The Sacramento Kings wasted no time jumpstarting their offseason after a disappointing play-in tournament loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, officially ending their 2024-25 campaign.
Just about an hour after the final buzzer, the organization and general manager Monte McNair mutually agreed to part ways—a move that, while not entirely surprising, caught many off guard due to how quickly it unfolded. What stunned people even more was how swiftly the team moved on: within 12 hours, the Kings had a new GM lined up.
The franchise has reportedly reached an agreement with veteran NBA executive Scott Perry to become their next general manager. Perry brings years of experience and respect around the league, and there’s optimism he can steer Sacramento in a better direction. However, the abrupt handling of McNair’s departure—and the nearly instantaneous hire of Perry—has raised eyebrows both inside and outside league circles, with some criticizing the Kings for a lack of transparency and professionalism in the process.
With major offseason decisions looming, including the futures of Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine, Perry’s ability to stabilize the front office and set a clear course will be crucial.
Brian Windhorst, an ESPN insider, didn’t hold back when discussing the Sacramento Kings’ handling of the situation surrounding Monte McNair‘s departure and the quick hire of Scott Perry as the new general manager.
On NBA Today, Windhorst criticized the organization’s actions, calling it a sign of deeper dysfunction.
“It’s not a good organization,” Windhorst stated bluntly. He went on to express concern about how the Kings’ recent moves reflect poorly on the franchise. He highlighted how Domantas Sabonis, in his exit interview, expressed the team’s need for a point guard in the offseason—something that’s been a point of contention ever since they let go of their franchise point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, in the trade for Sabonis.
Windhorst also pointed out the apparent lack of communication and transparency in McNair’s dismissal, emphasizing that McNair likely knew he was going to be fired for weeks. He noted that Wes Wilcox, McNair’s assistant, left for another job weeks ago, indicating the front office had been preparing for change long before the official move was made.
The ESPN insider also slammed the Kings’ history of instability, referencing their revolving door of coaches over the last 17 years. While the team had finally found stability with Mike Brown, giving him a contract extension last summer, Windhorst noted that they fired him just two months into the season—further emphasizing the persistent dysfunction in Sacramento.
For Windhorst, the Kings’ repeated organizational missteps are a classic example of why the franchise has struggled for decades, despite occasional moments of hope.
Brian Windhorst continued to criticize the Sacramento Kings for their persistent missteps, and many fans are hard-pressed to argue against his points.
He pointed to the DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine pairing as another glaring example of the Kings’ poor decision-making. Windhorst noted that while DeRozan and LaVine are undeniably talented stars, they struggled to find success together on the Chicago Bulls for three years. Despite this, Sacramento still chose to test the same pairing in hopes of turning things around, while also trading away their franchise point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, in the process.
Windhorst’s frustration is clear: the Kings seem to consistently make decisions that don’t align with their long-term success. Trading for DeRozan and LaVine, especially after seeing their lack of success in Chicago, seemed like a questionable move—one that appears to be another example of the Kings “shooting themselves in the foot.”
For many, these types of decisions only reinforce Windhorst’s broader point: Sacramento is an organization that struggles to build for the future and continues to make moves that hinder their chances of genuine improvement.
While many Kings fans aren’t opposed to the hiring of Scott Perry and are fine with the decision to part ways with Monte McNair, there’s a major lingering question: Why would the Kings let McNair make critical franchise-shaking decisions when it was clear his time as general manager was coming to an end?
The 2024-25 season was one of chaos for Sacramento, with a series of head-scratching moves that raised eyebrows and left fans frustrated. Among those moves were the firing of head coach Mike Brown, hiring Doug Christie as the interim, trading away De’Aaron Fox, and acquiring Zach LaVine—all of which came amid uncertainty surrounding McNair’s future with the organization.
The fact that McNair, knowing his tenure was coming to a close, was still allowed to make these monumental decisions has left many questioning the logic behind the Kings’ approach. Even if the front office was preparing to move on from McNair, allowing him to have such a significant impact on the roster and coaching staff during a pivotal season doesn’t make much sense.
In a season that was already filled with turmoil, this kind of uncertainty and dysfunction only added fuel to the fire. It was the last thing the Kings, a struggling franchise, needed in a year that had the potential for growth. Now, with a new GM in place and major questions about the direction of the team, Sacramento will need to rebuild its foundation—again—if they hope to become competitive in the future.