Larry Bird steps down as Pacers president, and an old nemesis steps in

In today’s NBA news, Larry Bird is stepping down as president of the Indiana Pacers. On it’s surface, this news doesn’t really impact the Sacramento Kings much, but the news includes the return of an old nemesis...

Larry Bird is stepping down as Pacers president, league sources tell @TheVertical. Kevin Pritchard will take over basketball operations.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) April 28, 2017

KEVIN PRITCHARD. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

For those who have no idea what I’m babbling about, Kevin Pritchard served as GM for the Portland Trail Blazers in the mid-2000s, and had a nasty habit of winning trades or swiping draft picks right before the Kings could get them.

In the now-infamous 2008 Sactown Royalty draft thread, Kings fans had our hearts set on Jerryd Bayless. Don’t laugh, I’m serious. We really liked him. And right before the Kings picked at 12 (Jason Thompson? Who the hell is Jason Thompson???), it looked like Bayless was going to be available. But Pritchard organized a trade with, coincidentally, the Pacers for the 11th pick and stole Bayless.

And now we come full circle.

And if that’s not enough of a Kings connection for you, consider this.