Report: Sacramento Kings looking for new GM, considering Sam Hinkie
The Sacramento Kings may be ready to Trust the Process. They just need Sam Hinkie to implement one as general manager first.
After being an inept franchise for the last decade, it appears the Sacramento Kings are ready to change things. After all, if they’re going to be a perpetual non-playoff team, why not do it the right way and tank their way back to the top?
As first reported by ESPN‘s Marc Stein and Zach Lowe, league sources say the Kings have received permission from the Philadelphia 76ers to speak to their former general manager, Sam Hinkie.
The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski adds that Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has quietly been searching for a replacement for current GM Vlade Divac, but that he’s only talked casually about the job with Hinkie, who is unsure in his interest in the position.
As ESPN reports, Sam Hinkie is a target. Ranadive has casually talked with Hinkie, sources say, but Hinkie unsure his interest in job there.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 28, 2017
According to Stein, the Kings had to seek and receive permission to speak with Hinkie because of the former GM’s non-compete agreement with the Sixers this season after stepping down in 2016.
The Kings, however, denied their interest in Hinkie or any other GM, saying in a statement:
"“The Kings are not hiring Sam Hinkie and have no plans to bring anyone in above Vlade.”"
It’s no secret that Divac has had his fair share of struggles as an NBA executive, not only in the actual deals he’s made, but also in league-wide perception.
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The DeMarcus Cousins trade just last month was an absolute steal for the New Orleans Pelicans, and the fiasco looked even worse after the Kings told Boogie’s people that he wouldn’t be traded…only to ship him away for pennies on the dollar just hours later. With so many upcoming free agents on the roster, the Kings may have a hard time gaining the trust of any free agents given the way they betrayed Cousins’ trust.
Buddy Hield should have a decent NBA career, but a haul of Tyreke Evans (impending free agent), Langston Galloway (hardly plays), a top-three protected 2017 first round pick and a 2017 second round pick was hardly fair compensation for a top-10 superstar. And don’t even get us started on Divac admitting he had a “better deal” lined up before pulling the trigger on that catastrophe.
Hinkie’s early Sixers tenure was largely condemned for his unabashed tank job, but whatever promise lies in Philly now is because of the groundwork he laid out. The team went 47-131 during his three seasons at the helm.
However, from all that tanking came a few gems. Nerlens Noel could be a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate, even though the new Sixers regime traded him away last month. Joel Embiid would’ve been the undisputed Rookie of the Year (and looks like a future superstar) if he could just stay healthy. Dario Saric should win Rookie of the Year now, and No. 1 pick Ben Simmons wouldn’t have happened without Hinkie’s tank plan. And that’s without even mentioning the team’s plethora of extra first round picks.
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It appears the Kings are interested in going a similar route, embracing the reality of their situation with so many impending free agents this summer and no franchise cornerstone to build around. After years of dysfunction, the KANGZ may be ready to Trust the Process. They just need someone to actually implement one first.