[The Athletic] Kings request permission to interview candidates for head of basketball operations

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pdxKingsFan

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
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#31
#31
Of this list I would favor Simon with Gupta a distant second.

As for Simon though, Pat Riley is 75 and he would be next in line? Miami is a much easier gig given the party vibe of the city and the fact that Florida is a tax haven. Why would he come to Sac?

No Bobby Webster. With Miami, Houston and Denver still in the playoffs I guess we can take this to be a final list.
 
Tetsujin

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#32
#32
Some of you seems to be a little angry about the names who aren’t on the list but the names that are on the list are surprisingly competent choices to interview for a GM job. All of them have history with successful rebuilds, all of them have experience, and most importantly none of them are Pete D’Alessandro.
 
S

Sactown ExPat

Starter
#33
#33
pdxKingsFan said:
Of this list I would favor Simon with Gupta a distant second.

As for Simon though, Pat Riley is 75 and he would be next in line? Miami is a much easier gig given the party vibe of the city and the fact that Florida is a tax haven. Why would he come to Sac?

No Bobby Webster. With Miami, Houston and Denver still in the playoffs I guess we can take this to be a final list.
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Agree. Regarding Simon, I suspect he’s going to be passed over for Battier. Miami is one of the two free agent destinations, along with the Lakers, so they can rely on at least getting a meeting. Unlike the Lakers, of course, they don’t just sit around and wait for the league office to dump another generational player in their lap. They grind, probably more than anybody. And because Miami is such an amazing place they put a laser focus on getting basketball lifers. It’s an approach that can work anywhere. Really, they operate like a small market team and probably scare away more superstars than they attract. It’s hard being on the Heat.

I really like this list. All of these guys are up and comers—none of them are coming here if they don’t have control of basketball operations. They’ve all been around the league long enough to understand how horrendous our training staff is, and the hiring process behind that nee training staff.
 
King Baller

King Baller

All-Star
#34
#34
SacTownKid said:
I see proper usage more than anything. Erik Spoelstra is the real freaking deal. He knows what his team is and he's using it for what it is. And this isn't his first go around doing it.

So far this isn't the type of list you truly roll out the red carpet for. Unless you get desperate that is. However this is the type of list where you have individuals who will get a little leery depending on the challenge they are required to take on as a new a younger GM. That's why I think the list should be heavily favored towards individuals that see the potential in this roster and know as much about the game on the court as they do off.

The Warriors management, Larry Bird, Jerry West. That's who you roll out the red carpet for or even offer partial ownership to. Not the list we're seeing as of yet. Although we all know Sacramento is going to have pay a past transgressions fee for sure.
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Well my first example is Kendrick Nunn, undrafted rookie who finished 2nd to Ja Morant in ROY voting:

https://www.hothothoops.com/2020/9/...f-the-year-voting-ja-morant-memphis-grizzlies
 
gunks

gunks

Hall of Famer
#39
#39
Interesting list. I'm liking that we're looking at candidates from very solid FOs with an emphasis on talent evaluation. So sick of watching our FO **** up draft after draft for the past 10 + years.
 
KainLear

KainLear

Starter
#40
#40
Calvin Booth - Was just recently promoted to GM in July of this year. Had previously spent 3 years as the assistant GM

Trajan Langdon - Had been the GM for the Pelicans for a single year after spending the previous 3 as the assistant GM for the Nets

Adam Simon - Has been with the Heat for 25 years and is currently serving a dual role as the VP of basketball operations (his 1st year) in addition to the assistant GM. He just recently turned down the Bulls for a similar position that we're offering.

Monte McNair - Has been in his current role of asst. GM for almost 2 years. Had been previously serving as the VP of basketball operations the 3 years prior.

Sachin Gupta - Has been in his current role for a little over a year now. Prior to that, had spent a single year as an asst. GM for the Pistons.

Wes Wilcox - Has spent the last few years as a tv analyst but had also recently interviewed with the Bulls for a similar role.



(This next bit is from Reddit so take it for what it's worth)

Nets fan here

Trajan Langdon was our assistant GM before he took the Pelicans GM job last offseason. He also ran the G League team (Long Island Nets) and won G League executive of the year last season. He worked under Sean Marks for our rebuild. He's for real. I think he would be great for y'all.
 
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SacTownKid

SacTownKid

Hall of Famer
#43
#43
dude12 said:
I think Them getting the guys they got at the spot they drafted AND the undrafted free agents.....I give credit. But you are right, they have a hell of a coach. I’m jealous of them
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Yeah, not terrible by any stretch but not necessarily something you put as GOAT stuff that justifies gifting an assistant your franchises keys and a suitcase full of cash either. These candidates are more in the Scott Perry realm and while he may end up being as great as perceived he's becoming one of those cautionary tales and a reason why people like Simon turn down gigs at first. Young GM's have a very short lifespan if and when they pick the wrong horse to ride. Now, Pat Riley is the type you get down and pray for so looking up and down his list of management offspring is probably a decent start.
 
SacTownKid

SacTownKid

Hall of Famer
#44
#44
Tetsujin said:
Some of you seems to be a little angry about the names who aren’t on the list but the names that are on the list are surprisingly competent choices to interview for a GM job. All of them have history with successful rebuilds, all of them have experience, and most importantly none of them are Pete D’Alessandro.
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Things have gotten so bad after the way the Walton fiasco is turning out I think we can all just be grateful there is a list this time, haha. In the end it still doesn't matter if Dumars and Vivek don't already have some vision or belief in the building blocks they have. The core players need to be involved heavily in the process IMO. Or at least be a major consideration.
 
M

mac

All-Star
#45
#45
SacTownKid said:
Things have gotten so bad after the way the Walton fiasco is turning out I think we can all just be grateful there is a list this time, haha. In the end it still doesn't matter if Dumars and Vivek don't already have some vision or belief in the building blocks they have. The core players need to be involved heavily in the process IMO. Or at least be a major consideration.
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Do we even know who "core players" are? Maybe we do, but I'm not sure if they're the right core players we should be looking to build around...
 
SacTownKid

SacTownKid

Hall of Famer
#46
#46
mac said:
Do we even know who "core players" are? Maybe we do, but I'm not sure if they're the right core players we should be looking to build around...
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I'd say it's the ones you've already used super high picks on (Fox and Bagley) and the ones you've decided to nearly max out (Buddy and Harrison). They've made their bed already. Whether they are the core long term time will decide. Nothing about their ages dictates it's in any way impossible and this year was basically a waste in terms of seeing if they can actually play together considering how misguided things became during the bubble run. It will be interesting to see what an incoming GM thinks. If they can't see the potential in those players for at least a short term value building process then that individual needs to be crossed off the list. You have the core of a draw and kick catch and shoot squad right there and teams with far less talent are beating ones when the games count doing just that.
 
J

Joshoua

All-Star
#48
#48
There’s literally no reason for Simon to come to Sacramento especially after he declined Denver with jokic. Riley is old I’m sure Simon knows his next in line why would he leave that situation to come to work with Vevik.
 
SacTownKid

SacTownKid

Hall of Famer
#49
#49
Joshoua said:
There’s literally no reason for Simon to come to Sacramento especially after he declined Denver with jokic. Riley is old I’m sure Simon knows his next in line why would he leave that situation to come to work with Vevik.
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Because with Vivek there's a good chance you'll get a 5 year contract and only end up having to work 1 of the years while still getting all your money.
 
SacTownKid

SacTownKid

Hall of Famer
#50
#50
King Baller said:
Second example is undrafted sniper Duncan Robison:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29707109/nba-playoffs-miami-heat-duncan-robinson-steps-sunlight

PS - Yeah, Walton needs to be gone after the new GM is inked.
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Not a bad pick but again, not anything close to legendary if that's supposed to be a single on Simons greatest hits album. He has the looks of a decent first time GM candidate but if he's blinking on better situations then losing out on that record shouldn't cause anyone any sleepless nights. If anything, if Vivek is looking for something new, quit looking for more first timers! Find someone with experience and a freaking track record. Hey wait a minute, now that I think about it... let the Dumars conspiracy theories begin! There might indeed be a plan here and that plan could very well involve him making himself by far the most qualified in the room. Don't get took again Vivek.

Look what Walton did to one of the if not THE best catch and shoot player in the league. Reigning 3 point champ. You can only imagine what he would do to a Duncan Robinson. haha.
 
King Baller

King Baller

All-Star
#52
#52
SacTownKid said:
Not a bad pick but again, not anything close to legendary if that's supposed to be a single on Simons greatest hits album. He has the looks of a decent first time GM candidate but if he's blinking on better situations then losing out on that record shouldn't cause anyone any sleepless nights. If anything, if Vivek is looking for something new, quit looking for more first timers! Find someone with experience and a freaking track record. Hey wait a minute, now that I think about it... let the Dumars conspiracy theories begin! There might indeed be a plan here and that plan could very well involve him making himself by far the most qualified in the room. Don't get took again Vivek.

Look what Walton did to one of the if not THE best catch and shoot player in the league. Reigning 3 point champ. You can only imagine what he would do to a Duncan Robinson. haha.
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#3 is an actual draft pick! Nunn and Robinson were undrafted and are in the Heat's rotation in the Playoffs! Tyler Herro was a 13th pick. Lets hope the KIngs 12th pick is as good:

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports...0200909-onzxurxq4bd3hirjvqcev6vvoe-story.html
 
King Baller

King Baller

All-Star
#53
#53
Joshoua said:
There’s literally no reason for Simon to come to Sacramento especially after he declined Denver with jokic. Riley is old I’m sure Simon knows his next in line why would he leave that situation to come to work with Vevik.
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Maybe he wants to be his own man and prove he can do it in the Western Conference.

I mean someone around here was throwing around names like West, Bird and Morey.............heck anything can happen in 2020:)
 
S

Sactown ExPat

Starter
#56
#56
He may regret it—if Zion can’t stay healthy next year, that deal is going to go sideways real quick. Having said that, I assume he was decidedly behind Gupta, Simon and McNair in the pecking order and this is mostly a face-saving move.
 
kb02

kb02

All-Star
#60
#60
Sactown ExPat said:
He may regret it—if Zion can’t stay healthy next year, that deal is going to go sideways real quick. Having said that, I assume he was decidedly behind Gupta, Simon and McNair in the pecking order and this is mostly a face-saving move.
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No lie. More than a few times where I've looked at Zion and thought he should be playing defensive end for some NFL team. Especially during the bubble.
 
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