How Far Away From the NBA is Kansas City?

Kansas City's Sprint Center hosted a well-reviewed preseason game between the Hawks and Blazers on Friday. The Kansas City Star's Jason Whitlock heralds his town as a great fit for pro ball.

I realize it was just a one-time affair, but I'm surprised Kansas Citians were willing to step out and pay Carl Peterson prices for a nonfootball event, particularly in this brutal economic environment. Friday night brought me one more step closer to believing we would support the NBA.

The gym, again, has received lots of positive reviews from NBA types, and is even seen as a model in the arena negotiations in Sacramento. (Ironic, considering KC's old NBA team is the Kings.) But just how far down the list in Kansas City in terms of NBA expansion or relocation?

Seattle's supposed to be up top; the local politicians, however, have seemed to have taken only a few months to completely forget about the steps they need to take to line up a future franchise. (Basically, they need to plug the penalty Clay Bennett paid to move back into KeyArena in the form of renovations. Hasn't happened.)

San Jose seems like a non-starter given Golden State's proximity, despite the continued preponderance of wealth in Silicon Valley. (Ain't no tech companies crashing last month.) Anaheim might be in a better position than KC: both have ready arenas and a local willingness to develop new funds, and while the O.C. has more local competition in the Clippers and Lakers, there's also a far greater opportunity for corporate connection in massive L.A.

Of course, no teams are looking to move (we'll know more about Sacramento next year; the Grizz have at least four years left in Memphis) and domestic expansion isn't on the table. As such, should K.C. fans get their hopes up? One such fan comments after the jump.
FanHouse's Matt Moore, a K.C. native, chimes in:

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE GOD, IT'S ALL I ASK FOR. I HAVE NO HOME, I NEED THIS. I NEED THIS BAD. I WILL GET A TATTOO ON MY ASS OF THE LOGO, EVEN IF IT'S AS BAD AS THE THUNDER.