Mar 20, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr encourages his players during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
The Golden State Warriors may have to be wary of a team in their own division this offseason.
Veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported this week in a post to Substack that the Sacramento Kings are among the teams said to be interested in signing Warriors big man Kevon Looney. Stein also mentions the Charlotte Hornets as a team with potential interest.
The 26-year-old Looney does not quite pop out in the stat sheet with modest averages of 6.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this year. But he remains one of Golden State’s most important players because of his multi-purpose defense and hard work on the glass on both ends. Looney has now played a crucial role on three of the Warriors’ title teams, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr even admitted recently that he erred by not playing Looney enough.
The Kings do figure to be a non-insignificant threat to sign Looney though. Located less than 100 miles away, the Kings won’t be too much of a lifestyle change for him, and they are also going to be coached by longtime Warriors assistant Mike Brown starting next season. While Sacramento might not be contending for a title any time this millennium, that may be less important for Looney than money and touches since he already has three rings.
Once they have come down from their championship high, the Warriors will have some major things to consider this summer, perhaps even the trade of a core player. But they might also have to ward away the vultures when it comes to the unrestricted free agent Looney.
Feb 20, 2022; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Jaden Ivey (23) prepares to shoot a free throw during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Jaden Ivey is projecting as a potential top five pick in the NBA Draft, but there is one team that he reportedly might want to avoid being selected by.
In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony writes that Ivey would prefer not to be drafted fourth overall by the Sacramento Kings. Givony hints that the Kings may not receive Ivey’s medical information or get the chance to host him for a workout. However, this is unlikely to stop the Kings from picking the Purdue guard, as they selected Davion Mitchell under the same circumstances last season.
Ivey ultimately might not have a lot of say in how this ends up for him. The Kings pick fourth, and the likelihood is the consensus top three of Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, and Paolo Banchero will be off the board. That would leave Ivey as a very tempting option for Sacramento at No. 4 as arguably the best player left available.
One saving grace from Ivey’s point of view might be a trade. Rumor has it the Kings are open to such a scenario, which would probably involve someone trading up for the Purdue guard.
May 4, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors acting head coach Mike Brown during the third quarter in game two of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Utah Jazz at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Jazz 115-104. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Brown’s coaching staff with the Sacramento Kings has been revealed.
Brown was named the head coach of the Kings on May 8. He started to build his staff and identify his assistants almost immediately. On Friday, we learned that the contracts for his assistants have been finalized.
Brown’s staff will include: Jay Triano, Doug Christie and Luke Loucks.
Sources confirm Jay Triano, Doug Christie and Luke Loucks will all be part of Mike Brown's coaching staff with the Sacramento Kings. We've known this for weeks via @TheSteinLine and @MarcJSpears, but now the contracts have been finalized.
Triano, 63, was previously a head coach twice in his career. He coached the Raptors from 2008-2011 before being fired after a 22-60 season. He also served as the interim head coach of the Phoenix Suns in the 2017-2018 season.
Christie, 52, is a former Kings star who was known for his defensive prowess. He spent this season as an assistant coach on the team, which marked his first season as an NBA coach.
Loucks, 32, played college ball at Florida State. He worked for five years in the Warriors’ organization and spent the last season with the Phoenix Suns in a strategy and evaluation role.
Brown, 52, is currently an assistant coach with the Warriors. This will be his third stint as a head coach.
Brown and his staff will be tasked with trying to get the Kings back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-2006 season.
May 4, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors acting head coach Mike Brown during the third quarter in game two of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Utah Jazz at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Jazz 115-104. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
One Western Conference team is the subject of an intriguing rumor with the NBA Draft looming in less than a month.
The Sacramento Kings could be willing to trade the No. 4 pick in the draft under the right circumstances, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The Kings are seeking a “win-now” player, either in the draft or via trade, and would be willing to move down or even out of the draft completely if it got them what they wanted.
The Kings certainly seem to believe they’re closer to contention than most outsiders would believe. Their decision to trade young Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis last season was an illustration of that. The team appears to think it has a quality core in De’Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell, and Sabonis that could be a playoff contender with the right addition.
On one hand, the Kings went just 30-52 last season, so it’s tough to believe they’re one player away from relevance. On the other, they’ve missed the playoffs for 16 seasons in a row, and their owner seems to want to enjoy that environment with his team. That may be the inspiration behind a move.
Feb 18, 2022; Cleveland, OH, USA; Anjali Ranadive poses for photographers before the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at the Wolstein Center. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
The daughter of Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive is getting her first taste of some front office action.
Anjali Ranadive, who is Vivek’s daughter, is being hired as the new assistant general manager for the Stockton Kings, which is the Kings’ G League team.
Anjali Ranadive, daughter of Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, is the new Assistant General Manager of the G League Stockton Kings, according to multiple sources. She is with the Kings in Chicago for the week’s NBA Draft Combine.
It seems like Anjali is being groomed for a larger role with Sacramento one day.
Anjali Ranadive will assist all aspects of basketball ops, including G league player evaluations & development, strategy, among others. She’s been with the organization working in the Social Responsibility dept. & she’s excited to bring her passion for basketball to her new role.
Anjali has a background in music and philanthropic causes but seems to be moving towards a future helping to run a team.
Vivek Ranadive bought the Kings in 2013. The Kings have not made the playoffs since 2006. They just hired a new head coach following their latest change (no coach has lasted longer than three seasons since Rick Adelman in 2006).
May 4, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors acting head coach Mike Brown during the third quarter in game two of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Utah Jazz at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Jazz 115-104. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Brown had a very eventful Monday, to say the least.
Brown was officially named the new head coach of the Sacramento Kings on Monday. Just hours later, he learned he would be stepping in as acting coach of the Golden State Warriors after Steve Kerr tested positive for COVID-19. Brown has coached the Warriors in the playoffs before, having gone a perfect 13-0 in the 2017 season while Kerr was dealing with back problems.
Brown’s status also prompted plenty of jokes. Plenty of people noted Brown’s dual status as coach of the Warriors and Kings. Others used it as an opportunity to take a jab at the Kings, who have not reached the playoffs since 2006.
Mike Brown is simultaneously the head coach of both the Warriors and the Kings. https://t.co/6MVk8nnpEQ
No, a Brown win would not count for the Kings. They’d probably enjoy it all the same, though. This is an organization that really has not had any fun for the last 15 years. At least they could hold on to this.
May 4, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors acting head coach Mike Brown during the third quarter in game two of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs against the Utah Jazz at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Jazz 115-104. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Brown is getting another shot as a head coach.
The Sacramento Kings are hiring Brown to be their next head coach, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported on Sunday.
Sacramento chooses Mike Brown over Mark Jackson, longtime favorite of Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, saving face for the front office after days of reports that Brown was management's preferred choice and that Ranadive wanted the ESPN analyst.
This will be Brown’s fourth head coaching job. He coached the Cavaliers over two separate stints and the Lakers in between. The 52-year-old coached LeBron James during James’ first stint in Cleveland. The team enjoyed success and reached the NBA Finals in Brown’s second season. He was let go by Cleveland after James’ final season with the team in an effort to convince James to stay. James ended up leaving anyway.
Brown was fired in 2012 after five games into his second season with the Lakers. He was fired by the Cavs after just one season in his second stint with the team.
Brown has served as an assistant coach with the Warriors since 2016. He will look to bring some success to a Kings franchise that has not made the playoffs since 2006. No Kings head coach has lasted longer in the job than three seasons since Rick Adelman, who coached them from 1998-2006.
October 29, 2014; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive celebrates during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Sleep Train Arena. The Warriors defeated the Kings 95-77. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Since Vivek Ranadive became the owner of the Sacramento Kings in 2013, the team has cycled through six different head coaches (including interims). Now Ranadive will be hoping that the seventh time is the charm.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported this week that Ranadive has an interesting preferred candidate to become the team’s next coach — ESPN’s Mark Jackson. Fischer notes that Jackson, the ex-Golden State Warriors coach, has long been a Ranadive favorite. Ranadive used to be a co-owner and vice chairman of the Warriors before he bought the Kings and during Jackson’s time in Golden State. Fischer also says that Ranadive urged the Kings front office to consider hiring Jackson as the team’s associate head coach in 2020 (a position that ultimately went to Alvin Gentry instead).
The 57-year-old Jackson has not coached since being fired by the Warriors in 2014. But he was recently named a finalist for the Kings head coaching job, along with a couple of other well-known names.
Ranadive’s endorsement of Jackson might come with some skepticism since Ranadive has been criticized in the past for his supposed meddling and has overseen exactly zero winning seasons since becoming owner of the Kings. But his backing certainly matters for Jackson, who appears to be closing in on a once-far-fetched return to the NBA.
October 29, 2014; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive celebrates during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Sleep Train Arena. The Warriors defeated the Kings 95-77. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
One prominent figure in the Sacramento Kings organization will not be sticking around to see who the team hires as their next head coach.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Monday that Basketball Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, the Kings chief strategy officer, will be leaving the team. Dumars is departing to become the NBA’s Executive Vice President Head of Basketball Operations.
The 58-year-old Dumars is best known for his stint as a player and later as the president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons. He joined the Kings in 2019, serving as a special advisor and then as interim executive VP of basketball operations before becoming chief strategy officer.
Dumars’ departure adds to what has already been an offseason of overhaul for the Kings, who just posted their 16th straight losing season. Rest assured though, they may end up bringing in another notable NBA name to be their next coach.
It may be time to fire up the classic ’90s hit “Return of the Mark.”
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Saturday that ex-Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson has emerged as a finalist for the Sacramento Kings head coaching job.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski adds that current Warriors assistant Mike Brown and Brooklyn Nets consultant Steve Clifford are finalists for the Kings job as well.
The Kings are looking for a new head coach after they fired Luke Walton and decided not to keep interim Alvin Gentry. They went 30-52 this season and have a decent (though unspectacular) young core headlined by De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
Jackson is the most intriguing name of the aforementioned finalists. Though Jackson has not coached since 2014, a job with the Kings would put him less than 100 miles away from where he used to coach the Warriors and would also reunite him with former Warriors forward Harrison Barnes. Granted, Sacramento might not be the only job that Jackson has to choose from.
