We'll soon see if Maloofs are going to back up their words with hard cash

With the end of the lockout looming, it's almost time to focus on basketball-related matters again.

Specifically, free agency.

More specifically, the Maloofs and their wallets and free agency.

Just last spring, after the team was miraculously saved for one more season in Sacramento, Gavin and Joe Maloof pledged that they would finally open the bank vault and go in big for free agents.

Does anyone still believe that?

Because I sure don't.  The family finances are still in a downward spiral.  Sister Adrienne, of Beverly Hills Housewife fame, is even crying poor.

I'd like to be proven wrong, but I don't see how the Kings invest a ton of money this season.  I still think the owners bear a bit of a grudge against Sacramento for submarining their Anaheim deal.  They probably don't believe the city will get their act together on an arena deal so why spend money right now?  Do it after they go to Anaheim in order to make a big splash in Southern Cal.

Then again, maybe the Maloofs are newly committed to Sacramento.

But I'll believe it when I see them writing checks.  Unfortunately, there might not be enough in the bank to stop those checks from bouncing.