As the unintentional tank rolls on this season with the Sacramento Kings, how it happened and why it is happening in the way it is will continue to be analyzed.
Sam Amick recently appeared on Run It Back and shared a tidbit about Scott Perry’s outlook on how long a rebuild effort might take.
“Vivek Ranadive is an extremely involved owner, I think to a negative degree with this franchise and right now, GM Scott Perry is trying to keep him at bay and convince him that this might take, 3, 4, 5 years to turn around,” he said.
The big question with that is will Vivek have that sort of patience? For the fans, I think most would be OK with that timeline as long as there was a recognizable path to a real rebuild in an effort to identify the future star of the team and good, young pieces around that player.
This franchise has been a pretty consistent loser. The fans are not impatient about winning, they are impatient about competence. More specifically, lasting competence. Not a good season here, or one good move there. Solid basketball decisions that make sense over an extended amount of time.
If a real, effective rebuild was in motion that included promising, young players who played hard and showed signs of development, and didn’t get pushed to the side by overpaid veterans because of a perceived fast track ticket to the “promise land” of the Play-In tournament, then the fans would embrace that, in my opinion.
Even if it took 3-5 years, Keegan Murray would be in his prime by then, and Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud would be entering theirs. I suppose Keon Ellis would be in his prime also (though with everything coming out about him likely being the top trading target, he would probably be playing out his prime somewhere else).
A disciplined and strategic rebuild is what the Kings need. Most of the fans want it, I believe. But will Vivek allow for the necessary steps to take place over an extended amount of time? The question remains.
This would have been a good thing to do when he bought the team.
Better late than never I guess, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
Yep. He had three years of sellouts guaranteed at old ARCO just on goodwill and the ability to get to the front of the line for G1C season tix, and two years of sellouts guaranteed at G1C just from new car smell. Five years of sellouts, regardless of the product. But Runtadiva is the smartest guy in the room, and he knew better.
As a fan, I would much prefer a building and losing team than a mediocre or losing team of guys at or past their prime. I actually really enjoy seeing new talent find their way in the league.
Same. I’ll take lovable losers over apathetic leftovers everyday of the week.
How long will they remain loveable losers . See: Wizards, Hornets, Nets ?
Based on our 40 year history, 1985-1995. 10 years?
The post 2006 years were more Maloofs cutting costs, but we still supported the team.
Wizards followed the Vivek path and acquired Poole and Kuzma after they kicked off their rebuild in getting rid of Wall and Beal. They couldn’t get out of their own way. They are are jus now on the right path
Hornets are also on the right path with young talent. Kon looks like ROY.
Nets are following the OKC model. They have a ton of future picks by eating bad deals.
The Kings and those last two have little in common, IMO. At least the Wizards have wised up.
Oh, and if we want to add Utah to the discussion, they still have 5 more first round picks incoming to go along with a bunch of young talent they already have.
I was told to mark someone’s words (not you Adamsite) that Kon was absolutely going to be a bust, and that Ace was a sure superstar. I am now confused (not).
Does anyone really believe that Vivek (and Matina) will resist tinkering?
Not to be an ageist, but the combination of Vivek, Perry, and Christie are one of the oldest owner/GM/coach trios in the league. They might even be the oldest, if I bothered to look it up. Point is, they don’t have 3-5 years and Vivek’s “ballilogical” clock is always ticking. That dude has the patience of a child on Christmas morning. He’ll break his toy before it’s fully assembled and will just move on to the next one.
Can he hurry up and move on to the next one already!
Sell the team!
68 year old egomaniac suddently changing its stripes? Sell the team you dismissive prick.
Yes, as this is the only chance for a successful rebuild !
68 year old owner, 62 year old GM, and 55 year old Coach. They very definition of old school. The modern NBA looks very different.
Youth is taking over many aspects of sports, including younger coaches, GMs, and teams. I’d rather have young active minds and bodies that can easily handle the grind than old dudes struggling to keep up.
100%. I even look at a guy like Sam Presti. He joined the Spurs as an intern fresh out of college and rose the ranks under Buford and Pops…and he’s still just 48.
Rookie head coach Doug Christie is the same age as Mike Brown, who has decades more experience. Doug is even older than Spoelstra!
Something, something, something about tricks and old dogs.
We have been hearing about poor roster construction for more than a year now – and, yes, it’s really bad. But maybe it’s partially bad because they are the wrong players in that roster construction. Take the games last night. San Antonio started three guards under 6’5″, a 33-year-old Harrison Barnes who seems to have shrunk to 6’7″ and a slug at center. The three main people off the bench are all guards around 6’5″. And, yet, they have a record of 17-7, mostly without Wemby. The other team winning last night was the Thunder who start essentially four guards all under 6’6″ and a 7-footer who weighs less than Zach Levine. The Thunder are on a pace to win 76 games this year. The Kings are on pace to win 18.
We love to argue about having too many guards, but we either have too many bad guards, too many guards who don’t play well together, or too many guards who are not coached the right way. This is the new NBA. It’s fast, defensive-minded, quick-thinking, efficient-passing, lose-ball diving, foul-hunting, younger and athletic, and just plain smart basketball.
The Thunder are coached by Mark Daigneault, who was a G-League coach in 2020 and I have to believe if he was given a roster that included Westbrook, Levine, DeRozan, Monk, Keon, Murray, Schroder, Sabonis and a few rookies with promise, the record here would be far better than 6-18. Why are we given the two choices of blowing it up and starting over or accepting that former all-NBA players and future Hall of Famers are not capable of learning how to play winning basketball? I think this is likely what Perry was asking himself and hoping for when he was hired.
Sure, we can wear shirts demanding Vivek sell the team, but I rather ask the players who are willingly taking $184 million from the fans to learn how to play the game like winners.
The sad thing that logically this would be the only option open to this team as all other avenues seem to have been closed
I would think most of the fanbase gets this point too
Sadly I also can see management and ownership saying wait hold my beer and watch this
I’m bemused by the reaction to the leaks and what’s the point of the leak to Carmichael Dave, its like High School stuff. When you ask a kid why he doesn’t have a girlfriend and they say I have a girlfriend I met her at summer camp and she’s from another school
My not-hot take is that there is no one on this roster that will be around for the next Kings playoff (not play-in) team. Not denigrating the likes of Murray, Nique, Maxime, Keon, etc. It’s just that these players will be dealt or flee during this rebuild timeline.
I’m all for it. I just don’t recommend buying a current Kings jersey if your intent is to wear it to a G1C NBA playoff game.
Always go for the Cash Considerations jersey.
To be fair, I’m 55 and I’m not sure I’ll be around for the next Kings playoff team.
I’m 72. How the hell do you think I feel?
67 in January. No longer buying green bananas or Kings playoff futures.
80
Reason #4,242 why I love this place.
I get to be a yute at “only” 60
We can talk age – but that portends the construct of time. What about someone beyond such barriers. ElRon Toro – where art thee?
I’m pulling up my diapers at 45.
I need a jersey that says Kangz on front and SELLTHETEAM for the name on back
Yes, there seems to be a lot of echo about the Kings building around its young core of good players. I don’t see any proof the Kings have anyone good enough to build around. If it were a poker hand, would you hold onto a Ten card and a Jack, or just get a complete redeal?
Playoffs? Where we’re going we don’t need playoffs.
…Perry
Vivek trying to convince the fans that the team isn’t full of old players/coaches/GMs.
Funny how Perry has pivoted from just missing a good PG (Schroder) and a culture builder (Russ) to we need a 5 year rebuild.
i am sure looking forward to hearing Perry’s six talking points the coming seasons.
Almost like he just said what he needed to say to get the job…
I don’t see that.
if he knew he would have to start a rebuild, he would have just targeted Westbrook, and would not have signed Schroder to such a ridiculous contract.
He’s just a sniveling, inspirational quotes spitting dumb fool, who will be incapable of starting a good rebuild, let alone finish it.
I’ll give you that for sure. The Schroder contract and getting rid of JV was insane if you’re trying to win now.
Came to post a similar sentiment but you said it succinctly. Well done.
Hugely agitating to be told “We see a winner – we have the right coach – there’s amazing talent” to “this needs to change.”
Most fans could have told you this 4-5 months ago.
You believe correctly for most of us. I’d start watching games again and start spending money again if this was the direction the team took.
A smart rebuild like , OKC , Houston, Cleveland sign me up . Not a fan of Washington, Charlotte, Brooklyn or even Utah, Portland ( no playoffs in sight ) . Love the 2/3 year turnarounds but very afraid of the 5 year plus and still little hope . I have zero confidence in Vivek .
The key would be, obviously, good draft picks and smart trades. The draft is a complete crap shoot. It ended up not mattering that Luka Doncic doesn’t play defense. It does matter if a swelled-head second pick in the draft is more of a developmental player than originally thought (I meant James Wiseman, who did you think I meant?). Perfect trades are hard to come by. Giving away tomorrow’s superstar for today’s all star isn’t the worst thing that ever happened to a franchise ever, but don’t make a habit of it. Unloading players for the sake of unloading them can have a positive salary cap value at least, but giving away a player for nothing who becomes a valuable player elsewhere isn’t a disaster only if your team’s roster is so good there just isn’t room for all the good players. .
Will Vivek be patient during a 4/5 year rebuild ? Answer – not a chance and neither will most of the paying fans . This team will need to look promising by year 3 or a new front office will be employed as a 3rd new Head Coach .
The fans might. This year sucks. Next year sucks. The following year, wow, they’re improving. Then years 4-5 they build up from the 8th playoff seed to a second round berth with a high upside for year 6. If that had been the King’s trajectory from say 2013-2019 we all would have been a lot happier as fans.
Hear, hear!
Unfortunately, I don’t think the question remains.
Translation: “Please don’t fire me when things don’t improve.”
Raise your hand if you think Scott Perry will be here in 3-5 years.
You’re cynical, Marty, but I can’t fault your logic.
What do they call it, sandbagging?
”Here, try some of my famous beef stew. But you should know I wasn’t able to get to Taylor’s market and get the great beef I usually get. Here, have some anyway.”
Reading the answers to the question posed in this article there is one resounding agreement:
Rebuilding is a good and reasonable path but we don’t trust the current ownership to attain that goal.
And why should we? It has been 14 seasons of one bad decision after another. The one time the team excels, 3 seasons ago with The Beam Team, Coach of the Year (unanimous) Mike Brown and Exec of the Year (Monte McNair), 3rd Team All-NBA, All-Star and Inaugural Clutch Player of the Year De’Aaron Fox – all gone. The first playoff appearance since Randadive and Matina took over after 11 seasons, ending the record breaking 17 NBA playoff drought. Now, a distant, currently unobtainable memory.
T-R-U-S-T
I wouldn’t trust Vivek and Matina to run a successful coffee shop. Vivek would change my order and Matina would place either a legacy Golden Age King (I dunno, Peja?) as the manager with Anjali as the Assistant.
Just sell the team, collect your cash and find the exit. Leave. Go. Be Gone. Don’t come back. F*%@ Off.
I will repeat myself. This now goes to the feet of the NBA. They have the ability (yes, they do, they’ve done it before with other owners, and these “Governors” do answer to somebody, to infer they do not is just plain silly). Either kick this loser out of the League, with his pockets dripping coin, or continue to pretend he isn’t there and don’t look down.
You forgot “don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out”.
Zero chance. Which is why I don’t watch games. Only declining attendance will change anything in Sacramento.
Vivek subscribes to the old Al Davis adage of:
Which is completely understandable because, when you shoot yourself in the foot as often as the Kings do, reloading becomes a 100% necessity.
I am also a Raiders fan and have witnessed them doing exactly what the Kangz have done for two decades which is refuse to tank and truly rebuild. In the NFL you have to find a franchise QB and in the NBA a top 10 elite superstar. The two sports are no different in that regards. But both the Kangz and Raiders under two bozo owners refuse to recognize that.
But nice arenas/stadiums!
This team makes me reload my undies.
TMI (too much incontinence)
How about “I just Vivek’d in my drawers and forgot to wipe my Ranadive?”
There’s something really special about watching a team start from nothing and develop guys over a few seasons or more. It creates a team that the city knows and embraces and is the obvious model for a team that has the 20th highest value in the league, placing it in the bottom third basically as far as market size.
Also another trend I see with sports these days is that young teams are starting to take over. A lot of these guys have better contracts and are less injury-prone than older players. The NFL for example has lots of teams built on youth with some vets sprinkled in but it pays off to keep the team young and continually add younger players rather then over-reliance on older ones that burn out more quickly during a season. A young team will gain strength through the year and be peaking at the end.
This
Feel horrible about it already due to two things that are both true and competing to happen.
1st Vivwreck won’t get out of his own way and after they clear the cap space and get off Crap Lavine and Sabonis and DDR, he will go grab the first shiny object that will take his overpay.
2nd Scott Perry is not a good GM. Amick cited his results and besides his time in Detroit when he wasn’t a GM or assistant GM or anything with GM in his title he’s never had a winning season of a team he was a GM for….ever.
There’s a typo in the title. Should say 3-16* years.
Gen Alpha is saying that it may take 6… 7 years tops…
Stupid response aside — The Sacramento Kings have been rebuild since I was in high school, why the hell would I care about 3 more years as long as it had a direction. 90% of the rebuilds we’ve seen are some dog sh*t attempt to limp in to the 8th seed
Plus, rebuilds are fun for fans. It’s the most exciting aspect of fanning.
as seen by about the only time I’m finding joy in this team is when the players who you’d probably classify as players you could have in a rebuild(nique, keegan, maxime, etc) are in the game + monk or Westbrook
You give me any other combination of mostly aging vets running iso ball and the Kings become pretty unwatchable.
Another way a smart team could improve would be to find some salary cap space and acquire talent from teams who are in the luxury tax threshold. Not the Kings who are up against the 1st threshold themselves with this roster of broken mismatched toys
Lets overpay for Dennis and bid against themselves, lets bring back McDermott to do what, same with Saric
the details and circumstances around how Saric and Mcdermott are on this roster are absolutely insane. It ranks pretty high in stupid Kangz GM decisions. Impact wise it’s not anywhere close to the Isiah Thomas or the 76ers deals (as examples) but the pure stupidity of both these decisions in one off season is baffling.
This draft has the potential to be historically good. This FO/Vivek would be foolish not to go all in on it, not only by tanking but by trying to obtain an additional FRP(s).
Fortunes can change quickly for an NBA franchise if they create an objective and do everything possible to reach it. Perpetual mediocrity is the easiest path to follow not only in the NBA, but in sports and life. Hopefully SP can knock some sense into Vivek and get him to embrace a legit rebuild.
Post mid-Feb, none of Domas, Monk, DDR, Lavine, or Dennis should be on this roster.
https://www.theringer.com/2025/12/11/nba-draft/nba-draft-2026-lottery-prospects-aj-dybansta-cameron-boozer
Binge & Barf (courtside) for Boozer!
We have been on a losing binge for such a long time now, we’re losaholics.
Dive for Dybantsa!
Castaway for Caleb Wilson!
OKC has 3 first round picks this summer, and it could be 4 if Utah falls out of the bottom 8. They currently have 10 guaranteed contracts for 26-27, with TO’s on Hartenstein, Dort, and Kenrich Williams and a non-guaranteed deal for AJjay Mitchell. Those last 4 dudes are key role players that I imagine will be held onto. That means there is no way for OKC to take on potentially 4 additional guaranteed deals with first round picks.
They will have to make trades. I have to wonder of Topic or Sorber for an expiring deal like Saric would appeal to them. They have to either move off of guaranteed deals or trade some of those first round picks.
I could see Presti kicking the asset can down the road like he did withe last year’s #24 pick (Nique). Would he potentially trade one or more of this year’s first round picks for much later first round picks. Something like this year’s currently #19 (Philly’s) for a lottery protected 2031? I could be a way for the Kings to load up on youth right now.
They may just trade some of those picks for a treasure trove of future picks. Presti gonna Presti.
I think that is exactly what they may try to do. They really have no need for more rookie prospects. Hell, they currently have two that have never seen the court! They are doing just as well with 2nd round picks and undrafted gems. Why would they want to take on potentially 2 lottery scaled salaries. That’s roughly $15M in cap space just in year 1.
Hypothetically, should they land the Utah pick, say around #10, or if the Clippers pick lands around there, would you trade a distant unprotected Kings pick for it?
If I’m the Kings, given the history, I never trade an unprotected pick. Hell, I’d even have protections on pick swaps.
I see your point, but maybe that can be used to the Kings advantage. A Kings pick is like gold, so leverage that. If OKC were to toss in a guy like Topic or Sorber, who was the #15 this past summer, and his guaranteed money, in exchange for a Kings pick and Saric. Would you then?
OKC’s #10 and Sorber/Topic for Saric and Kings unprotected 2031?
It’s probably a good deal for more than two dozen NBA teams. But as a Kings fan (or if I was a Pels fan), it would scare the shit out of me.
The Pels and Clips both have what (pre- ping pong ball) projects to top three picks going bye-bye this coming draft. That would be my fear as a Kangz fan.
When Las Vegas gets the next NBA expansion franchise, it might be finally time for this Nevada-based fan to switch allegiance–even though Sac is alot closer to where we live than Vegas. Vegas turned its hockey franchise into a winner in just a few years.
I thought he going idea was the NBA isn’t going to expand and is instead going to now focus on an NBA Europe league?
Vivek couldn’t do a rebuild in 12 years, what makes Perry think he can do it in 3-5 years. I remember we developed a rookie PG into one of the most clutch players in the league and who is now in his prime. But we sent him away for a bag of chips and a turnstile defender who was the owner’s man-crush. Now we are back to, not even square one…maybe square negative 67.
Being in a prime when having Achilles surgery means prime may be over . Hope Hali is the exception but no guard has ever gotten back to 100% yet . Just sayin
I think he’s talking about Fox, not about Tyrese.
3-5 years? I mean, if they can do it less than 16 years I’d take it. Actually, if they could actually rebuild correctly I would be happy regardless of how long it would take.
Yeah, we’ve never tried an OKC style rebuild.
Badge Legend