Sacramento Kings Chairman Vivek Ranadivé attended Saturday night’s playoff game between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. Vivek, who formally owned a minority stake in the Warriors before selling it to buy the Kings, has regularly attended Warriors games in the years since buying the Kings. It’s odd, but it’s odd in a way we’ve grown accustomed to.
But Saturday held a new wrinkle. Mike Brown was on the sidelines as an assistant coach for the Warriors, and Mark Jackson was in attendance calling the game for ABC. Brown and Jackson are two of three finalists for the Kings head coaching vacancy, and are largely considered the last two in the race. The Kings org has insisted to various reporters that officially Steve Clifford is also receiving equal consideration, but he’s not considered a real candidate at this point.
To make things even more odd, neither Brown nor Jackson were aware Vivek would be at the game, according to the latest report from Sam Amick. Amick also says that neither candidate had received an offer as of Saturday night.
Sources say neither Jackson nor Brown was aware that Ranadivé was planning to be in attendance, so it was unclear if there was any substantive meaning to the visit. What’s more, sources say neither Brown nor Jackson was offered the job as of late Saturday evening.
At this point I’d be surprised if we get any updates on the coaching search today. Monday feels more logical than dropping an announcement on Mother’s Day, although logic often doesn’t apply when it comes to this franchise.
Vivek attending a game of his former franchise, a team he’s been obsessed with replicating to the point it actively harms his own team, while his two coaching finalists are in attendance, with neither having any advanced knowledge about his attendance and neither having any clarity on where they stand. It would be absolutely insane for any other franchise. For the Kings it’s a Saturday.
At least it gave Brown and Jackson further clarity on the situation they’d be walking into.
I wish Vivek enjoyed a well run franchise half as much as he enjoyed seeing his name and face in the online press.
This franchise has far more value as a soap opera than a basketball organization. We can’t hope for ever making the playoffs. We can only sit back and enjoy the superfluous drama.
100% this.
And this is part of the reason why I’ll see no reason to celebrate if the Kings hire the right guy.
Good organizations make decisions on basis of a proper foundation and a proper process. This process is a joke, and that was already clear the moment that Mark Jackson was one of the two finalists.
This organization is a joke, its owner is a joke and its GM seems completely unable to convince the owner to back off and just let him to do his job.
Add to that all other matters, such as the reports that the Kings still has the smallest scouting staff in the NBA, and I have no confidence that stumbling into the right coaching decision (perhaps by default) will be followed up by enough of the right decisions to make a difference.
Trust the
ProcessClown Show!Has any other team owner, who’s been a perpetual loser, visited a division rival to watch their playoff game?
It’s like Donald Sterling attending a Showtime era Lakers playoff game after just interviewing one of Riley’s assistants. It’s almost parasitic.
What is this good organization you speak of?
Been So long with ShitVek running the show that I’ve forgotten.
Vivek is the reason this team and organization is horrid. I agree about entire organization being understaffed and run terribly. How will that ever change enough with this shit owner?
Loving ShitVek
What if Rich Paul asked the Kings to make him a finalist so that Klutch has leverage as he’s trying to negotiate a contract for Jackson with the Lakers? In turn, Paul will facilitate a trade between the Kings for Draymond Green (another Klutch client) for Harrison Barnes. Maybe Vivek is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers?
This is fine.
What a fucking nit-wit. He’s like the annoying and condescending little ivy league kid who wants to be cool by hanging out within the proximity of the hipster world smart kids who are actually worthy of praise. He is so desperate to be the Warriors that he feeds off the scraps of their table.
Kings are gonna hire another ex-Warrior coach, gonna overpay an ex-Warrior this summer (likely Otto Porter Jr.) and will draft Vivek’s “Next Curry” in TyTy Washington.
We live in the darkest of Kings multiverses.
The Kings that I rooted for ceased to exist when Ranadive bought the franchise.
Regardless of who the next coach is, I don’t see any successful path forward for this organization as it’s currently run.
I’m so goddamn tired of Vivek Ranadive.
I think we’re entering the phase of psychosis as Kings fans. To be honest, I’m not sure if the franchise would be any different had the Maloofs held onto it. That’s how bad Vivek has been for this franchise, just in a different way than the Maloofs.
If the Maloofs had any money at all, it would unquestiongly be better, in my opinion.
When the Maloofs had money they spent it on their team and had success . Vivek has not . Big difference .
Yup. All I can say is – Fuck you Vivek. Seriously. You have single handedly run the Kings into the ground, and you’re so damn delusional (ego blind) you continue repeating the same mistake.s Over and over.
Haven’t the Kings dropped big news several times in recent years at moments designed to try and get lost in the news cycle? I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they made the announcement tonight when I imagine many families are out taking Mom to dinner or a show or something.
Good call!
the issue is.. (not to defend Vivek who I despise)?
Also, I haven’t seen anything that Clifford is no longer a candidate but rumor
♪♪ Vivek has us in a fever—hot take he decided to spout.
He’s been talkin’ ‘bout Jackson;
Got to put that fire out.
Can’t go with Jackson—stop your messin’ around—
No, we can’t go with Jackson.
Please Monte, don’t back down! ♪♪
Vivek is the 4th best Sacramento Kings owner. 1 and 2 are not strong owners. 3rd coasted the GM, coach and key portions roster obtained under Thomas and later proceeded to run out of money and affirmatively tried to kill NBA basketball here.
Correct ,in a simple but true assessment !
My understanding is that Walton & Gentry were in attendance as well? Hey, if the Kings can’t get to the playoffs, at least their payroll can!
Vivek cheating on his new wife with his old wife and not even hiding it. What a dickhead.
That’s a horrible analogy. I’d much rather he go back to the Warriors.
Who wouldn’t?
If he was sent here by the Warriors to sabotage the Kings, would it look any worse than this?
He hired the guy who had the tip assist to Horry as our GM. Coincidence?
It’s hard to imagine.
Still waiting for someone to explain why Mike Brown or Mark Jackson is any better than Alvin Gentry. Doesn’t move the needle an inch.
The Maloofs are looking like freaking rocket scientists.
To be fair, Gentry’s career coaching winning percentage is .456, while Brown’s is .616 and Jackson’s is .526 (small sample size).
There is a difference between them.
I just don’t understand what Vivek Ranadive has against continuity.
Living vicariously through Joe Lacob. What a shit-bird.
Hay Mark, Mike I notice neither of you have returned my calls…Is it me?
Vivek still believes he is a key factor in Warriors success.. That makes one
Thank you gods.
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1523437217393217536
THANK. YOU. GOD.
I seriously do not get what all the hand wringing is all about. None of it.
Vivek is clearly a basketball fan and he likes watching games in person. And if he wants to watch some playoff basketball his easiest choice is to go to a Warriors game. It’s the closest and he can probably get the tickets comped.
And if he’s there to watch some basketball why should he give a shit if Brown and Jackson are both there as well. I sure as hell wouldn’t care if it was me. I’d be there to watch the game and the last thing I’d be thinking about is making some sort of “statement” about my coaching choice.
I find this neither odd, or insane. or parasitic, in any way. It’s a basketball fan attending a game.
Guy likes basketball and went to a playoff game. Big deal.
Badge Legend