The NBA's relocation committee has unanimously voted against moving the Sacramento Kings to Seattle.

The Maloofs had entered into a sale agreement with a Seattle-based group led by Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer.

A full vote is still forthcoming, but the rest of the NBA's owners will likely follow the recommendation.

Seattle lost its NBA franchise to Oklahoma City in 2008.

The Maloofs will now be pressured to sell the franchise to a group led by Vivek Ranadive that will keep the Kings in Sacramento.

The NBA's relocation committee will have a conference call about the Sacramento Kings on Monday, April 29.

A recommendation is expected to be made on that day whether the team should be sold to a group from Seattle or remain in Sacramento.

The earliest day the Board of Governors can vote on the issue is May 8.

The Maloofs have entered into an agreement to sell the Kings to a group led by Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer.

The final truly important decision of David Stern's tenure as NBA commissioner will almost assuredly be what the owners decide to do about the future of the Sacramento Kings.

The Maloofs have agreed to sell controlling interest in the franchise to a group that will relocate the Kings to Seattle.

The decision in 2008 to move to the Sonics to Oklahoma City has been one that has elicited a steady stream of criticism directed toward Stern. By most accounts, Stern wants an NBA team back in Seattle but taking away a beloved franchise from a city like Sacramento that doesn't have another professional sports franchise would create a new issue.

One league executive Tuesday described Stern as "anguishing" over the two offers for the team.

The Maloof family has asked its fellow NBA owners to approve the sale of the Sacramento Kings to a group from Seattle.

In a letter sent to the NBA's relocation committee, the Maloofs indicates there is  "significant distance between us and the Sacramento group."

The Maloofs said the Sacramento group has asked not to enter into a binding agreement until the Seattle deal is terminated. 

The Maloofs reached an agreement in January to sell a 65 percent controlling interest in the Kings to Hansen's group at a total franchise valuation of $525 million, an NBA record. 

Chris Hanson later voluntarily increased the valuation to $550 million.

Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins played on Monday night after the NBA rescinded one of his technical fouls.

Cousins had picked up his 16th technical foul of the season Sunday night at Houston, which would have forced him to serve an automatic one-game suspension.

Kings coach Keith Smart said he got a call from NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson to inform him that Cousins would be eligible to play.

Ron Burkle will no longer be part of the group trying to purchase the Kings and keep the organization in Sacramento, instead focusing solely on the development project surrounding a new arena.

Burkle is not able to have a stake in the potential purchase of the Kings because he is also an investor in an agency firm that represents NBA players.

The possibly conflict was raised during last week's committee meeting in New York and the Maloofs were not interested in selling the team to Burkle in any form.

Burkle had a small stake in the Sacramento group's bid, according to a source, but it will now need to be replaced.