It's been the subject of speculation for weeks.

But now only a vote by the NBA Board of Governors would prevent the Sacramento Kings from moving to Seattle.

The Kings' majority owners -the Maloofs-have accepted the bid from billionaire hedge fund manager Chris Hansen. Art Thiel is a columnist with "sports-press-n-w-dot-com" in Seattle.

He says it is exciting news for basketball fans there…but it doesn't come without sympathy.

THIEL:  "I do believe that there is a very strong sentiment here that this is dirty that taking a team from another city is just what happened here four years ago and there was a bad bad feeling then and they don't feel good about this."

Mayor Kevin Johnson is working to find an ownership group to keep the team in Sacramento.

The NBA Board of Governors will decide whether the Kings stay or go at its meeting in March.