latest Rajon Rondo rumor that he will be traded to the Sacramento #Kings, is "not happening."

— A. Sherrod Blakely (@SherrodbCSN) December 17, 2013

Please keep this as a reminder that during trading season, you have to be judicious in what you believe. If the website you're reading is a place you've never heard of, there's a pretty good chance there's nothing to that rumor.

A huge trade that would send Rajon Rondo to the Kings appears to be nothing but trade season chatter.

Rumors centered around a blockbuster trade that would send Rajon Rondo and multiple Boston Celtics players to the Sacramento Kings emerged thanks to a televised segment featuring Donny Marshall, a Celtics broadcaster and contributor to NBC Sports Network, but those rumors were quickly shot down by multiple reporters.

In a video segment on the NBC Sports Network, Marshall suggested the Kings and Celtics were working on a "huge deal":

"From the people that I talk to there is a huge deal in the mix, and Danny Ainge will say 'no no no', for not just Rondo but other players on this [Celtics] team to a team out West, the Sacramento Kings.

"The folks that I talk to, I would say it's pretty much a done deal. At some point. That means it's not just Rondo there will be other pieces."

Here's Marshall's entire segment where he discusses the Rondo rumor:

This rumor was quickly denied, though. The teams have not actually talked about a trade centered around Rondo, sources from both side of the deal told USA Today's Sam Amick. CSN New England reporter A. Sherrod Blakely also quotes a league source that said a Rondo trade to Sacramento is "not happening."

Marshall's rumor does not cite what the Kings would be trading to acquire the Celtics' injured point guard, but it doesn't appear to matter after it was denied by both sides quickly. SB Nation's Kings site Sactown Royalty discussed the origin of the rumor and concluded there wasn't much substance to the talks, while SB Nation's Celtics Blog noted that this isn't the first time Marshall has reported a Rondo trade was imminent in Boston. Rondo, of course, has played his entire career with the Celtics.

The Kings have been active in trades this season, first dealing for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams and then acquiring Rudy Gay from the Toronto Raptors. Sacramento has gone 7-15 as they rebuild under new management while Boston leads the Atlantic Division despite tearing down their roster and playing without Rondo through their first 26 games.

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There were hints of this rumor yesterday, but it hit the Twitter mainstream today when former CSNNE anchor Donny Marshall mentioned it to NBC Sports' SportsDash.

For those Celtics' fans that follow the news on Twitter, this happened pretty quickly.  We mentioned it here on CelticsBlog yesterday, but at the time, it was nothing but an unconfirmed rumor from an unreliable source.

Then, this happened:

That report went up over an hour ago, but was quickly refuted by some guys we trust:

Spoke w/source moments ago who said the latest Rajon Rondo rumor that he will be traded to the Sacramento #Kings, is "not happening."

— A. Sherrod Blakely (@SherrodbCSN) December 17, 2013

FYI re: Rajon Rondo rumor, Celtics &Kings have had no talks about him or any other player, I'm told by both sides. Nothing to see here...

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) December 17, 2013

I don't doubt that Donny Marshall has his own people in the Celtics' organization, but he's been hellbent on Rondo leaving town for years.  There might have been some truth to his reports two years ago, but now, Rondo is The Man in Boston, he's got a great relationship with Brad Stevens, and he's yet to return from his ACL injury.  From A. Sherrod Blakely:

"You know how it gets this time of year," a league source told CSNNE.com. "People come up with this stuff, you guys write about it, tweet about it, whatever . . . It's sad. There's nothing happening on that front."

Multiple league sources have been telling CSNNE.com for months that no team is going to make a "legitimate" offer for Rajon Rondo until he returns to game action.

Cue the Knicks' trade attempt in 3...2...

December 15th is the first day that contracts signed in the offseason are eligible to be moved. That means it's officially trade season in the NBA.

With December 15th arriving on Sunday teams are now eligible to trade the players that were signed in the offseason. It also means that the Trade Machine is open for business. So the question is this as we head into the NBA trade season: Are the Cavaliers buyers or sellers this year?

A buyer is a team looking to acquire assets that help them in the more immediate future. These moves may also improve the teams long term aspirations, but the goal is clearly to improve the product that is on the court for this year. A seller would be a team looking to move assets that no longer fit into the long term plans. Typically this is for draft picks or young prospects that the team believes may blossom. Really, you could make an argument that a team is either buying or selling in any transaction.

I believe the Cleveland Cavaliers are buyers. The team has stated that they intend to avoid being in the lottery again and while they have shown improvement lately, I would guess that Chris Grant has been calling up every team in the league looking to fill some of the holes on the Cavaliers roster. While I doubt the team is interested in making a move to ship a significant part of their young core for a few extra wins this season. I believe they are looking to make a move to fix up some of the holes as long as it doesn't jeopardize our cap flexibility heading into the summer.

So what holes exist for the Cavaliers?

The first that comes to mind is the wing. The Cavaliers probably feature the worst rotation of shooting guards and small forwards in the league. While Dion Waiters has shown brief glimpses of stellar play, he is yet to perform consistently enough on either end of the floor to be heavily relied upon. CJ Miles is a streaky shooter and sub par defender. In a perfect world Miles would be a shooter coming in off the bench and a strong locker room presence, but due to the Cavs situation he is relied upon as the teams starting shooting guard. The Cavaliers' options at small forward are Alonzo Gee and Earl Clark, a rotation that doesn't exactly strike fear into the hearts of opponents.

Another question mark remains at the center position. Andrew Bynum has been a pleasant surprise for the Cavaliers to this point in the season, but questions remain about his ability to stay healthy and his fit with the team. It's tough to bank on him being the starting center of the future for the Cavs and if there was a more safe option long term available I think they would make a move for one.

Like I said above, I don't think the Cavaliers are going to make any moves that jeopardize their ability to offer a max contract this summer. But here are some moves that might work:

Trade 1:

Cleveland Cavaliers trade Anderson Varejao, CJ Miles and a second round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Kendrick Perkins and Jeremy Lamb.

Why this trade makes sense for the Cavaliers:

Jeremy Lamb is 22 years old, 6'5 and can really space the floor. He's very athletic and doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective. He'd be a great fit next to Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers would hope that the competition between Lamb and Waiters would bring out the best in both players. While it isn't fun to take on the salary of Kendrick Perkins, it gives the Cavs another young impact player that they can build around.

(editor's note: OKC has Lamb play a bit of small forward. He could probably play off of and with Dion Waiters - DZ)

Why this trade makes sense for the Thunder:

Anderson Varejao is a great fit in OKC. He gives them a great pick and roll center that can knock down the midrange jumper and passes well. He'd be a deadly weapon in the Thunders offense and CJ Miles would likely excel in a role off the bench knocking down open looks. The Thunder are a legit title contender and this move would help get them that much closer to winning the Larry O'Brien trophy. The Thunder would also have the option to let Varejao walk this summer, which would open up cap room for them to make a move to acquire another center while they wait for Steven Adams to develop.

Trade 2:

Cleveland Cavaliers trade Anderson Varejao, Jarrett Jack and C.J. Miles to the Trailblazers to Robin Lopez, Dorrell Wright, Mo Williams and Victor Claver

Why this trade makes sense for the Cavaliers:

It gives them an upgrade at the SF position, a capable post defender in Robin Lopez and less money tied up in a back up point guard that doesn't fit on this roster as well as we hoped in the offseason.

Why this trade makes sense for the Blazers:

Portland is currently sporting the best record in the NBA. Yet some are questioning how sustainable their success is and whether or not they can win a title. Anderson Varejao is a large upgrade over Robin Lopez as is Jarrett Jack over Mo Williams. They have the option to let go of Varejao after this season if they wish to pursue other options but it solidifies their backup PG spot and gives them a little more flexibility moving forward. In my eyes this would make them a much more serious threat to come out of the Western Conference.

Trade 3:

The Cleveland Cavaliers trade Anderson Varejao, Earl Clark, C.J. Miles and the Sacramento Kings protected first round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for DeAndre Jordan and Jared Dudley.

Why the Cavaliers would do this:

Jared Dudley is a capable 3 and D player on a reasonable contract. DeAndre Jordan would provide rim protection to a team in need of that as well as a good option for Kyrie Irving in the pick and roll.

Why the Clippers would do this:

While I'm not sure if they would be willing to make this move, I believe that the pairing of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan just is not working for the Clippers. It's almost impossible to have them both on the floor late in close games and while Jordan is a very good defender, he's limited offensively. Varejao would be a great weapon for Chris Paul and the Clippers also receive floor spacing in Clark and Miles.

While none of these trades would drastically alter our future, I believe that they set us up for more success this season and maintain the flexibility moving forward that the Cavaliers treasure. I tried to keep these deals as even as possible, as well as sending these players to situations where they would experience team success. While it would be disappointing to see a fan favorite like Anderson Varejao get traded, seeing him on a contender would certainly make the decision easier to take.

What are your thoughts? Would you rather see the Cavaliers make a major shake up by shipping part of their core? Would you prefer to see the team stay put with what they have?

A look at everything you need to know, all season long, about who is going to win the Rookie of the Year Award this year.

The NBA has a few awards every season, some matter, some do not. Some are team awards, and some are individual awards. One of the individual awards that almost never has anything to do with immediate team success is the Rookie of the Year award. Out of these frivolous awards (awards that don't need you to be playing for a winner), this is probably the one that matters the most. Winning ROY means a few things. First of all, it means you had a good rookie year. It's important to perform well as first impressions on the professional level count for a lot. If you won the ROY award that means you had the attention of the league, the players in it, the coaches, and the media. No one wins this award without that -- so yeah, Glenn Robinson's 21.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.5 apg, and 1.4 spg weren't good enough compared to two guys he was statistically superior to. Winning the ROY puts you on the fast track to one day being an All-Star, being able to demand the highest of salaries in free agency, and of course, being marketed -- he who wins ROY has an easier path to success on and off the court.

Many fans don't care about awards and recognition. But I do. I do because I know that those things give players an unfair advantage when on the court. Refs give you the benefit of the doubt more. And any advantage you can get helps your team win games. ROY winners help their team win games, by their actual play, and by the benefits afforded to them because of their status. Long have we Utah Jazz fans suffered at the hands of Michael Jordan / Kobe Bryant / LeBron James types. Stars who wreck us because of star calls. To be competitive as a small market team we need a star more than ever to combat the systematic disadvantages we cannot change.

So let's look at the 2013-2014 NBA Rookie of the Year race.

The Rockets now have a much bigger problem than dealing with disgruntled center Omer Asik.

Houston Rockets superstar James Harden has a high ankle sprain as a result of the injury he suffered on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings and could miss several games, according to ESPN NBA insider Marc Stein.

The "high" designation means the injury is more severe and will likely require a longer rehabilitation process than a normal sprain. According to About.com's Dr. Jonathan Cluett, such an injury could require a six-week healing process or even require surgery if deemed unstable.

The fifth-year guard was on his way to another All-Star season before the injury and is one of the top players in the NBA. Through 21 games, he's averaging 24.7 points, 5.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.

He's been productive at both ends of the floor and is the Rockets' offensive catalyst, meaning any sustained absence would be a big blow to Houston's bid to compete for the Western Conference crown.

The Rockets are currently situated in second place in the Southwest division with a 16-9 record. Their second-ranked offense from a points per game perspective (107.0) is sure to struggle as long as he's out, which by the looks of things could be a few weeks and total several games.

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DeMarcus Cousins had a huge game but got no help from his teammates in yet another loss.

DeMarcus Cousins had one of his best games of the season, scoring 30 points on just 13 shots to go with 17 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals, but he got little help from anyone else as the Bobcats beat the Kings 95 to 87.  Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson led the way for Charlotte with 24 and 20 points respectively.

The Kings allowed Charlotte to get out to an early 18 point lead thanks to some extremely porous defense before chipping away at the lead, getting it down to 2 or 3 at times.  Every time that happened however the Bobcats were able to respond and push the lead back.  Charlotte's defense had no answer for DeMarcus Cousins, but almost everyone else on the Kings roster was held to subpar shooting performances.  Isaiah Thomas did have 21 points, but shot just 8-23 from the field.  Jason Thompson was 4-6 from the field for 9 points, but aside from that, no other King hit more than 2 field goals.

Rudy Gay played just 24 minutes and scored only 4 points on 1-6 shooting.  He left the game in the second half because of right knee stiffness and it's unknown whether he'll be available to play tomorrow in Atlanta.

The Kings as a team shot just 37.5% from the field while Charlotte was at 44.9%.  Sacramento's Rudy Gay, Travis Outlaw, Ben McLemore and Jimmer Fredette combined for just 5-30 shooting from the field.  The Bobcats did a great job shutting down the perimeter game for Sacramento, although the Kings didn't do themselves any favors by continuously passing up open shots in favor of tougher ones.

Sacramento also showed poor offensive awareness in the 4th quarter by not getting the ball into Cousins' hands.  Cousins was Sacramento's only consistent offensive weapon, going 9-13 from the field, but he didn't even take a Field Goal attempt in the final quarter as Sacramento settled for outside shots.  Cousins still managed to almost score more points than any other King (he tied at 4 with Thompson) in the quarter simply because he was fouled and sent to the line.

The Kings have 3 games in 4 nights remaining on this road trip, with the next stop tomorrow in Atlanta.

For the Bobcats perspective, visit Rufus on Fire

The county will verify the petition withdrawal forms first so it can crosscheck STOP's signatures. County registrar says the number of withdrawal forms may be a state record.

STOP's (Sacramento Taxpayers Opposed to Pork) petitions to put Sacramento's arena financing plan on the ballot next year and downtownarena.org's petition withdrawal forms arrived at the county's offices on Friday, and the county didn't waste any time getting started on the verification process.

According to Jill LaVine, registrar of voters for Sacramento County, the county began the process around 3 p.m. on Friday. The first task is to sift through the 15,277 petition withdrawal forms turned in by downtownarena.org (largely because of Crown Downtown's efforts). The withdrawal names and addresses and confirmation that they live in the district (city limits), and are a registered voter, need to be verified. Then, the county will move on to the 34,000 signatures STOP has and a computer program will crosscheck that with those who wished to be removed.

LaVine said the county has 30 business days from the day the city received the petitions (Dec. 10) to verify them.

"It will be pretty close, yesterday and today we were moving a little slow, but that was trying to get the process down," LaVine said.

The verification process is a tedious one that requires some detective work, especially if a signature is difficult to read. The county has not hired any extra workers to help, but does have 10 people currently working on it.

The dates that the STOP petition signatures were circulated will be key, according to LaVine.

"So let's say this petition was circulated between Monday and Friday of this particular week, if this person was registered between Monday and Friday of that week at that address, then it's a good signature. However, if they just forgot and they hadn't re-registered, maybe they're not registered at the right address; so those dates are very important in verifying the signatures," LaVine said.

So to recap: the person who signed has to be registered at that address, between those dates, in the city and the signature has to match.

Though it's a tedious process, LaVine said the county may get to a point before the 30-day deadline where it could tell the city there are or aren't enough signatures.

"If we get to the point where it would be impossible to get enough good signatures with what's left or if we're to a point where we have enough good ones that we don't need to check any further, that is up to the city and we would contact them at that point," LaVine said.

The county, which contracts with the city for situations like this because it has the countywide voter file, expects the verification process to cost the city a little more than $3 per signature that is verified, resulting in an estimated $100,000 bill for the city after the process is complete. Mayor Kevin Johnson's coalition, The4000, has requested that STOP pay the bill. STOP, however, has said they will not help pay for the verification process.

LaVine has been with the county for 27 years and confirmed that the 15,000+ withdrawal forms is the most she has ever seen, by far (she had never seen more than 100 before). She also believes it is the most ever collected in the state.

"I just came back from a statewide conference and there was not another county in our state that had this many withdrawals that I could find, so we are setting a record here," LaVine said.

As Ben van der Meer of the Sacramento Business Journal pointed out on Monday, there is very little margin of error for STOP's initiative to make it onto the ballot based on the sheer number of signatures turned in and the number of withdrawal requests submitted.

22,000 valid signatures are needed for it to qualify.

The county expects to release some preliminary results of the signature verification process at some point later this week.