RENO, Nev. -- Sacramento Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof said Thursday that he believes the Kings were better than the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers last season and should be "one of the greatest teams ever'' this year.

"We are tired of losing to the Lakers, we really are,'' Maloof said while promoting an Oct. 10 exhibition against the Utah Jazz at the University of Nevada's Lawlor Events Center.

"We believe that last year we had the better team. ... Now, we are all focused. We have one task -- that's to win it all,'' he said at a news conference at a Reno casino.

The Kings have been working harder than ever during the off-season to try to dethrone the three-time defending champions, Maloof said.

Star center Chris Webber's indictment in an ongoing criminal case involving a Michigan booster has shown no signs of affecting the team, he said.

"I don't think it will be a distraction,'' he said.

"Chris has been the cornerstone of this franchise. We wouldn't be here without Chris Webber. ... He has been great in our community on the court and off the court.

"He has been an animal in the gym'' since the loss to the Lakers in overtime of Game 7 of the Western Finals, Maloof said. "He's probably in the best shape he has ever been in.''

"This other part, he has to get through it. I'm sure he will.''

Webber, his father and his aunt each have pleaded innocent to charges of obstructing justice and lying to a federal grand jury that was investigating University of Michigan booster Ed Martin, who says he gave Webber and his family $280,000 in cash and gifts while the player was in high school and college.

Each count is punishable by up to five years in prison. A trial is not expected to begin before next year.

"I really can't comment on it any further because I'm not privy to all the information,'' Maloof said.

"I can just tell you he has been a model citizen for Sacramento and our fans.''

Mike Bibby, who recently signed a seven-year contract worth $80 million, also has been "hitting the gym eight, 10 hours a day,'' Maloof said.

"He is strong as a horse. He looks terrific,'' he said.

The acquisition of Keon Clark to help slow Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal and the return of a healthy Peja Stojakovic -- combined with Vlade Divac, Doug Christie and Bobby Jackson -- "makes us just an unbelievable team.

"I think we have one of the greatest teams ever,'' Maloof said.

"We have rebounding, shot blocking. We have athleticism. ... We have shooting, running, defense. We have everything but Shaq,'' he said.

Maloof said fans always ask him, "How are you going to stop Shaq?''

"Well, we can't stop Shaq, but how is he going to stop 12 of us? We have 12 players who can score,'' he said.

Maloof admitted the overtime loss to the Lakers was "disheartening, very disappointing.

"Sometimes you have to pay your dues,'' he said.

"They're the world champions. You have to give them credit. We do. But we still believe in ourselves. ... You just have to keep knocking at the door and sooner or later the door is going to open.''