FRONT OFFICE -- work in progress

[Bricklayer]

III -- FRONT OFFICE
A -- General Managers
Joe Axelson
Jerry Reynolds
Bill Russel
Geoff Petrie
Pete D'Allesandro
Mike Bratz
B -- Notable Others
Jerry Reynolds
Bobby Jackson
Wayne Cooper
Shareef Abdur Rahim
Jason Levien
Vlade Divac
Scotty Stirling

 

[Bricklayer]

Wayne Cooper
Position: Vice President of Basketball Operations
Years With Front Office: 1996-2013 (17 years*)

A longtime NBA veteran who had gotten to know Geoff Petrie through several stints with the Portland Trailblazers, Cooper retired from the NBA as a player in 1992, and two years later was hired by the Kings and new GM Petrie as an assistant coach and low level front office trainee. In 1996 he was promoted to Vice President of Basketball Operations, a post which he would hold for the next 17 years until he was dismissed by new ownership in the summer of 2013.

Career Before Kings
Beginning in 1978, the 6'10" Cooper played in the NBA for 13 years as an offensively challenged defensive specialist at the center position. He was a platoon starter throughout the 80s for Portland and then Denver, and then returned to Portland to finish his career as a reserve on Petrie's contending Adelman/Drexler teams of the early 90s.

Career After Kings
Cooper is now listed as retired at age 57.

http://www.nba.com/kings/news/press_release_may_14_2010.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Cooper_(basketball)
http://basketball.realgm.com/staff/Wayne-Cooper/Summary/1497

*plus 2 additional years as assistant coach

 

[VF21]

Jim Gray?

 

[Bricklayer]

Jim Gray?

Jim Gray?

gotta start somewhere with all these. copy/paste = consistency of format

 

[VF21]

gotta start somewhere with all these. copy/paste = consistency of format

Ah, makes sense. Sorry I jumped the gun.

 

[Bricklayer]

Bill Russell
Position: General Manager
Years With Front Office: 1988-1989 (2 years*)

One of the greatest players in NBA history, but a man with limited coaching or front office experience who had not worked in a front office in a dozen years. Russel was hired to coach the Kings in 1987-88, and given a huge 7yr contract to do so based almost entirely on the fame of his name. It quickly became evident Russel was not willing to work as a coach however, and had always been more interested in assuming GM duties. His contract gave him that leverage, and by the end of his first year with the Kings he had been fired as head coach and instead promoted to general manager, bumping the man who had foolishly given him that contract (Joe Axelson) over to the business side of things. His 1 and 1/2 year tenure as GM featured several disastrous trades and continued surliness with the media.

Career Before Kings
Russell anchored the 1950s and 60s Celtics dynasty, winning 5 MVPs and 11 championships along the way. Near the end of his playing career Russell functioned as the Celtics player coach from 1966-69, and later in the 1970s had a four year stint coaching and GMing the Seattle Supersonics that produced modest results. After leaving the Sonics Russell would retreat from the NBA scene for over a decade before reemerging with the Kings in the late 1980s.

Career After Kings
Intensely private even during his playing days, Russel retreated to a reclusive life in the Seattle area after his stint with the Kings. He has co-authored several books, and continues to make appearances to receive honors and have awards named after him until the current day.

http://www.nba.com/kings/news/press_release_may_14_2010.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Russell)
http://basketball.realgm.com/staff/Bill-Russell/Summary/2415
http://articles.latimes.com/1989-12-24/sports/sp-2092_1_bill-russell

*plus 2 additional years as assistant coach