Malone fired
- Thread starter fursty13
- Start date
Not sure where to put this, but here's another interview with a little more complete context on what Vivek had to say:
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/71550/vivek-ranadive-looking-for-a-jazz-director
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/71550/vivek-ranadive-looking-for-a-jazz-director
I think Vivek was shocked at how strong the reaction was. Let's hope that his back peddling and putting this on Mullin and PDA is a sign that this scared him a bit and he wants no part of that kind of backlash in the future. Sometimes it's best to look like a cheerleader as an owner. We all know you write the checks and make the big hires. It's easier to hire/fire one basketball operations person, the GM when things don't go right. Once you start making yourself responsible for coaches, drafts, etc., the job becomes infinitely more difficult and you would want to have some basketball background to start with. If I wanted to own a law firm, hiring an advisor who was once a lawyer to help me doesn't make me qualified to be a lawyer. Having Mullin in your ear doesn't make you qualified to make basketball decisions.
Final thing is this. Vivek, don't take responsibility for things that went right and shift blame for things that went wrong. Not a good look as a leader. Don't tell us how you saved the franchise and that it was all in chaos before you came in. We won't forget what the Maloofs did. Bringing this up is essentially telling the fans that we don't have a right to criticize your moves. It's your team now. You get credit for getting an arena done and keeping the team here, but you don't get a pass for being a bad owner if that's what you turn out to be.
Final thing is this. Vivek, don't take responsibility for things that went right and shift blame for things that went wrong. Not a good look as a leader. Don't tell us how you saved the franchise and that it was all in chaos before you came in. We won't forget what the Maloofs did. Bringing this up is essentially telling the fans that we don't have a right to criticize your moves. It's your team now. You get credit for getting an arena done and keeping the team here, but you don't get a pass for being a bad owner if that's what you turn out to be.
Okay, that part is just patently untrue. Vivek has said repeatedly that we have the right to criticize and that one thing that defines Kings fans is their passion.
I know it's de rigueur right now to dump on Vivek and PDA, but let's get real. Vivek is a savvy businessman. To think that he didn't know there would most likely be a significant blowback on the Malone firing is naive. From everything I've read about him, Vivek weighs his options, makes his decision and sticks with it. He did so with the Malone hiring AND the Malone firing. He'll continue to do so and that's his right.
To even insinuate at this early in Vivek's ownership that he's a bad owner is ridiculous. He's not a complacent owner, but there is no real indication he's got anything but the best interests of his team and his investment at heart. He's being treated with an abysmal lack of common courtesy and respect that I personally do not think is warranted. Some are even using his daughter as fodder for their invectives. That's just not right (and I'm speaking in general terms now, Livinthedream, and not about you at all...)
People have every right in the world to vent, to voice disapproval, etc. With sports fans, it is almost as much a requirement as going to the games, buying the jerseys, and all the other stuff we do to support our team. All I'm asking is that people not go so far off the deep end they lose sight of the daylight.
I know it's de rigueur right now to dump on Vivek and PDA, but let's get real. Vivek is a savvy businessman. To think that he didn't know there would most likely be a significant blowback on the Malone firing is naive. From everything I've read about him, Vivek weighs his options, makes his decision and sticks with it. He did so with the Malone hiring AND the Malone firing. He'll continue to do so and that's his right.
To even insinuate at this early in Vivek's ownership that he's a bad owner is ridiculous. He's not a complacent owner, but there is no real indication he's got anything but the best interests of his team and his investment at heart. He's being treated with an abysmal lack of common courtesy and respect that I personally do not think is warranted. Some are even using his daughter as fodder for their invectives. That's just not right (and I'm speaking in general terms now, Livinthedream, and not about you at all...)
People have every right in the world to vent, to voice disapproval, etc. With sports fans, it is almost as much a requirement as going to the games, buying the jerseys, and all the other stuff we do to support our team. All I'm asking is that people not go so far off the deep end they lose sight of the daylight.
I said IF he turns out to be a bad owner. I didn't say he was.
When fans get upset about a basketball decision and he immediately brings up the fact that he saved the franchise, you tell me why then.
But I agree, I don't think it's ok to go after people personally. I stick to the business related issues.
When fans get upset about a basketball decision and he immediately brings up the fact that he saved the franchise, you tell me why then.
But I agree, I don't think it's ok to go after people personally. I stick to the business related issues.
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I can't get this issue out of my head...it plagues me all day long. Why? Because I'm one of the many people who felt like we were finally stable and I purchased season tickets. I'm financially invested. I don't know the future...this could all end perfectly well. But it feels TERRIBLE right now. My ticket partner and I both live in Chico and we can't attend all of the games. Selling tickets to games we can't go to has been difficult and now I feel like it will only be worse. Last night's tickets sold for half of their value and only an hour or so before the game....against a great opponent AND on a jersey retirement night. Look at tomorrow night's game. TONS of tickets available and I'm sure mine won't sell. I've donated a lot of my tickets already this year because I couldn't find any buyers. I'm happy to donate to charities, but if this continues, I will absolutely be out next year...before the new arena is even finished.
I guess I'm just shocked that they made such a rash decision that seems to deflate the fan base and devastate the bottom line. It's a business, after all, and I just don't see this as a sound business decision.
I guess I'm just shocked that they made such a rash decision that seems to deflate the fan base and devastate the bottom line. It's a business, after all, and I just don't see this as a sound business decision.
A few weeks ago, who could have dreamed we'd be looking at headlines like this??
The Sacramento Kings are the biggest mess in the NBA.
The Sacramento Kings are the biggest mess in the NBA.
PDA should have been fired, you have the best post player in the world along with physical complimentary pieces in Gay and Landry and you want to run up and down. Seriously this crap has my blood boiling, our team is being run by a couple of geeks who wish they could step on the court and now they want to use their nerdy analytics to make every decision. Sick of the nerds trying to take over sports, run the business aspects of the franchise and leave the basketball decisions to actual basketball minds. I'm not saying Malone was perfect but he was doing the best with what he was given and all the players seemed to love him. Now we are a joke franchise again with a rotating door as a coach, the geeks didn't even have a clear plan, man this crap is stupid, an absolute joke.
Dunno about you guys, but instinct says that Vivek agreed to this firing as a bystander; after that, he initially supported the FO with his "four points", thinking that it wouldn't be that bad. But the fan reaction didn't die down (thanks to you guys...), and now he puts the hot seat on PDA/Mullin, like people do in business: shift the blame. He is slowly going to the fans' side.
I don't think Vivek is pure evil; he's just lost.
I don't think Vivek is pure evil; he's just lost.
I've spent more time than I should have thinking about this whole incident and I can't think of a single rational argument for firing Malone.
So I can only assume that this essentially came down to a power play. Malone was doing things his way, D'Alessandro wanted them done his way and somebody was bound to lose so Pete struck first.
It's the only answer that makes sense to me.
And it's the only answer that gibes with the ridiculous statement that it's "all about the style of play" when all offseason the talk was about how this season was going to be judged on wins and losses. Especially in light of Vivek detailing the fact that his GM and Mullin flew out to see him weeks ago when the Kings were still a surprise team.
If I'm right, I have to think Vivek chose the wrong side here. But that's what happens when one guy has the bosses ear and the other doesn't.
So I can only assume that this essentially came down to a power play. Malone was doing things his way, D'Alessandro wanted them done his way and somebody was bound to lose so Pete struck first.
It's the only answer that makes sense to me.
And it's the only answer that gibes with the ridiculous statement that it's "all about the style of play" when all offseason the talk was about how this season was going to be judged on wins and losses. Especially in light of Vivek detailing the fact that his GM and Mullin flew out to see him weeks ago when the Kings were still a surprise team.
If I'm right, I have to think Vivek chose the wrong side here. But that's what happens when one guy has the bosses ear and the other doesn't.
Vivek keeps talking and it just keeps looking worse and worse.
“We said let’s see if we can give coach Malone the best help that we can give him,” Ranadive said. “Let’s get him a great assistant coach, let’s get him a point guard (Darren Collison) who can move the ball, let’s get him more help and then let’s see how that progresses.”
Even though the team started 5-1 and played nine games without center DeMarcus Cousins, things didn’t progress how management wanted. Assistant coach Tyrone Corbin was promoted and is expected to get the Kings to play as Ranadive desires.
And, despite criticism, Ranadive wants the key members of the organization to be able to share ideas, no matter how unconventional.
Ranadive brought up the idea of the Kings cherry-picking, leaving one man back for a 4-on-5 defensive approach, even though cherry-picking is mocked even during pickup games.
“It really talks to how open this organization is,” Ranadive said, “where you can brainstorm and there are no dumb ideas and you can debate different concepts and ideas.”
Ranadive said the cherry-picking idea really isn’t extreme. He said it’s about having a higher probability of scoring when protecting a lead.
“The really good teams do a 5-on-4 cherry-pick, but they call it a leak-out,” Ranadive said. “And you see that happening right now in the NBA. When you’re 10 points ahead and you leak out, and you maintain your lead.”
But in the NBA, players tend to only “leak out” when a shot goes up, and not stay back for an entire possession.
“We have very smart people, and they’re all way smarter than me,” Ranadive said. “If I say something stupid, they’ll tell me it’s stupid.”
Ranadive also disputes that he takes a too hands-on approach with the Kings. “That’s all completely untrue,” he said.
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article4602406.html#storylink=cpy
BTW Vivek, not sure I agree with your "we were in San Quentin, now we're in Motel 6" quote.
“We said let’s see if we can give coach Malone the best help that we can give him,” Ranadive said. “Let’s get him a great assistant coach, let’s get him a point guard (Darren Collison) who can move the ball, let’s get him more help and then let’s see how that progresses.”
Even though the team started 5-1 and played nine games without center DeMarcus Cousins, things didn’t progress how management wanted. Assistant coach Tyrone Corbin was promoted and is expected to get the Kings to play as Ranadive desires.
And, despite criticism, Ranadive wants the key members of the organization to be able to share ideas, no matter how unconventional.
Ranadive brought up the idea of the Kings cherry-picking, leaving one man back for a 4-on-5 defensive approach, even though cherry-picking is mocked even during pickup games.
“It really talks to how open this organization is,” Ranadive said, “where you can brainstorm and there are no dumb ideas and you can debate different concepts and ideas.”
Ranadive said the cherry-picking idea really isn’t extreme. He said it’s about having a higher probability of scoring when protecting a lead.
“The really good teams do a 5-on-4 cherry-pick, but they call it a leak-out,” Ranadive said. “And you see that happening right now in the NBA. When you’re 10 points ahead and you leak out, and you maintain your lead.”
But in the NBA, players tend to only “leak out” when a shot goes up, and not stay back for an entire possession.
“We have very smart people, and they’re all way smarter than me,” Ranadive said. “If I say something stupid, they’ll tell me it’s stupid.”
Ranadive also disputes that he takes a too hands-on approach with the Kings. “That’s all completely untrue,” he said.
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article4602406.html#storylink=cpy
BTW Vivek, not sure I agree with your "we were in San Quentin, now we're in Motel 6" quote.
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