McNair gone

[Tetsujin]

Five years ago, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime. I’ll always be grateful to Vivek and the entire Kings organization for taking a chance on me.

The Beam Team brought so much joy to so many. Thank you to the players, coaches, and staff who played such a vital role in…

— Monte McNair (@mmcnair) April 17, 2025

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I'll forever be grateful for the Beam Team I just can't believe what a come down its been. Should have been just the beginning and instead it went straight to crap.

I guess I was pretty excited about the team in 95 and 96 too. lol. We are now in Eddie Jordan territory.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Amick said Monte did not want Doug to be coach moving forward and would have built the team differently if left to his own devices. There it is.

our only hope is Scott really truly has Vivek’s trust. If he doesn’t

 

[SacTownKid]

I'll forever be grateful for the Beam Team I just can't believe what a come down its been. Should have been just the beginning and instead it went straight to crap.

I guess I was pretty excited about the team in 95 and 96 too. lol. We are now in Eddie Jordan territory.

The league started to change. The teams emulating Warriors ball got left behind. It happens. Even the Warriors had to reverse course and traded for Jimmy Butler. It is what it is. As it sits, if you don't play defense you don't matter.

 

[SacTownKid]

Amick said Monte did not want Doug to be coach moving forward and would have built the team differently if left to his own devices. There it is.

our only hope is Scott really truly has Vivek’s trust. If he doesn’t

View attachment 13486

Monte was probably clutching them cheeks when DC got the job and things didn't completely fall in the abyss, lol.

 

[PurpleHaze]

The Vivek Ranadive saga since 2013. I could write a book but here goes. I had high hopes when Vivek Ranadive purchased the Kings, spearheading the drive to build a new arena and keeping the franchise in Sacramento. But now over a decade later it seems to be an endless series of one front office missteps after another. What is going on? Has Ranadive lost his touch or was he never suited to create a winning NBA franchise? Hello small market San Antonio Spurs. Recall very early on when the "chairman" pitched in 2014 bizarre 4-on-5 cherry-picking defense as some novel, great new strategy. Luckily it was never implemented. It seemed the more involved in basketball decisions, the worse things got. Sure he was a great high tech successful entrepreneur but it seemed little Vivek had a Napoleon complex around basketball players whose average height in the NBA 6’7” - Vivek at least a foot shorter. Implying, I’ll be taking total command, be the big brain, the tough guy around here. Will Sacramento ever get beyond bumbling mediocrity, unfortunately for so many years viewed by many as the laughing stock of the NBA?

 

[Section 101]

Kings players heard about it in the locker room from a reporter and were shocked. McNair was just in there talking about next year. So was it mutual or the Kings make it up?

 

[Warhawk]

I’m tired of Vivek saved the team. Honeymoon is long over. he has repeatedly hired, ex-Kings to appease fans. I like Christie and blade as people and former player but it ends there.

Did you not read the last sentence of mine that you quoted?

 

[ockingsfan]

McNair biggest mistake was trading Haliburton instead of Fox. I know we wouldn't had gotten Sabonis, but the NBA is a guard and SF league, not center league anymore. Plus Hali would had been loyal to the end, not like Fox. He should had traded Fox and built around Hali.

His second biggest mistake was not capitalizing on the Beam Team and trying to take the next step that summer. He just rested on his laurels and brought back essentially the same team, warts already showing with HB and Huerter. He didn't make any moves to capitalize on what the Beam Team started and it all fizzled out. He sat on HB and Huerter until their value became salary filler in trade.

The big move after 2 years of starting the Beam Team era was to sign a offensive only player in DDR instead of getting some length and defense to surround around Fox and Sabonis.

I think in the end, McNair was too slow to make the read and make changes needed for this team to take the next step.

 

[SLAB]

McNair biggest mistake was trading Haliburton instead of Fox. I know we wouldn't had gotten Sabonis, but the NBA is a guard and SF league, not center league anymore. Plus Hali would had been loyal to the end, not like Fox. He should had traded Fox and built around Hali.

His second biggest mistake was not capitalizing on the Beam Team and trying to take the next step that summer. He just rested on his laurels and brought back essentially the same team, warts already showing with HB and Huerter. He didn't make any moves to capitalize on what the Beam Team started and it all fizzled out. He sat on HB and Huerter until their value became salary filler in trade.

The big move after 2 years of starting the Beam Team era was to sign a offensive only player in DDR instead of getting some length and defense to surround around Fox and Sabonis.

I think in the end, McNair was too slow to make the read and make changes needed for this team to take the next step.

He should have, but people don’t remember (or choose not to) that Fox quit trying and tanked his value to worthless even back then when he was a little unhappy. No one would have touched Fox back then.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

He should have, but people don’t remember (or choose not to) that Fox quit trying and tanked his value to worthless even back then when he was a little unhappy. No one would have touched Fox back then.

And probably why Fox-Doncic would not have worked either. Granted we chose Fox at every corner only for him to flip us the bird.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Plus Hali would had been loyal to the end, not like Fox.

Can we really say that? I don't think we actually can. Fox seems at least partially motivated by the woman whose hometown he named as the only possible acceptable trade destination. No telling what could happen to Haliburton over 7 years.

 

[Warhawk]

McNair biggest mistake was trading Haliburton instead of Fox. I know we wouldn't had gotten Sabonis, but the NBA is a guard and SF league, not center league anymore. Plus Hali would had been loyal to the end, not like Fox. He should had traded Fox and built around Hali.

Yeah, I don't know that this is valid.
A) Without Sabonis we aren't the Beam Team that year. He's what made it all "go". I don't know of anyone else we could have gotten with Fox as bait that would have turned around the team the same way.
B) You have no idea how "loyal" Hali would be over time. We thought the same about Fox, after all.
C) Fox's contract, while OK for the player he turned into, was a bit much at the time. Hence the reason he wasn't desired in trades and Hali was.

 

[SacTownKid]

Can we really say that? I don't think we actually can. Fox seems at least partially motivated by the woman whose hometown he named as the only possible acceptable trade destination. No telling what could happen to Haliburton over 7 years.

And once players head into that 3rd contract, agents tend to get the itch if the players don't. It's a new day in the NBA. Players used to ring chase at the end of their careers, now they want to keep putting up the numbers until the end but on a contending team. Or go to a team with a superstar potential young player that can become a contender. If they aren't on one, they'll force their team until they give in.

 

[ockingsfan]

Can we really say that? I don't think we actually can. Fox seems at least partially motivated by the woman whose hometown he named as the only possible acceptable trade destination. No telling what could happen to Haliburton over 7 years.

The man literally cried when we traded him.

In most cases, players cry when they are traded TO the Kings, not the other way around.

 

[ockingsfan]

Yeah, I don't know that this is valid.
A) Without Sabonis we aren't the Beam Team that year. He's what made it all "go". I don't know of anyone else we could have gotten with Fox as bait that would have turned around the team the same way.
B) You have no idea how "loyal" Hali would be over time. We thought the same about Fox, after all.
C) Fox's contract, while OK for the player he turned into, was a bit much at the time. Hence the reason he wasn't desired in trades and Hali was.

While Sabonis was instrumental in making the year one Beam Team click, Hali would had been the better long term answer for the Kings. Like I said, it's a guard and SF league, not a big man league anymore.

Also, yes Fox value was low, but you could see the potential of Hali after his first year. If anyone was untouchable at that time, I thought it was him.

I would had waited to get Fox and Hali a real coach, and not Luke Walton, before I decided to ship Hali out. And if a Fox-Hali duo didn't work with a real coach, I would had traded Fox for pennies on the dollar than trade a young All-Star guard.

I could had lived with passing on Sabonis and the one year of playoffs if we still had a young All-Star (All-NBA level?) PG on this team to build around.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

The man literally cried when we traded him.

In most cases, players cry when they are traded TO the Kings, not the other way around.

Yeah but he was here a season and a half. Fox 100% wanted to be here in his first few seasons. We don't know what changed, whether it was losing or it was because of his family, but it changed. Haliburton has also changed.

 

[Warhawk]

While Sabonis was instrumental in making the year one Beam Team click, Hali would had been the better long term answer for the Kings. Like I said, it's a guard and SF league, not a big man league anymore.

Also, yes Fox value was low, but you could see the potential of Hali after his first year. If anyone was untouchable at that time, I thought it was him.

I would had waited to get Fox and Hali a real coach, and not Luke Walton, before I decided to ship Hali out. And if a Fox-Hali duo didn't work with a real coach, I would had traded Fox for pennies on the dollar than trade a young All-Star guard.

I could had lived with passing on Sabonis and the one year of playoffs if we still had a young All-Star (All-NBA level?) PG on this team to build around.

Maybe so. We'll never know for sure. All I know is Sabonis has been my favorite player we've had in a long time. He's the one that makes the whole team work, even if Fox had more skill. He does the dirty work, gets double doubles falling out of bed just about every day, and sets hard screens that free up most of our other players. He's added a good three shot to his game this year. Yes, he has limitations, but every player does. I don't think you can just throw that out the window on the assumption you could magically find something better by trading Fox instead, who nobody wanted to trade for (either back then or now, other than San Antonio).

 

[captain bill]

McNair biggest mistake was trading Haliburton instead of Fox. I know we wouldn't had gotten Sabonis, but the NBA is a guard and SF league, not center league anymore. Plus Hali would had been loyal to the end, not like Fox. He should had traded Fox and built around Hali.

His second biggest mistake was not capitalizing on the Beam Team and trying to take the next step that summer. He just rested on his laurels and brought back essentially the same team, warts already showing with HB and Huerter. He didn't make any moves to capitalize on what the Beam Team started and it all fizzled out. He sat on HB and Huerter until their value became salary filler in trade.

The big move after 2 years of starting the Beam Team era was to sign a offensive only player in DDR instead of getting some length and defense to surround around Fox and Sabonis.

I think in the end, McNair was too slow to make the read and make changes needed for this team to take the next step.

At the time I said the Halliburton trade was a mistake. Knowing Vivek he for sure would have favored the win now trade over a longer term rebuild with a Fox move and a few down years to build it up around Tyrese. Suspect we might get some tidbits on that now that the FO is cleared out

 

[SacTownKid]

Yeah but he was here a season and a half. Fox 100% wanted to be here in his first few seasons. We don't know what changed, whether it was losing or it was because of his family, but it changed. Haliburton has also changed.

Time more than likely. Fox is also pretty smart fellow. Some players just roll out the ball and expect to win, but this is the day where even the players are on 2K playing GM with their own roster, openly commenting on trades, and almost making sure that they don't get anything in return via trade. Stars used to be insulted by the packages they got in return, not anymore. Stars know that once they start making the majority of a teams salary cap it's unlikely that the team they're on is going to be able to augment the talent level of their roster unless the organization takes steps back. Fox is getting into his prime and in no way does he want to have to sit through a reset on a team that has proven time and again during his tenure that it doesn't know how to fully commit to one, and even if he did he's not trusting that. Fox wanted this franchise to pull out every win now move possible, which is understandable from his perspective, but he doesn't give a **** about the Kings having to stare at a blank wall for 5 years after he's long gone.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Time more than likely. Fox is also pretty smart fellow. Some players just roll out the ball and expect to win, but this is the day where even the players are on 2K playing GM with their own roster, openly commenting on trades, and almost making sure that they don't get anything in return via trade. Stars used to be insulted by the packages they got in return, not anymore. Stars know that once they start making the majority of a teams salary cap it's unlikely that the team they're on is going to be able to augment the talent level of their roster unless the organization takes steps back. Fox is getting into his prime and in no way does he want to have to sit through a reset on a team that has proven time and again during his tenure that it doesn't know how to fully commit to one, and even if he did he's not trusting that. Fox wanted this franchise to pull out every win now move possible, which is understandable from his perspective, but he doesn't give a **** about the Kings having to stare at a blank wall for 5 years after he's long gone.

Which is also coincidentally why he completely tanked his trade value so his new team wouldn't have to give up anything that could lead to them contending later either.

Modern NBA.

 

[SacTownKid]

Which is also coincidentally why he completely tanked his trade value so his new team wouldn't have to give up anything that could lead to them contending later either.

Modern NBA.

And players wonder why they get more crap from fans then ever before. It was that last lockout that did it IMO. The players really thought the fans were going to side with them on social media and instead the hordes came out to feast on them like rabid zombies. haha.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

And players wonder why they get more crap from fans then ever before. It was that last lockout that did it IMO. The players really thought the fans were going to side with them on social media and instead the hordes came out to feast on them like rabid zombies. haha.

sportsball player strike is totally the same thing as the nurses at my hospital doing it.

 

[SacTownKid]

sportsball player strike is totally the same thing as the nurses at my hospital doing it.

Haha, exactly.

 

[Kingster]

Even if you think that Vivek made all the bad decisions and McNair made all the good ones, McNair needed to go. You can't have a weak GM who either backs down to the owner (while collecting the paycheck) or can't convince the owner of his faulty thinking. There is no point to continuing with the same leadership that led this team to nowhere. Does the firing of McNair necessarily lead to greater things? Absolutely not. It just gives the team a chance to be better, not a guarantee of it.

 

[Jdbraver137]

Even if you think that Vivek made all the bad decisions and McNair made all the good ones, McNair needed to go. You can't have a weak GM who either backs down to the owner (while collecting the paycheck) or can't convince the owner of his faulty thinking. There is no point to continuing with the same leadership that led this team to nowhere. Does the firing of McNair necessarily lead to greater things? Absolutely not. It just gives the team a chance to be better, not a guarantee of it.

Vivek should not be meddling. Vivek is the problem.

 

[NewArena]

I think Vivek is looking for only "Yes Men" at this point. He is only going to get more meddlesome.

I honestly disagree with this take. I really don’t think he’s as involved as people think

 

[NewArena]

It was “Monte is great” when the Kings were winning two years ago (no credit to Vivek at all) and now his bad moves are all Vivek’s fault? I don’t get it

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I honestly disagree with this take. I really don’t think he’s as involved as people think

I'm not sure how we can arrive at that based on the last 24 hours. I had hoped but it sure seems like he's dipping his hands in again.

But it is possible that everything was a reaction to the 23-24 season and the first two months of this season and a decision to clean house.

And I guess if DDR was all him as some are asserting when it sure seemed to be a player recruiting thing when it happened.

 

[TheMobb]

I honestly disagree with this take. I really don’t think he’s as involved as people think

What evidence is there that he’s not involved? Amick is pretty reputable and is reporting he was the driving force behind both DDR and LaVine acquisitions.