The Sacramento Kings have hired Mike Forde of Sportsology to help conduct its search for a new general manager, according to Sam Amick and Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Sources tell @ShamsCharania and I the Kings are expected to retain Mike Forde of the Sportsology search firm for their forthcoming national GM search.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) August 19, 2020
While Forde’s direct decision-making in the Kings recruiting process is unclear, he is widely considered a sports science expert and one the NBA’s top head hunters for general manager openings. Forde has extensive experience in talent management and building high-performing cultures in a variety of sports industries, including professional soccer, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball and the NBA.
From 1999 to 2007 the Bolton Wanderers Football Club employed him as its Performance Director. From there, he served as the Chelsea Football Club Director of Operations & Executive Club Director up until 2013. During his time with Chelsea Football Club, the organization won a series of league championships.
Forde has made quite a name for himself among NBA circles over the last decade. He advised the San Antonio Spurs in 2014 to help build out a model build of sustainable success and performance as the Spurs were analyzing how to continue and maintain their incredible run in the years after the team’s core left. In 2016, the Brooklyn Nets used Forde for its general manger search and he helped them land Sean Marks. The Nets, of course, now have a roster with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan. None of those players are currently playing due to injury and COVID-19 (Jordan), but the Nets still finished 7th in the Eastern Conference this season and are competing in the bubble playoffs.
In 2019, the Washington Wizards hired Forde to assist in its culture reset as part of its general manger search. The Wizards promoted Tommy Sheppard as the general manager and Rod Thorn as the Sr. Advisor to the General Manager. That same year, The New Orleans Pelicans, at the recommendation of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, hired Forde to lead its general manager search. The Pelicans hired David Griffin as the executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and Trajan Langdon as the general manager in that year.
He’s also consulted for the Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers.
According to its website, Sportsology played a key role in building the Los Angeles Clippers culture and identity in 2017. That same year, the company helped analyze the player development methods and medical department of the San Francisco 49ers.
Interim Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Kings Joe Dumars will be supporting Forde’s efforts in the search for the Kings. He told Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee what his role in the search for a new general manager would be:
My role as interim Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations is to immediately assume General Manager duties during this transition period and assist Vivek in developing a long-term strategy for the basketball operations department, Dumars said in a written statement provided to The Bee. As part of that process, I will support a thorough national search for a permanent General Manager over the coming months. The search will be run by an outside firm and Vivek will have the final decision making authority.
Amick shed more light on the incorporation of Dumars both in the short-term and long-term, by reporting that the new GM won’t report to Dumars, but to Kings owner Vivek Ranadive. Going further, he reports that Dumars is not interested in being the long-term lead of basketball operations for the Kings.
It is good to see that the Kings appear to be conducting an extensive search for a new general manager. It also is encouraging that Forde has experience in building positive cultures within professional sports franchises. Maybe the Kings could be leaning on him for guidance there as well?
It couldn’t hurt.
BREAKING: Kings Hire Forde to head GM search, Forde hires himself as the next Kings GM.
Great article!
I have a strange feeling inside me….I’m not sure what it is. It might be that oft-rumored thing called ‘hope.’ Or indigestion. To be determined.
I’m calling it indigestion, because I woke up this morning with the worst case of it I’ve ever had. Coincidentally, it’s my fortieth birthday. Is this a sign of things to come, or is it like when Gilette used to send you a razor and a can of shaving cream on your eighteenth birthday? We’ll see.
Happy Fortieth, MyNeighborTurturro!
Can you play Veteran Mentor SF?
It’s tempting, but I don’t know…Illinois Unemployment Benefits are paying me a whopping $237/week right now. Can the SF gig compete with that?
Oh shucks, I believe you’d get the veteran minimum, which is not too shabby.
We can trade Cali with Illinois, plus some cash considerations.
Happy 40th birthday, fellow tortured Kings fan.
Here’s hoping our team makes the playoffs before your golden celebration!
Did someone say indigestion? At your service!
KAANGGZZHope!
You rang?
The road to the playoffs. Paved with miles and miles of Hope.
I always believed Bob Hope was the inspiration for Yakko Warner’s voice. For Wakko it was either George Harrison or Ringo, with that Liverpudlian accent. For Dot, I couldn’t tell……
Took me a minute to figure out what the hell you were talking about. Thumbs up for Animaniacs!
I have a bad feeling about this, simply because I don’t like the extra E tagged on to his name.
No extraneous “E”, eh?
If the Kings were an adult contemporary artist who made a hit with a song titled Smooth Operator, they’d be named Sad.
Kostae sounds eccentric.
Always nice to see Kosta, I can’t wait until he joins our Front Office next.
Reason # 1,259,954 I envy the Spurs fanbase: He advised the San Antonio Spurs in 2014 to help build out a model build of sustainable success and performance as the Spurs were analyzing how to continue and maintain their incredible run in the years after the team’s core left.
Yeah, well…they didn’t make the playoffs this year!!! So there!
Yeah, and if Luka was so great, why are the Mavs only a 7 seed?!
Good article. The Kings need to take their time with this. Hire the right guy. It will take years for the new GM to right this ship. Its not really about this off-season, this is about long-term success.
I am cautiously optimistic!
The problem, as always with this “organization”, is that they are constantly hiring a GM after deciding on a coach. It’s almost a given that the new GM will want to bring in a new coach. This just ends up being another lost year. Walton is a lame duck at best, and is a shoo in to be replaced. Hire your GM, even if you have to let Dumars make a draft pick while you search for your GM. Then let the GM bring in a coach. Although I guess it doesn’t matter, who knows if the coach/draft pick will be a good fit. This danger could be mitigated somewhat by simply picking the best player available (which would have gotten us Luka). So,either we waste a year with Walton, only to have him replaced by the new GM, or we waste a year by firing Walton, and having an interim head coach while the new GM searches for the permanent coach. Definitely Kangz material!!!!
Which is why you just wait until you have a new GM and let them make a plan for the franchise and a decision on Luke. If we have a good GM they will make a good decision.
This is a nothing burger in my opinion. The idea of a lost season means nothing to me. I’m a little confused as to why any Kong’s fan would be bothered by this. We’ve had 14 consecutive lost seasons. I think I’d actually prefer one that was intentional.
14 consecutive seasons we’ve gone in with this will be the year we FIGHT for the 8th seed. I’m good. Tell me you’re going young and giving Walton a season to prove himself to the new GM. Wins aren’t important. Walton will be evaluated by the new GM and graded off of his ability to get the team to play inspired team defense that ranks somewhere in the 15 or higher range, establishes a team identity and settles MBII in to a secure starting role. If he does these things management will consider retaining him for another year.
That’s not lame duck, that’s our team isn’t ready to legitimately compete this year. These are the things we need from you as coach. If you can’t do it we’ll let you go.
Seems like a good resume. The one possible exception being the Wizards, who appear to have hired their GM from within.
I don’t want our GM to have any previous ties to this organization whatsoever. Get someone from outside this perennial shitshow, with experience in a quality franchise… and let them clean house and build how they see fit.
I’m with you. I want someone totally new. That is why Perry is last on my list right now. Also, it makes little sense to hire a head huner then end up hiring they guy you already vetted and employed.
The only Perry I want in Sacramento is Mr. Perry or Original Perry’s.
I stand corrected!
Hey where’s Perry?
Otis?
Seems fairly fed up with the org at this point. And if you have nothing to say, why say that?
I’m always around.
Vlade is last on my list.
Anyone who has the Vivek stank on them must go.
Agreed. And we need someone who will not be afraid to make the ultimatum, “Either give me final say on all decisions, or I’m out.” I wonder if that can be written into a contract.
Why not? Legal contracts are often loaded with Latin terms, lawyers love them. Like consensus ad idem, pro rata, or ex post facto.
Your suggestion to include ultimatum, however, is rather novel.
Anyone who has worked during the Kolokotronis Reign of Suckitude must go.
Greg used “song and dance” twice in his article about about Joe Dumars not being a candidate. So I had the Aerosmith song stuck in my head.
But now Blake wrote “Getting to know” Mike Forde and now I’ve got that song from the King and I stuck in my head…
Vivek to Dumars: “When I sit you shall sit. When I kneel you shall kneel, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera!”
PS:
Overheard my wife’s online class with her 6th graders this morning in the other room. She was playing a game of “Never have I ever” with them as an ice breaker.
Wife to class: “Never have i ever broken a bone.”
6th grade boy: “…could it be a chicken bone?”
He’s clearly got some experience but I have zero faith in him
Wouldn’t you all agree?
That the most exciting, albeit painful and frustrating, time in Kings basketball fandom is the period between the clock showing 0.00 on the last game of the season to the clock showing 12:00 on their very first game of the following season? In other words – the offseason!
Kings offseason – every fing year, there’s more drama, more unknowns, more confusions and speculations swirling around this team than any other in all the 4 major sports.
Thanks to the meddling little chap running this team. How I wish either of the Mastrovs and/or the other part-owners seize majority control of this franchise. I don’t hold my hopes high as long as Vivek continues to have the final say. Getting Perry back just because he worked under Vivek before and still in good terms with him is the same old bad move. A yes-man, rinsed and repeated.
Hire an experienced GM with no ties to this organization, pay him well, give him full control then JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY!
Wow, Vivek with the downvotes?
Becuase, honestly, I have no idea how anyone can see anything but a shitty owner doing a poor job.
It seems Kingsherald commentors may be moving up the Vivek consulting pecking order. Careful what you say fellas.
I’m wondering if this Forde gentleman will be the go to consultant for Vivek’s next GM hire in a year and a half?
I’m hoping whoever applies for the GM position comes prepared with the proper Power Point Presentation.
And where is the crowd sourcing public outreach from the Sauce Castillo draft?
My heart aches when I saw He’s also consulted for the Dallas Mavericks…..
Bobby Webster is signed through the 20-21 season, but he’s my top choice.
I like Mike Zarren’s legal knowledge but he is with his hometown team and not sure he wants to leave Boston, which has me thinking maybe Trent Redden would like to come home, (Sacramento native), and be the hometown hero we were hoping Vlade could be?!
Yeah if Redden’s the best qualified, then I’d be fine with that. But he definitely shouldn’t be hired just because he’s from Sac. We really need to get away from making decisions based on sentiment, in my opinion. There are 30 of these jobs. There should be interest. Pick the one who can do the best job. PLEASE.
Oh, I completely agree, but it takes two to tango! Can you even do the tango to Jazz? ð
Y’all know the old saying about FO competence: “Fake it until you make it!”
They are at least giving the appearance of doing what should be done.
We shall see.
Vivek has this tattoo’d on his back
I’m truly starting to believe that either Vivek or his son frequent these comments…because I want to believe in that horror.
Give badges for downvotes, and we will find out
My favorite part about the downvotes is imagining Vivek checking his phone constantly to downvote every critical comment. Im going to believe its someone in his circle until proven otherwise.
There was a guy at the end of the run at the old place who was basically trolling the rest of us but staying just far enough away to avoid the ban hammer. I don’t remember his name, but my money is on him.
That horror?!?! Had the GM been using the King’s Herald AKA that other website that shall not be named over the last 14 years we’d definitely have several playoff appearances within that time frame. An immediate example is we could easily have Fox, Donavan Mitchell and Luca on the same team at the same time right now! We’d easily be the most exciting young team in the nba and a legit contender.
sooooo… please listen to this community’s opinion. It’s better than Vlade that’s for damn sure.
You’re referring to Vivek Ranadive, a billionaire?
You should fake it so well.
A headhunter consultant from Sportsology. No clue how it affects the process, but this guy definitely believes in synergy, biometrics, and revolutionizing outside of the box.
Which should steer him clear of Scott Perry. But we’ll see if Vivek actually listens to him, or it’s all a front to bring another lackey who does the bidding of egotistical billionaires in the ownership group who don’t know shit about basketball.
He’s leaning into an organic plan that is flush with conceptual engagement.
The NBA Draft lotto order is Thursday and a future GM may be interesting, but we do need to talk about how the Kings get the player they need in the draft
I know exactly how. Trade Buddy.
go down the list from who has the first pick and make the offer.
buddy and the 12th pick for the #1.
buddy and the 12th pick for the #2.
buddy and the 12th pick for the #3.
buddy and the 12th pick for the #4
buddy and the 12th pick for the #5
I’d stop here. Trade buddy and the #12 for the best SG available at your new draft pick. Whoever that is will be an upgrade over buddy and will be in a perfect position to automatically become Bogi’s back up for the season.
I’d much rather do that for the 2021 or 2022 draft. I’d rather have a top 8 pick next season than the #1 this season.
We’ll get the #8 or higher (most likely higher) for free in 2021. We’ll if sucking ass for the 15th season in a row is considered free that is.
seriously though, the kings are a lock for top 8 pick in 2021. And you’ll have Bogyi to trade to move up if you REALLY want to.
buddy and the 12 probably doesn’t go very far in the 2021 draft. Buddy and the 12 this year…? I think moves you very high. And this draft is deep in guards. So use the one you have now to hand pick his replacement that fits the timeline with fox and MBIII a million times better.
anyways… that’s what I’d prefer.
Okay, I’d rather have two top 8 picks in 2021 than the #1 this year. Or 3 potentially high 1sts in 2021 & 2022 than the #1 this year. I don’t really believe in “timelines,” but I definitely don’t believe taking an inferior prospect on a high pick contract because of a 1 year difference in timelines.
Let’s say Buddy and #12 moves you up to, I don’t know, #5. Who are you drafting? Let’s assume Edwards and Ball are off the board since they’re the most commonly listed #1 candidates.
You definitely have a point. The realistic possibility of what you’re saying is maybe not that high though. If this 2021 draft is so deep than likely not many teams will be looking to trade a lottery pick in 2021 for buddy and 12 this year. If it’s offered then YES, I’d agree that’d be awesome.
asset 1 – buddy
asset 2 – #12 pick in 2020 draft.
What does that package get you? Very high in this draft or top 10 in next years. I would take either but prefer your idea if possible/realistic.
Now, you asked me a question on who I would pick if I could move up. You got me, I was a little too specific with my original comment/trade plan and also not specific enough. This is what I want our new GM to do. These options in this order.
A.) Buddy and #12 for #1 and you select Anthony Edwards.
B.) Buddy and #12 for number 2,3,4 and you select SF/SG Deni Avdija
C.) Buddy and the #12 for number 4,5, and you select SF/SG Isaac Okoro
That all looks reasonable. I think my issue is that, for example, I don’t see Edwards (or Okoro) as a much better prospect than, say, Desmond Bane. Or Avdija being more of a such thing as a wing initiator than Bolmaro. Both of which are being projected in the late-1st through almost mid-2nd.
Which I understand is subjective and not at all the consensus opinion.
As such, I would just as soon trade Buddy/Bogi/Whomever/2020 #12 for 2020 late 1sts and future 1sts. I’d even rather have multiple late-1sts/early-2nds this year than one pick in the top 5 I think. Then my plan would be a combination of smart, high floor guys like Tillman and Bane, and Euro stashes like Poku and Bolmaro.
I can dig that.
really, I just want buddy gone and I think using him to acquire young talent is the way to go with either pre existing young talent in the league or future drafted talent down the road.
buddy’s attitude with his role has combined with his extremely low basketball IQ and constant bone headed plays to form a strong opinion and desire to get rid of him and move on ASAP.
I wonder if the results of the draft lottery will have any impact on how attractive the job is. I know it’s a week draft, but one would think a candidate would be more inclined to take the position if the Kings moved up in the draft.
it certainly won’t hurt things if the Kings move up.
You say that, but…
Thankfully, Vlade won’t be making the pick.
Well, I suppose it is time for GM Chris Webber with Assistant GM Mike Bibby.
OT
WOW! Clippers.game thread has 0 comments.
Maybe they expected to lose.
Bad Shot Paul George shot 4/17.
I see lots of downvotes for comments that disparage that ignorant, egomaniacal, self-centered, wanting to feel smart and important, franchise-fucking, dismissive little chap. He’s a great speaker though (I was told by a wise lunch lady once that you either have to dazzle them with brilliance or baffle them with bullshit. This owner is really good at the latter.)
Downvoter must be asleep. Yours are coming, just wait.
There we go.
Is this something mandated by the minority owners, not trusting Vivek or anyone Vivek has hired to conduct the search?
Until we can prove that we have anyone with any competence internally, I think it’s good to outsource as much as we can to an independent firm that specializes in this sort of thing and has some sort of reputation on the line. In fact, with how bad things have been here, I’m surprised they agreed to work with us.
For the moment I will call this a step in the right direction. After getting rid of Vlade and Peja (sorry guys) that’s two good moves in a row. Who knows, maybe someday this could lead to a competent front office… not holding my breath though.
This is all very very very promising all considering. I stand corrected it seems with the Dumars intentions for the job longterm (wont count my breath just yet). This is what agencies do when they are dysfunctional and the track record appears appealing in large part. The Shepard hire is not anything to write home about but it seems we have no internal candidate so that partially negates that concern. And the Kings could do far worse comparatively, and that was a respectable hire league wide.
For the most part I am very impressed by the preliminary list. If indeed all are interested that is very exciting. The one exception is Scott Perry who I think does have maybe the edged out best chance based on the pre-established relationship. Considering the options if indeed all those are interested that would be massively disappointing and missed opportunity. The track record in relation to that offseason he was in the FO might have been the lowest of my fanship pre Luka. And the Knicks stint is horrendous on all fronts.
If his name was out of this I would be swimming with a fair amount of optimism from all being reported, and very pleasantly surprised. However Perry and Dumars in this mix is a red flag that offers that keeps me nervous, and offers the chance of a detour I wont enjoy, or will end well.
Still these are the steps of the maturation of Vivek we would hope for. Lets hope it goes well. Lets hope he continues not trusting his better judgement, or established relationships. He would be wise to continue being subservient to better judgement until a new GM is in place. But I might be feeling optimism.
Vivek will still pick the GM ! This is just cover !
Assuming guys like Zarren and Webster are unrealistic, I started digging for lower exposure options. A couple that look interesting are Dan Tolzman (Raptors Ast GM, VP player personnel) and Monte McNair (Ast GM Rockets). Tolzman’s background is primarily in scouting for the Nuggets and Raptors. He also GM’d their hugely successful G-League team. McNair is a Princeton educated (and played football there) CS guy, who’s background is mostly analytics and cap/contract stuff.
Without knowing much more than his resume, Tolzman looks especially interesting to me.
By the way, I think there’s a pretty decent chance both LA teams bow out in the first round.
That would be amazing
I could actually see Dame and co. pulling off that upset. But I’d be very surprised if the Clips lost their series. That team is just too strong.
Maybe. But the Mavs have looked as good or better in both games when Porzingis has been available. Take away the, IMO, bogus ejection and they could very easily be looking at a 2-0 lead.
Yeah I just gotta think PG13 is going to start shooting lights out again at some point.
But the X factor is that I think Carlisle is a much better coach than Rivers. So there’s a chance…
Maybe the most intriguing development in the playoffs thus far is the fact the Sixers might be open to making big changes if they are ousted in the first round. Brett Brown definitely could go, and the opportunity could be there for taking on some bad contracts with assets.
It would/will be really interesting to see how they react to a total flame out. Honestly, they’ve done nothing but get worse since the, IMO, disastrous Tobias Harris trade. The Butler trade wasn’t great either. But at least he made them better while he was there. Watch them trade Simmons and just keep spiraling downward.
And I would absolutely hope the new Kings FO would look for ways to benefit from their desperation.
I wonder if they even would be open to dealing Simmons. Fox and Hield for Simmons and Thybulle/Zhaire? Not a great contract for Ben, but I think it’s probably similar to what Fox will command soon. Maybe we can take Horford off their hands and give them Cojo so they can afford the extension.
Regardless, if we could get the Hinkie/Brown reunion going here in Sac, I’d be a happy camper.
Off topic, but I found this on Reddit. Enjoy!
Oh, that is enjoyable.
What if the search ends up taking a few months and Dumars ends up being GM thru their draft and upcoming off-season, and we realize in a couple years that every move he makes ended up being amazing (ie. our draft pick becomes a total sleeper stud, he swings a couple great trades, makes some really smart FA signings). Will he be a legendary folk here around here of “what could have been” ala Malone, Joerger and pretty much every draft pick that we screwed up in the last 10 years?
Y’alls’ obsession with down votes is…odd.
Reasonable people can disagree. Hell, even I can disagree. Harping on it just reeks of insecurity, and I think most of you are better than that, he said, hoping it would buy him some empathy upvotes.
I think “Y’all” is probably a bit of an oversimplification. It’s like 3 trolls that think we’re too negative, and think it’s funny we attribute the downvotes to Vivek or Bagley’s dad.
the third troll works the downvote late shift. He’s probably still sleeping.
I don’t really understand. Do downvotes and upvotes actually do anything? I mean, I don’t have anything approaching enough self-awareness to care about downvotes. But should I?
They absolutely do something!
They hurt people’s fee-fees.
Well, jokes on them. I already know I’m an imbecile and my opinions are garbage.
Someone else made this point, but it’s not necessarily that feelings are hurt. It’s that it usually doesn’t come with a dissenting opinion. So you get voted down, but don’t know the reason for the dislike, it can be confusing.
It’s also is most likely the work of trolls.
“I disagree with your opinion/take.”
“I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION!”
“Nah.”
It’s not really disagreement though. It’s just someone being a dickhead and downvoting everything.
Also Upwork should be searched for the correct GM, or perhaps Fivr!
This down vote thing: #1.) who cares. #2.) if it is Vivek then good. He needs to see our frustration. And he’d be well served following our collective majority advice. Such as do a real search for GM and give the job to the best candidate suggested by Forde who’s not Perry or Dumars. #3.) Vivek can’t get mad at the negativity swirling around him in here. What does he expect? 7 very shitty seasons doesn’t build up trust and support. We will shower you with love if you can put together a competent front office that puts together a team that competes for a championship. A team that has a chance to win a playoff series is a basic thing. It’s not like we’ve been unreasonable for 14 years expecting trophies and rings showering us on K street.
did anyone else pick up on Vlade saying Vivek was pissed about him not selecting Luca? I appreciate that even though it doesn’t change a damn thing. Maybe he doesn’t meddle anymore because of the Stauskis pick that was all him but then we really could have used his meddling for the Luca pick! ð¤·ï¸
Heh. No chance this is coming from Vivek and Co. More likely it’s an StR thing, I can see people getting bored over there.
I mentioned it elsewhere, I think it’s easy to see it similar to a flag at the old place, but I see it as someone generally disagreeing. And it makes sense that they aren’t responding, I tend to use the thumbs up when I don’t want to make a response, so I can see someone doing the same with the thumbs down.
I mean, isn’t the correlating argument for the anti-thumbs down crowd “why did you thumbs up my comment without replying? Show yourself, coward!”…??
I agree that it’s way more of a disagree button than a “Boo this man!” button. But if that’s the case, I’d much rather have the dialog than just a thumb’s down.
Sounds pretty encouraging, solid track record. Baby steps Kings, let’s do this right for once.
I’m mainly excited to see what the new hire does with our dozens of second-round picks.
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