Kings notes: Coach isn't letting arena talk bog him down

OKLAHOMA CITY – While playing professional basketball overseas for many seasons, Keith Smart became accustomed to uncertainty.

So Smart handled the news of the downtown arena agreement being called off between the team and the city of Sacramento like he would have when he played.

He'll just keep working.

"As a player in this business, nothing in this business is done until paperwork is signed," Smart said. "Right now, a lot of talking is going on, but our focus is on the game itself. We can't control (the arena talks). It's in the right hands of people who are going to try to make the right decision and go from there."

This is the second consecutive season Kings players and coaches have fielded questions about the team's future in Sacramento.

Smart said players might talk about the situation, but he won't make it an issue.

"We just have to focus on the games," Smart said.

Injury updates – Second-year center Hassan Whiteside missed Friday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a sprained right ankle suffered Wednesday at New Orleans.

The injury could keep Whiteside out for the rest of the season.

"We may not see him for a while because that's a very bad sprain," Smart said.

Whiteside played in one game as a rookie and had that season end with knee surgery. He had worked his way from the Development League this season to playing late in the second half of the NBA schedule.

"He was starting to understand what it is I wanted from him," Smart said. "He was coming in and I had him in manageable minutes where he was being productive."

Francisco Garcia (concussion) missed his fourth consecutive game. Smart said Garcia could return to the lineup next week. John Salmons (sore right hip) missed his 11th consecutive game.

New Orleans news – A native of Baton Rouge, La., Smart was pleased to hear New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson will purchase the Hornets of the NBA.

"It's tough on my pockets because I have to keep going there, but it's great for the city," Smart said. "You have a lot of people that still want to support that team."

Smart said he had bought 33 tickets for Thursday's game in New Orleans and was still two short of satisfying all of his friends and family members.

• Read more articles by Jason Jones

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