Sacramento developer Bob Cook is expected to sell his seven percent share of the Sacramento Kings.

Cook is bankrupt and the sale will be split among three of his creditors.

The seven percent share could be sold to one of the existing Kings' owners, including the Maloofs, who control 53 percent.

An outside bidder could also purchase the share.

David Stern will retire on Feb. 1, 2014 as commissioner of the NBA, and one of his final goals is to bring a franchise back to Seattle, according to sources.

Stern has become an ally of Steve Ballmer's group. Ballmer has been trying to get the Maloof family to sell the Sacramento Kings.

Sources say the league office is putting increased pressure on the Maloofs to sell the Kings.

"Stern has enough time to get a team back to Seattle, but he'll let Silver deal with the crowd [booing] on opening night," said a source.

Keith Smart has already begun reconsidering the five players he said on Monday would be his starters for the start of the regular season.

Smart said he has to learn to watch what he says after games.

"Take with a grain of salt what I say right after a game," Smart said. "Because that (quote) was in the moment and the question was asked. And we have five days before we have to make a decision to get ready for Chicago.

"We just want to make sure the guys that are playing do the right thing every single time they are on the floor."

John Salmons has been excused from the last five preseason games of the Sacramento Kings for personal reasons.

The team doesn't have an idea of when Salmons will return.

"No timetable," Keith Smart said of Salmons' return. "Just in communication with him, and I told him just take your time and come back when you're ready."

James Johnson, Francisco Garcia and Travis Outlaw will likely take a sizable portion of the small forward minutes, while Tyreke Evans will also play there when the Kings go small.

The Sacramento Kings have exercised their team options for 13-14 on DeMarcus Cousins and Jimmer Fredette.

Cousins and Fredette were first round picks by the Kings in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

Thomas Robinson was a high lottery pick, but he wants to do the little things for the Sacramento Kings such as become a nuisance for his opponents.

"Well, they should be (bothered)," Robinson said. "I think that's my job, to annoy the other guy to the point where he just doesn't want to check me anymore."

Robinson already realizes that few NBA players want to be constantly active.

"Half the guys (in the league) don't play hard all the time," Kings coach Keith Smart said. "This young man has a motor to play hard all the time.

"Look at the guys that play all out, all the time. They become a pain for a team, and that's what he has to be. He has to become a pain."

The Kings were impressed with Robinson's energy and athleticism while scouting him. Those are traits the front office believed would improve its defense.

"I think the motor's always been there," Robinson said. "So that's definitely something that's helped me get to this point."

Jimmer Fredette has been described by multiple teammates as the best player in the Sacramento Kings' camp.

Fredette has displayed more confidence as he begins his second NBA season.

The Sacramento Kings have added the triangle offense during training camp.

Keith Smart has been searching for an offense that reduces excessive dribbling and spaces the floor.

"I was looking at a video from 1943," Smart said. "The Harlem Globetrotters were playing over in Europe, and I got a chance to see – when you get beyond all the theatrics the Globetrotters did – they were technically in a situation where they were in a low-post triangle action."

The Kings will debut it in their first preseason game.

"I've been trying to give these guys some freedom to still get the ball and do your thing whenever you need to do it, but you'll have space," Smart said. "So we'll see how it goes."

DeMarcus Cousins entered the NBA with questions in regards to his maturity and was arguably left off the United States' 2012 Olympic team due to concerns about how he would handle limited minutes.

But Cousins is embracing a bigger leadership role for the Sacramento Kings as he enters his third season.

"I'm trying (to lead)," Cousins said. "Just in a better way that will be accepted more and accepted better."

Cousins has been asked by teammates to make sure his messages and observations are conveyed in a productive manner.

"Sometimes you may be asking a valid question, but your demeanor and demonstrative way puts out that it's more than it really is," said Keith Smart. "So you have to figure out a way, how do I communicate to my teammate?"

Tyreke Evans has spent the offseason working on improving his jumper.

"I just try to go straight up and down," Evans said. "Every time I'd go and lean back, I'd just think to myself to go straight up."

Evans' ability to shoot the ball wasn't being respected by opponents on defense.

"People just started looking at film and started trying to keep me from going to the basket," he said. "This year, I'm going to have to go to the pull-up (jump shot). I'm still going to go in there, no matter what, but I want to go to the pull-up too."

Smart was impressed by how Evans was taking a step toward improving his game.

"He's trying to grow," Smart said. "He could easily be one of those guys, icing, talking to guys. But he knows where he's at. But that's the thing, seeing him now, four years in, it's starting to sink in. 'When coaches were trying to get me to come back and shoot, that's why. Oh now, I know.' Now the motor's churning."

"He's way more focused," said DeMarcus Cousins. "He's in good shape, and he's ready to turn things around. He wants to get this thing turned around as well."