Bucher: Ranadive fired Malone, wanted to hire Mark Jackson

[King of Nowhere]

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...eek-set-stage-for-busy-nba-trade-season-ahead

Taking the interim tag off Tyrone Corbin as head coach of the Sacramento Kings was a momentary victory for the team's basketball operations over owner Vivek Ranadive, whom sources say was hot and bothered about making a splashy hire to replace Mike Malone, hence the speculation about Mark Jackson or George Karl being hired.

While there were doubts if Malone was the long-term answer for the franchise, most of the organization was happy with the Kings' direction and felt the team, overall, was overachieving this season. Ranadive, however, was unhappy that Malone wouldn't answer or incorporate his texted ideas about how the team should be run, sources say, and made the unilateral decision to fire him.

Ranadive's adviser, Chris Mullin, has long been close with Jackson, and Ranadive, one league source said, would love to tweak the Warriors by having Jackson lead his team back to prominence as he did Golden State. But it's hard to imagine either side believing that joining forces in midseason makes a lot of sense.

As for Karl, it's not clear if Ranadive was convinced he wouldn't take any more kindly to his suggestions than Malone did or if he simply agreed to stand down for the time being on the coaching front. Mullin, sources said, never seriously considered moving to the bench, at least not as far as this season is concerned.

In any case, executives around the league don't expect Ranadive or the Kings to stay quiet for too long, whether it be making roster moves or finding a headline-grabbing head coach.

Meddling owner confirmed?

 

[upinsmoke]

I don't take much of anything from bleacherreport as a confirmation.

 

[King of Nowhere]

I don't take much of anything from bleacherreport as a confirmation.

Agreed, bleacherreport isn't top tier in sports journalism. But, Bucher does have ties to the bay area from working with CSN Bay Area for a while so might actually have some real sources. Pretty disturbing if true.

 

[uolj]

Agreed, bleacherreport isn't top tier in sports journalism. But, Bucher does have ties to the bay area from working with CSN Bay Area for a while so might actually have some real sources.

Bucher (or his sources) have been horribly wrong on a bunch of things over the last couple years if I remember correctly. Doesn't mean this is completely wrong, but does make one skeptical.

Also discussed here: Up-tempo worked for us tonight

 

[John Galt]

Slander if it isn't true. Wow !!

And if it is true - disgusting. VIvek surrounds himself with brown nosers much smarter than him I guess.

I don't believe the story though.

 

[King of Nowhere]

Bucher (or his sources) have been horribly wrong on a bunch of things over the last couple years if I remember correctly. Doesn't mean this is completely wrong, but does make one skeptical.

Also discussed here: Up-tempo worked for us tonight

Did not see that, apologies! Mod can delete or move this if need be.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

This was discussed (briefly) in another thread. Ric Bucher alert is on full. Honestly, I don't think we'll ever know whose call it was, but when Ric Bucher says something, I don't know anything that I didn't know before he opened his mouth.

 

[gunks]

Hopefully untrue, but not at all surprising if it did go down that way.

 

[funkykingston]

Report: Ric Bucher is a horse's ***

 

[Spike]

Report: Ric Bucher is a horse's ***

I believe the findings in this report has been corroborated by multiple sources.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Slander if it isn't true. Wow !!

 

[Chubbs]

With the acknowledgement of Bucher's usual reporting, do we any confirmation from Petey or Mully that that early morning flight to Vegas actually happened?

Cause that directly conflicts with this report of Ranadive "unilaterally" firing Malone.

Hard for both to be true.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...eek-set-stage-for-busy-nba-trade-season-ahead



Meddling owner confirmed?

not meddling, chief irritant. another snazzy new nba term coined by our very own

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

With the acknowledgement of Bucher's usual reporting, do we any confirmation from Petey or Mully that that early morning flight to Vegas actually happened?

Cause that directly conflicts with this report of Ranadive "unilaterally" firing Malone.

Hard for both to be true.

It may or may not have went down exactly this way. But the basic idea that Vivek was the one that decided on firing Malone because Malone didn't go along with his lunatic ideas like Pete & Mully is true.

Its always going to be a he said she said with this. Vivek said his version, pete has his and so on. They'll get together and come up with something to cover their bull crap later.

At the end of the day, it was Vivek's decision to fire the coach that he hired. I don't believe that if Vivek didn't already want to fire Malone, Pete would be able to convince him. Pete is a yes man to Vivek.

If Vivek did not want Malone fired, it wouldn't have happened. Malone WAS his guy and his first hire.

 

[VF21]

Agreed, bleacherreport isn't top tier in sports journalism. But, Bucher does have ties to the bay area from working with CSN Bay Area for a while so might actually have some real sources. Pretty disturbing if true.

Bucher is a hack. Always has been, always will be. The idea that he might have real reliable sources is on a par with pigs having wings.

 

[VF21]

Slander if it isn't true. Wow !!

And if it is true - disgusting. VIvek surrounds himself with brown nosers much smarter than him I guess.

I don't believe the story though.

Not slander or libel. Bucher very carefully gives himself an out by citing "sources" for the information. Plus, it cannot be libel unless actual measurable harm can be directly attributed to the statement.