Amick: TNT's Kenny Smith enters Sacramento Kings' GM search

[KingKong]

MIAMI — With the Sacramento Kings continuing their general manager search, a most-unexpected candidate has been revealed: Kenny Smith. The former Kings player and TNT commentator told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday night that he has been in discussions with new owner Vivek Ranadive

More: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...nny-smith-sacramento-general-manager/2407325/

 

[Bballkingsrock]

No thanks Jeff.

 

[mac]

If I had to pick one of the tnt guys it'd be Barkley. 2-0 in the rookie game haha

 

[Bricklayer]

MIAMI — With the Sacramento Kings continuing their general manager search, a most-unexpected candidate has been revealed: Kenny Smith. The former Kings player and TNT commentator told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday night that he has been in discussions with new owner Vivek Ranadive

More: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...nny-smith-sacramento-general-manager/2407325/

Oh help.

 

[miltonap]

Well one things for sure, Vivek's been goin' around. Dude doesn't waste time.

 

[Krunker]

When did TNT commentating qualify as training to be a GM? I can see hiring the Jet as an assistant coach but that's about it.

 

[jalfa]

Well one things for sure, Vivek's been goin' around. Dude doesn't waste time.

the precise opposite of what these news made me think.

 

[ParniValjak]

Now we are definitely scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Brick, I think it's time you polished off that resume. Given the competition you've got a great chance!

 

[nebs]

This has to be a joke lmao.

 

[Entity]

reading deeper from other outlets. It just says front office opportunities. Not specifically the GM job

 

[Dime Dropper]

Maybe Mark Jackson put in a good work for Kenny with Vivek? Difficult to make any other connection, unless Smith actively sought out an interview.

Obviously it would be a risky move, and certainly one that I'm not at all comfortable with. It is possible that his on-air personality is just that - for TV. It's possible he'd be successful, but really I can't see Vivek hiring someone with no experience and such a big risk. It just seems a bit strange.

reading deeper from other outlets. It just says front office opportunities. Not specifically the GM job

I haven't read any reports, but that would at least make more sense.

 

[Rug King]

I don't like it at all. Smith really wasn't a team player, he's a goofball along with Barkley and will too busy getting silly to run a team.

 

[Livinthedream]

The article implies that Smith reached out to Ranadive and Ranadive listened. Not sure that it's a big deal. As a matter of fact, we should be flattered as a city that so many former players seem genuinely interested in coming back and being a part of this team and community. Then we should commend Vivek for having an open ear to former Sacramento players. It creates a sense of family that all great franchises should have.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

leave no rock or pebble unturned

 

[Kingster]

Absolutely no to Kenny Smith. Just add Barkley as the chief scout and we'd have the Abbott and Costello tandem. This is a waste of time and a sign of desperation at this point. I wish Vivek would go back to the beginning and hire Schlenk, Warriors' feeling be damned, and get this thing over with.

By the way, Smith playing the guy who thinks he's smarter than he is, and Barkley playing the guy dumber than Smith, is the funniest thing on TV, much less on a basketball program. I love those guys from an entertainment point of view, but just shudder at Smith making decisions in the King organization.

 

[LPKingsFan]

Not sure what all the fuss is about if you read this nugget from the Amick story: "Ranadive has been looking to have a two-tier structure of sorts, with a widely known name at the top joining forces with a respected executive in the front office."

My guess would be that Smith (or Bird, Mullin, etc) would be the guy on top, with a guy like D'Alessandro or Schlenk managing affairs on the ground.

 

[Section 101]

reading deeper from other outlets. It just says front office opportunities. Not specifically the GM job

Correct. It would be the assistant to the GM or a coaching position.

Ranadive has been looking to have a two-tier structure of sorts, with a widely known name at the top joining forces with a respected executive in the front office.

Asked if he has been on the lookout for front office opportunities, Smith said, "Honestly, I've been looking at both — coaching, and a lot of things have been coming these last couple of years, and this time I've been taking it serious. My kids are at an age where I feel comfortable. And the other years, the kids were just too young. I didn't want to be in it. But I just started taking it serious."

 

[Fear the Putin]

By the way, Smith playing the guy who thinks he's smarter than he is, and Barkley playing the guy dumber than Smith, is the funniest thing on TV, much less on a basketball program. I love those guys from an entertainment point of view, but just shudder at Smith making decisions in the King organization.

this

his "let me slow down my speech in increments of words that I don't understand the meaning of to make myself seem like my thoughts actually have more merit than others" way of speaking rubs me the wrong way.

 

[JB_kings]

Think of this as more of a free agent recruiting position than a real GM. That's why you hear names like Webber and Smith.

 

[The_Jamal]

Don't see any issue with this. Ranadive is a smart business man, he's going to look at ALL his options and not leave a potential goldmine on the table. Not that Smith is a goldmine, but it doesn't hurt to talk with somebody, which is all the article states.

Who knows, maybe Smith has a brilliant direction he wants to take the team? The only public side of him we see is the entertainment value on TNT. That doesn't necessarily mean he's a buffoon who doesn't know anything.

 

[bajaden]

Absolutely no to Kenny Smith. Just add Barkley as the chief scout and we'd have the Abbott and Costello tandem. This is a waste of time and a sign of desperation at this point. I wish Vivek would go back to the beginning and hire Schlenk, Warriors' feeling be damned, and get this thing over with.

By the way, Smith playing the guy who thinks he's smarter than he is, and Barkley playing the guy dumber than Smith, is the funniest thing on TV, much less on a basketball program. I love those guys from an entertainment point of view, but just shudder at Smith making decisions in the King organization.

Just a wee bit of over reaction me thinks. First of all, this didn't come from the Kings orginization, so it probably came from Smith, or someone close to Smith. I suspect that Smith approached the Kings, and not the other way around. And to be truthful, we have no idea what the conversations were about. We just assume that its about the GM job. By the way, Jason Jones, well done! Your right on top of things again. That said, what qualifications did Mullins have when he was hired as GM? What qualifications did Bird have? How much experience did Mark Jackson have as a head coach? Truth is, there have been players that went from players to GM, and some with little or no stop in between. Don't confuse on air personna with the real person. Jerry Reynolds is an entirely different person off the air. I know, I've had conversations with him.

However, this is not an endorsement of Smith. He would be far down my list of candidates. But I'd hardly say this was an act of desperation. I suspect that you show up for jury duty with a noose and a needle in your hands.

 

[Kingster]

Just a wee bit of over reaction me thinks. First of all, this didn't come from the Kings orginization, so it probably came from Smith, or someone close to Smith. I suspect that Smith approached the Kings, and not the other way around. And to be truthful, we have no idea what the conversations were about. We just assume that its about the GM job. By the way, Jason Jones, well done! Your right on top of things again. That said, what qualifications did Mullins have when he was hired as GM? What qualifications did Bird have? How much experience did Mark Jackson have as a head coach? Truth is, there have been players that went from players to GM, and some with little or no stop in between. Don't confuse on air personna with the real person. Jerry Reynolds is an entirely different person off the air. I know, I've had conversations with him.

However, this is not an endorsement of Smith. He would be far down my list of candidates. But I'd hardly say this was an act of desperation. I suspect that you show up for jury duty with a noose and a needle in your hands.

If in fact Vivek does not consider Smith as a serious candidate, then he better get his PR guy out there and put the kabosh on this thing. This doesn't make the new Kings org look brilliant. Just the opposite. So maybe the substance is not there, just the perception, in which case they should obliterate that perception very fast imo.

 

[mac]

Don't see any issue with this. Ranadive is a smart business man, he's going to look at ALL his options and not leave a potential goldmine on the table. Not that Smith is a goldmine, but it doesn't hurt to talk with somebody, which is all the article states.

Who knows, maybe Smith has a brilliant direction he wants to take the team? The only public side of him we see is the entertainment value on TNT. That doesn't necessarily mean he's a buffoon who doesn't know anything.

One thing that bothers me thus far is people's faith in Vivek. Just because a guy is a good businessman and a tech genius doesn't make him a good builder of a basketball FO. That's not to say that I don't have faith in Vivek (for at very least he's earned some of it!), but that him being the Kings' saviour doesn't exempt him from putting together a good FO and consequently a good team.

While you are right that it is good to look at one's options, I think many fans, myself included, are anxious to get the whole FO and coaching thing settled, especially with the draft right around the corner. We don't want to have a GM just days into the job when the draft and FA starts, especially one with no proven experience.

 

[Gary]

Wow. Not afraid to show your true colors. Not a cool comment at all.

ehh. Both sides of this argument are stupid. It shouldn't be said, but it's not something that should offend someone either. I haven't even heard that term, but reading about it, it just looks like a dated term that may or may not still be used in the south?

As for Smith.... PASS!

 

[Livinthedream]

Just a wee bit of over reaction me thinks. First of all, this didn't come from the Kings orginization, so it probably came from Smith, or someone close to Smith. I suspect that Smith approached the Kings, and not the other way around. And to be truthful, we have no idea what the conversations were about. We just assume that its about the GM job. By the way, Jason Jones, well done! Your right on top of things again. That said, what qualifications did Mullins have when he was hired as GM? What qualifications did Bird have? How much experience did Mark Jackson have as a head coach? Truth is, there have been players that went from players to GM, and some with little or no stop in between. Don't confuse on air personna with the real person. Jerry Reynolds is an entirely different person off the air. I know, I've had conversations with him.

However, this is not an endorsement of Smith. He would be far down my list of candidates. But I'd hardly say this was an act of desperation. I suspect that you show up for jury duty with a noose and a needle in your hands.

Truth!

 

[Gary]

He's not insinuating anything. It was a very poor choice of words and clearly he wasn't the only one to feel that way.
But it's probably better to just move on from that now and let it rest.

Yah I just changed my post. I had never heard that term before and I work with a lot of African Americans. Both sides of the argument imo are kinda dumb. It looks like a couple over sensitive people vs. someone that said something marginally stupid.

Anyhow, if it's a front office job I am not sure what job he would be looking for. Maybe Jerry's position? Like someone said above though I wouldn't give him more than an assistant coach job.

 

[pshn80]

One thing that bothers me thus far is people's faith in Vivek. Just because a guy is a good businessman and a tech genius doesn't make him a good builder of a basketball FO. That's not to say that I don't have faith in Vivek (for at very least he's earned some of it!), but that him being the Kings' saviour doesn't exempt him from putting together a good FO and consequently a good team.

While you are right that it is good to look at one's options, I think many fans, myself included, are anxious to get the whole FO and coaching thing settled, especially with the draft right around the corner. We don't want to have a GM just days into the job when the draft and FA starts, especially one with no proven experience.

At best the new GM will be a few days on the job when our draft choice is made.

I have faith in Ranadive making a good decision.

No reason to be anxious. It's far more important to make a good decision on thef GM than on the draft.

 

[kingjatt]

I dont see smith actually becoming our GM but I do see Vivek assembling a team to do this as it brings in different propectives and seems to be the way FO's are headed where its not so much about the head man being the only opinion that matters. Some big names should and would be apart of that as it does command the respect of some free agents we may look at down the road, Smith may not be GM material but I doubt anyone can argue that he isnt well connected around the league. If Vivek has the money to put all of these big names guys into the Basketball Ops staff I dont see it as a bad thing, as long as he lands a proven or experianced asst. GM at the top.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

This just isn't happening. It isn't. It can't.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

One thing that bothers me thus far is people's faith in Vivek. Just because a guy is a good businessman and a tech genius doesn't make him a good builder of a basketball FO. That's not to say that I don't have faith in Vivek (for at very least he's earned some of it!), but that him being the Kings' saviour doesn't exempt him from putting together a good FO and consequently a good team.

While you are right that it is good to look at one's options, I think many fans, myself included, are anxious to get the whole FO and coaching thing settled, especially with the draft right around the corner. We don't want to have a GM just days into the job when the draft and FA starts, especially one with no proven experience.

Agreed 100%. There shouldn't be any grace period. We are on a message board, we all love this team, we all think we know what's best for it.

We can critique the new owner. It's all part of the business. It's never personal with Vivek, he's obviously a Sacramento hero, but he's not perfect. He will make bad moves, and I think it's fair to talk about them.

Now, if he hires Kenny Smith, that's a bad move. We shouldn't have to show blind faith in him as a person who can put together a basketball organization.