Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has long admired Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, so hiring away one of Morey’s top lieutenants – assistant GM Monte McNair – filled a “certain fixation” for Ranadive, according to Jason Jones and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
There had been a growing sense around the NBA that the Kings would pick Timberwolves executive Sachin Gupta to run their front office – Minnesota was preparing to have to replace Gupta, sources tell The Athletic – but the final selection of McNair was driven by Ranadive.
McNair’s first interview with Sacramento took place over video conference, with Ranadive and consultant Mike Forde running the meeting. The second interview occurred in person on Monday, with Joe Dumars and Ranadive’s son Aneel taking part in that session, according to The Athletic. Aneel Ranadive, a member of the Kings’ executive board, was “very involved in the process,” Jones and Amick report.
Although McNair ultimately beat out fellow finalists Gupta and Wes Wilcox, both Gupta and Wilcox made strong impressions on the franchise too. One source described Wilcox as a “sharp interview,” per The Athletic.
Here’s more on the Kings in the wake of their major front office hire:
- Former general manager Vlade Divac believed the Kings were on the verge of becoming a playoff team, but that sentiment wasn’t shared by everyone around the league, say Jones and Amick. As such, it’s possible McNair won’t hesitate to break up the core of a roster that hasn’t yet produced a winning season.
- According to The Athletic, Divac had been expected to offer De’Aaron Fox a maximum-salary rookie scale extension, re-sign restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanovic – even if meant paying $18MM-ish per year – and attempt to retain free agent big man Harry Giles despite previously turning down his team option for 2020/21. It remains to be seen whether McNair will follow a similar playbook in his first offseason with the organization.
- The Kings have long faced criticism for not having a well-staffed front office, according to Jones and Amick, who say that McNair is expected to make more hires within the basketball operations department. Assistant GM Ken Catanella will also likely remain in his current position.
Idk if a double sign and trade is possible, but Beal and Bertans(S&T) to Sacramento for Hield, Bogdanovic(S&T), Bagley, and Sacramento’s #12 pick this year helps both teams out.
Sacramento gets an elite backcourt of Fox and Beal to build around plus a better #4 in Bertans.
Washington picks up Hield as a building block for their next contender, high 1st, Bagley to play the #5, and with Wall, Hield, Bogdanovic, and Hachimura at #4 I definitely think Wizards could play small ball really well with Bagley/Wagner at the 5.
The Kings gotta show me as if we were in Missouri. Ownership and now his kid are going build a winner? How many owner’s son have done it before?
Hal Steinbrenner, Rocky Wirtz, Virginia Halas McCaskey, Jim Irsay, Clark Hunt, John Mara, Steve Tisch, Art Rooney II, Thomas Ricketts, and many more.
You must be a Wizards fan. You can’t be serious. We’ll give you Beal and maybe a future first rounder for Buddy. Other than that, your trade lopsided. FOH.
Vivek has no idea what he’s doing.
Some constants in life: The sun rises in the East, water runs downhill and the Kings suck.
Buddy is getting traded, he always seems to be left out of any conversation regarding their “future.”
I’d trade hield.. he’s not worth his contract and he seems to be only worried about getting his.. plays zero defense and is a me guy.. not a team guy.fox is going to be a legit star.. Bogdanovic is legit.. barley may be a serviceable big if he can stay healthy.. over pay for barnes but when you are the Kong’s, you need to overpay to keep talent..
Bagley not barley..
Trade Hield to Atlanta or Detroit for the 6th or 7th lottery pick, they have the cap space.
This opens salary pot to pay Bogie.
Then draft Vassell, Bey and/or Nesmith.