Sacramento Kings: Why Fans should be excited about new GM Monte McNair
By Allen Settle
Sacramento Kings fans should be excited about new general manager Monte McNair.
The Sacramento Kings‘ search for a new general manager has officially come to an end.
While the rest of the league is focused on the conference finals games, the Kings have reached an agreement with former Houston Rockets executive Monte McNair to lead the franchise’s basketball operations. He will replace the recently departed Vlade Divac.
While McNair does not carry the star power or name recognition to make fans excited, there are a number of reasons for basketball fans in Northern California to be optimistic about this addition.
Here are a few.
Monte McNair’s background before the Sacramento Kings
McNair is a strong basketball mind with a particular affinity for analytics. He will be a major asset in a sport that has increasingly embraced the use of mathematics and advanced data in their team construction.
The new GM has a Princeton education and a background working as a programmer and researcher for STATS LLC. He also has 13 years of experience in the Rockets’ organization.
His tenure working alongside Houston general manager Daryl Morey with the Rockets, who has long been considered one of the league’s top analytical minds, should make him well equipped to transition into a similar role.
He is also a disciple of former 76ers’ general manager Sam Hinkie, who is another leader in basketball analytics.
Kings’ owner Vivek Ranadive publicly acknowledged his excitement to add a top basketball mind in the following statements.
"“Monte is one of the NBA’s top basketball minds who has played an instrumental role in building several winning teams in Houston. I am excited to bring his extensive experience and vision onboard to lead our basketball operations department, and it is my pleasure to welcome Monte and his family to Sacramento.”"
Monte McNair’s success before the Sacramento Kings
The biggest reason to find excitement in the McNair hire is his track record of success with the Rockets. The longtime front office member was involved in roster construction, trades, player evaluation, free agency signings, scouting, and draft decisions for one of the league’s model franchises.
The Rockets, who have orchestrated moves involving superstar talents like James Harden, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and many others, have given McNair plenty of hands-on experience.
He was also a key part of building a team that has reached the NBA postseason in eight straight seasons and won at least 50 games seven times. This is phenomenal news for a Kings’ franchise that has failed to reach the playoffs since the 2005-2006 NBA season.
Monte McNair’s future with the Sacramento Kings
McNair will take over a team that appears to be on the cusp of legitimate contention for a postseason berth. Perhaps, his focus on analytics and winning experience will help the team make the necessary adjustments to crack into a loaded Western Conference playoff field.
Fans in Northern California will hope the homecoming for the California native will be exactly what the Kings need to recapture some of their success from the early 2000s.
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Keep an eye out for big things over the next several seasons of Sacramento basketball.