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Vivek Ranadive

Kings Have Considered Firing George Karl?

June 26th, 2015 at 1:23am CST by Zachary Links

FRIDAY, 1:23am: Vice president of basketball and franchise operations Vlade Divac said the issues are between himself and Karl, not Ranadive and Karl, as Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee relays (Twitter links). Divac didn’t elaborate, but Jones hears that he didn’t like Karl going behind his back to negotiate possible trades. Divac nonetheless added that he has no shortage of respect for Karl and wants to believe that Karl and Cousins can work with each other, Jones also tweets.

“I respect my coach and I think he’s great but he has to trust me to do my job. That’s all,” Divac said, according to Jones (Twitter link).

5:17pm: Credible sources inside the Kings issued strong denials that the team has made Karl’s job status a matter of discussion, tweets Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee.

4:56pm: Karl is no longer in the loop on draft discussions, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweets.

THURSDAY, 4:01pm: Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has considered firing George Karl, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. Ranadive is upset with Karl’s desire to trade center DeMarcus Cousins, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

No potential replacement for Karl has been mentioned or considered yet, according to Broussard.  Meanwhile, firing Karl will not be a panacea for the tensions between Cousins and the franchise.

“If you fire Karl, now you can’t control Cousins because he’ll know he’s running the place,” the source told Broussard. “Now he’ll feel like he’s telling you what to do.”

No firing is imminent, which perhaps explains Broussard’s usage of the past tense in saying Ranadive has “considered” the move, but the owner has broached the subject with team execs over the last few days, per the source.  When Ranadive was considering hiring Karl in February, some members of the organization told him it was a bad idea. Recently, the owner told at least one of those people that he was right.

The Kings hired Karl In February, giving him a four-year deal worth $14.5MM.  Karl is guaranteed $11MM in total.

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Draft Rumors: Lakers, Okafor, Russell

June 25th, 2015 at 3:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lakers are leaning towards taking Jahlil Okafor with the No. 2 overall pick, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter).  However, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter) hears that the Lakers are undecided with both Okafor and D’Angelo Russell in play.  Of course, the only word that counts will come from commissioner Adam Silver later tonight. Here’s the latest draft news..

  • Frank Kaminsky is moving up draft boards in the final hours, league sources tell David Aldridge of NBA.com (on Twitter).  He could very well go higher than No. 9, which is where the Hornets would like him.
  • Kings owner Vivek Ranadive was known to be very high on Willie Cauley-Stein but Sam Amick of USA Today Sports (on Twitter) isn’t hearing much of that today.
  • Several league sources tell Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter) that they expect Cauley-Stein to slip.   The big man didn’t shine in workouts or interviews and his ankle is a concern.
  • The Jazz are targeting Stanley Johnson and Justise Winslow at No. 12 and they’re willing to trade up if they feel it’s necessary, according to Spencer Checketts of 1280 The Zone (via Twitter links).  If those trade-up scenarios don’t pan out, Utah could instead move down.  If they do move down, Checketts lists the Celtics (No. 16), Bucks (17) and, Rockets (No. 18) as possible partners.
  • Marcin Gortat during a press conference in Poland said the Pistons asked him about prospect Mateusz Ponitka, according to Sportando (on Twitter). Ponitka worked out for Detroit earlier this week.   The shooting guard looks to be a second round (or, undrafted) prospect.
  • The Bucks like UNLV forward Christian Wood, but feel that he’ll be chosen later in the first round, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweets.  Milwaukee owns the No. 17 pick in the first round and the No 46 pick in the second.
  • David Pick of Eurobasket.net (on Twitter) hears that projected second-round pick Shawn Dawson hopes to slide under the radar and go undrafted.  Dawson is currently ranked as the No. 66 prospect in the draft by DraftExpress.
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Western Notes: Chandler, Kings, Milutinov

May 11th, 2015 at 7:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks need to retain Tyson Chandler if they fall short in their pursuit of DeAndre Jordan this summer, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com opines. Both become unrestricted free agents this summer and Jordan is the more attractive option because he’s younger, a better defender at this stage of his career and has led the NBA in field-goal percentage the last three seasons, MacMahon continues. Jordan would be a foundation piece for Dallas but the Clippers’ success in the playoffs makes it more unlikely he’d leave the organization, MacMahon adds. Losing Chandler without upgrading the center spot would be a disastrous situation for the Mavs since it would also hamper their chances of signing a top-level power forward like LaMarcus Aldridge, MacMahon concludes.

In other news around the Western Conference:

  • Kings owner Vivek Ranadive admits he made a mistake in hiring ex-coach Michael Malone before selecting a GM and assembling his front office, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee reports. Malone was fired in mid-December and replaced by interim coach Ty Corbin before Ranadive hired George Karl in February. “People told me not to do that. But I knew Malone from when he was an assistant with the Warriors, and again, with the draft only weeks away, I had to make very quick decisions,” Ranadive told Voisin about the Malone hire in June 2013. “I didn’t know any GMs.”
  • The Timberwolves would probably not pursue David Blatt as their head coach if he’s fired by the Cavaliers, Darren Wolfson of KSTP.com tweets. Minnesota president of basketball operations and head coach Flip Saunders was interested in Blatt as an assistant and coach-in-waiting last offseason but wasn’t considering him for the head coaching job, Wolfson adds.
  • The Timberwolves could consider 6’11” Serbian center Nikola Milutinov as a stash prospect with either of their second-round picks, Wolfson reports in a separate tweet. Minnesota owns the No. 31 and No. 36 overall picks and the team’s European scout, Zarko Durisic, is a fan of Milutinov, Wolfson adds. Milutinov is ranked No. 44 on Chad Ford’s ESPN Insider Big Board and No. 35 on Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress prospect list.
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Pacific Rumors: Robinson, Kings, Bhullar

March 30th, 2015 at 6:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nate Robinson‘s sore left knee is improving and he could return to the Clippers since coach Doc Rivers was pleased with what he saw from him, according to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Robinson was not signed for the remainder of the season after his two 10-day contracts expired because of the injury but he’s expected to be cleared to play by week’s end, Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports tweets. Rivers indicated to Bolch that Robinson’s return was a strong possibility when he’s ready to play. “I liked what Nate brought us,” Rivers said “I liked his energy.” However, Robinson’s return could be delayed until Lester Hudson‘s 10-day contract expires. Hudson was signed on Sunday to take the roster spot vacated by Robinson, whose last 10-day contract expired on Thursday. The 30-year-old Hudson was the Chinese Basketball Association MVP the last two years before joining the Clippers.

In other news around the Pacific Division:

  • Kings owner Vivek Ranadive wants to put an end to the discord in the team’s front office, league sources tell Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Jones writes about Chris Mullin, the Kings adviser who is reportedly expected to accept an offer to instead become the coach at St. John’s University and who, according to fellow Bee scribe Ailene Voisin, opposed the hirings of coach George Karl and new Kings exec Vlade Divac.
  • The Kings are also hopeful Sim Bhullar will eventually make their NBA roster as his conditioning improves, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee reports. Bhullar, a 7-foot-5, center, has been playing for the Kings’ D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, after getting waived by Sacramento during training camp. Bhullar came to camp at nearly 400 pounds and has since shed approximately 45 pounds, according to Voisin. Ranadive is intrigued by Bhullar’s skill set but feels Bhullar still needs to drop another 40-50 pounds, Voisin adds. “He needs to get in much better shape,” Ranadive told Voisin. “That will help him get up and down the floor, and he’s been working on that.”
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Michael Malone On Ranadive, D’Alessandro, Petrie

September 1st, 2013 at 8:50am CST by Zachary Links

It has been a whirlwind year for the Kings, but at long last, it looks like the franchise has found some stability.  The tug of war between Sacramento and Seattle is through and the Kings are staying put in California's capital behind recently-minted owner Vivek Ranadive.  There are some major changes on the floor, too, with star Tyreke Evans departing for New Orleans and Michael Malone replacing Keith Smart as head coach.  Malone took some time to sit down with Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee to discuss his new challenge.  Here's a look at some of the highlights..

When the sale to the Ranadive-led group was finalized, did you think you had a chance at the job?

It's funny, but I remember my father telling me, "You are always working for your next job. Somebody is always watching." And unbeknownst to me, here is Vivek these past two years, watching me at practices, watching me at games. But really, it's not like we were talking on the phone all the time. The most time we ever spent together was on draft night (2012). We were sitting in the war room in Oakland, and we talked for a while. We saw things in a very similar way, and we created a bond, a relationship that night, that led to this.

You were more involved with the NBA draft and recent offseason moves than most head coaches. Do you expect to maintain that degree of input?

You've heard Vivek say that a lot of coaches aren't that involved, but that they need to be involved because they're the guys who have to coach. The first couple weeks – and Geoff Petrie and his staff were terrific in a very uncomfortable situation – we didn't have a GM at the time. I felt like I was head coach and GM. So I was very, very happy when we hired Pete [D'Alessandro]. He came in immediately and was asking: "Who did you like during the workout? What do you think?" We had constant communication on the draft and free agency.

How well did you know D'Alessandro before he was hired?

Not much. I had heard about him, being another New York guy. And I heard a lot of good things about him when he was at Golden State and Denver. But that was it. The neat thing about Pete for me … a lot of guys probably look at this job a little differently, because I was hired before the GM, but he was fine with that.

People were talking quite a bit about the head coach being hired before the GM.  Was that awkward for you?

The reality is some people would be turned off by that. Is it the norm? No. But it's not like it never happens. The thing I love about Pete … there's no egos here because at the end of the day it's going to be us. We get the job done or we don't. We both know we need each other to get this thing turned around. And we have an owner who believes in us and is giving us everything we need to succeed. If we don't have that, we have no chance.

So what is your approach? Do you have a two-year plan? A five-year plan? 

This is going to be a process. We have to change the culture, establish an identity, and while we'll try to win every night, we don't want to skip steps. We don't want short-term success. I'm not sure what year we get into our new arena, but by that year, we want to be a playoff team, and not to just be competing in the playoffs. We've talked about that. We know we have to have patience to do it right. Are our young guys getting better? Are we defending? Gang- rebounding? Running with discipline? The only thing I promised Vivek is that we will no longer be the worst defensive team in the league. So if we do that and change our culture, that will result in more wins and a better product.

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Tyreke Evans To Sign Pelicans’ Offer Sheet

July 3rd, 2013 at 9:03pm CST by Alex Lee

9:03pm: Evans has officially given a verbal commitment to the Pelicans that he will sign their offer sheet on July 10, tweets USA Today's Sam Amick.  David Aldridge of NBA.com confirms Amick's report via Twitter.  The Kings will have three days to match the four-year, $44MM offer. 

8:41pm: Stein is now hearing that the Pelicans and Evans are finalizing an offer sheet (via Twitter).  Meanwhile, Jason Jones reports that Evans planned on giving the Kings until today to make an offer or he'd agree to the New Orleans offer sheet.  There have been conflicting reports regarding where Evans would like to end up, as can be typical when it comes to restricted free agents. 

6:07pm:  Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee tweets that Evans is waiting on the Kings to make him an offer before committing to New Orleans, presumably in response to the ESPN report.  Jones also tweets that while Evans is aware the Kings can always match the offer sheet, he wants to give them every chance to beat it.  It is worth noting that it was Jones who reported earlier that Evans would prefer to sign in Sacramento.

5:41pm:  We heard earlier today that there was no guarantee that restricted free agent Tyreke Evans would sign the four-year, $44MM contract offer extended to him by the Pelicans, and that a comparable offer from the Kings would ensure he stays put in Sacramento.  Now, per a report from Marc Stein and Jeff Goodman of ESPN, it appears that Evans is "ready for a change" and plans to sign in New Orleans.  The report cites sources "familiar with his thinking."

Evans has been frustrated by the negotiations with the Kings and is "determined" to leave the organization and sign with the Pelicans on the first day possible, according to the report.  Evans has yet to verbally agree to the deal with New Orleans, but it is an "inevitability" for that to happen this week.  Evans apparently plans to sign the Pelicans' offer sheet on July 10 – the first day possible per NBA restrictions – and giving the Kings three days from then to either match the offer or pass. 

After Sacramento drafted Ben McLemore last week and extended a big offer to Andre Iguodala yesterday, before withdrawing it today, Evans seems to be hurt that the team, and new owner Vivek Ranadive, has yet to make a realistic attempt at bringing him back.  According to the source, the Kings could have retained Evans had they showed interest earlier. 

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Odds & Ends: Grizzlies, Heat, McGrady

June 8th, 2013 at 10:40pm CST by Spencer Lund

According to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game, the Grizzlies' current ownership is in a serendipitous position to save money by honoring a bizarre clause in some assistant coach contracts (Sulia link). Usually, the playoff winnings from the NBA are shared with a team's players and personnel after postseason success. But former owner Michael Heisley negotiated deals with some assistant coaches that awarded a flat bonus based on a small percentage of their regular salaries.

After the Grizzlies surprised many by reaching the Western Conference Finals, the resulting playoff shares are worth $70K or more, depending on how many shares the team elected to have. Under the Heisley terms, some assistant coaches are due only 1/7th of that amount. 

Current Grizzlies principal owner, Robert Pera, is under no obligation to stray from the deals the previous regime negotiated, but as Bucher points out "sometimes there is a divide between what is acceptable and what is right." In the grand scheme of things, it's a paltry sum to pay for assistants who may not be back next season and who helped guide a Rudy Gay–less Grizzlies team far into the tough Western Conference playoff bracket. 

With Lionel Hollins' future as the Grizzlies' head coach in doubt, a sign of good faith to his assistant coaches, who rightfully deserve a larger share of the playoff winnings than their current contract calls for, might be the move that tips the odds in favor of Hollins returning to the sidelines for the Grizzlies next season. 

Here are some other links from around this quiet NBA Saturday night before the Heat and Spurs do battle in Game 2 of the NBA Finals tomorrow:

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Kings Dismiss Keith Smart

May 31st, 2013 at 7:18pm CST by Ryan Raroque

FRIDAY, 7:18pm: The Kings have officially announced that Smart won't be back, via press release. The team has reportedly already reached an agreement with Malone to succeed Smart as coach, and the official word on his hiring is expected to take place on Monday, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).

THURSDAY, 7:49pm: According to Sam Amick of USA Today, Keith Smart will not be retained as the head coach of the Kings. It isn't much of a surprise considering that team ownership has apparently had their sights set on Warriors assistant Michael Malone, and Amick writes that Malone could be officially hired as early as this Monday. While there hasn't been an official press release yet, Amick clarifies that majority owner Vivek Ranadive had notified Smart of the franchise's plans to part ways with him shortly after the NBA Board of Governors approved the Sacramento-based investment group's purchase of the Kings just a few days ago (Twitter link). 

Ironically, this is the second time that Smart has been relieved of his head coaching duties after a change in team ownership, as Amick looked back at the time when the 48-year-old coach was let go in Golden State shortly after Joe Lacob, Peter Gruber, and Ranadive had purchased the Warriors. Smart is confident that he'll find another opportunity in the NBA next season. 

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Kings Searching For New President

May 27th, 2013 at 5:11pm CST by Zachary Links

New Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has begun the process of finding a replacement for President Geoff Petrie, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.  Sam Amick of USA Today reports that Ranadive is considering Spurs President R.C. Buford, Warriors assistant GM Travis Schlenk, and Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace.

Former Pacers general manager David Morway may also receive consideration and Ranadive is believed to be open to other names.  The former Warriors minority owner is also consulting with his Warriors colleagues on the search. That includes Jerry West, a Warriors consultant who worked with Wallace in Memphis and Schlenk at Golden State.  

Buford would be a major get for the Kings but he is unlikely to have interest in his job given the success that he has had in San Antonio.  Wallace, meanwhile, would surely consider the job considering his minimized role in Memphis.

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Western Notes: Dwight, Gasol, Kings, Grizzlies

May 23rd, 2013 at 10:41pm CST by Ryan Raroque

We've rounded up a few links on Dwight Howard tonight. Peter May of Sheridan Hoops explains why it wouldn't make sense for him to choose a return to the Lakers over a chance to join the Rockets. Marcus Thompson II of Mercury News - going off of the speculation linking Dwight to the Warriors - lists some of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of Golden State being able to acquire him. Tim Cowlishaw of SportsDayDFW thinks that the Mavericks will finish fourth behind the Hawks, Houston, and Los Angeles in the sweepstakes for Howard, adding that Dallas has little else to offer aside from no state income tax. Here are a few more links to share out of the Western Conference:

  • On an appearance with Fitzsimmons and Durrett on KESN-FM, ESPN's Chad Ford explained why the Mavericks could have some issues in trying to deal their 13th overall pick. With a draft pick owed to Oklahoma City next year, Dallas can't technically deal their pick until draft night and would have to select a player for a team that they've made a prearranged deal with. Only until after they've drafted a player would they be able to trade his rights in order to get around the NBA rule that prohibits teams from trading a first-round pick in consecutive seasons (hat tip goes to SportsDayDFW).  Though it is a strategy that Ford disagrees with, he admits that the pick will likely be moved. 
  • Later in the interview, Ford spoke about Dallas' chances of adding Dwight, saying that he's more available to them than Chris Paul at this point. He also said that their pitch could also depend on whether or not they can make the team attractive enough to make Howard believe it will contend, and that Houston looks further along in the process in that respect. 
  • Completely focusing on the situation between Howard and the Lakers heading into the summer, Steve Kyler of Hoopsworld says that the big man just wants to enjoy the game again and that it will be up to the team to convince him that he can do so in Los Angeles. Kyler reiterates that Brooklyn had been Howard's initial choice and that L.A. had been someone else's preference (Twitter links).
  • As for Pau Gasol, Kyler predicted that the Lakers will keep him, let his deal expire, and then re-sign him to a cheaper deal, also mentioning that he doesn't think they'd trade him without knowing what happens with Dwight first. 
  • Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee hears that the NBA Board of Governors will take a formal vote on the Kings sale between the Maloofs and the Ranadive-led group on Tuesday next week (Twitter link). 
  • Though there appeared to be some disagreements on the Grizzlies' practice court with regards to making adjustments against the Spurs, Matt Moore of CBS Sports says that there weren't any indications that the players were upset or angry with each other or coach Lionel Hollins and chalks it up to any normal frustration from a team being down 2-0 in the playoffs. Though I wouldn't think that Hollins' future in Memphis is exclusively determined by whether or not he gets the team past the conference finals, it will be intriguing to see if the way they finish the postseason factors into the team's decision on potentially offering him an extension.  
  • Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK gave Kevin Durant his season report card, listing that while he had his best season to date, his good-but-not-great playmaking, the instances where he lacked poise, and his propensity to turn the ball over were reasons why the Thunder superstar didn't earn straight A's this year. To Durant's credit, Mayberry explains why his playoff struggles in recent years may make the 6'9 wingman more determined than ever next season. Lastly, a few of The Oklahoman's staff writers provide their take on Durant's season. 

 

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