This seems like a bit of an obvious statement, but I guess I'm glad Petrie didn't enjoy those last few years. We often wondered if he even cared anymore, so I take some solace in Petrie's caveat.

About the Maloofs, Petrie says:

The Maloofs could go off the reservation at times? You don't say.

With all due respect, Mr. Petrie, this is where I can no longer give you the benefit of the doubt. You see, I believe that most people in the Maloofs' situation would handle it far differently. Like, if it was me, I wouldn't sell my beer distributorship, a profitable business enterprise, to maintain ownership of me fledgling NBA franchise that, by its very nature, loses money more years than it earns. NBA teams are toys for the rich. If I found myself in financial peril, I'd sell my toy.

And sure, eventually the Maloofs got so desperate that they tried to sell the team. But I again would handle it differently. I'd see if maybe there was a local investor in the community who wanted to purchase the team. Or someone who would keep the team in Sacramento, the city that supported the Kings even when the Maloofs' malicious intentions became clear. But that's just me.

As for not being able to "utilize all the pieces to keep on building a team", that tells me that Petrie may have never recognized the issues at the end of his tenure. The roster never fit together. Players were drafted for their perceived talent, not their fit. And drafting is fine and dandy, but when you stop building a team, you stop being a good GM.

I'm fascinated to see how history reflects on Geoff Petrie, Sacramento Kings GM. He did a lot of good. He did a lot of bad. It's easy to excuse some of the mistakes based on the circumstances. Others not so much. But, as with all things, time will tell.