The Sacramento Kings and their general manager, Monte McNair, have parted ways following a crushing 120-106 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Play-In Tournament on April 17, 2025. This decision, described as a “mutual agreement” by multiple sources, marks the end of McNair’s five-year tenure with the franchise. The news broke mere hours after the Kings’ season concluded, underscoring the organization’s urgency to address its ongoing struggles. Fans and analysts alike are buzzing about what this means for Sacramento’s future, as the team grapples with a turbulent season and a legacy of dysfunction.
McNair’s time with the Kings was a mixed bag of highs and lows. Hired in September 2020, he took over a franchise desperate to shed its reputation as the NBA’s perennial underachiever. His bold moves, like trading Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis, paid off in 2023 when the Kings ended a 16-year playoff drought, earning McNair the NBA Executive of the Year award. That season, Sacramento went 48-34, finishing third in the Western Conference. But the momentum fizzled. The Kings failed to return to the playoffs in the following two seasons, culminating in this year’s play-in defeat. Critics point to questionable decisions—like trading De’Aaron Fox for Zach LaVine and firing Coach of the Year Mike Brown—as signs of deeper issues.
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Monte McNair’s Legacy: A Tale of Triumph and Turmoil
Reflecting on Monte McNair’s tenure, it’s clear he brought significant change to Sacramento. His vision transformed the roster, prioritizing players like Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan to create a competitive core. Under his leadership, the Kings achieved a .488 win percentage, a stark improvement from the .362 mark in the decade before his arrival. Yet, the front office’s instability loomed large. Assistant GM Wes Wilcox departed weeks before McNair, and the organization faced criticism for its handling of Brown’s firing and Fox’s trade. Some reports even suggest internal power struggles, with former GM Vlade Divac regaining influence.
Here’s a quick look at McNair’s key moves:
- 2022 Trade: Acquired Domantas Sabonis, fueling the 2023 playoff run.
- 2023 Draft: Selected Keegan Murray, a cornerstone for the future.
- 2024 Offseason: Signed DeMar DeRozan, aiming for a veteran boost.
- 2025 Trade: Swapped De’Aaron Fox for Zach LaVine, a move that backfired.
These decisions shaped Sacramento’s trajectory but couldn’t sustain long-term success. The play-in loss to Dallas, led by Anthony Davis’s 27 points, exposed the team’s vulnerabilities, prompting owner Vivek Ranadive to act swiftly.
What’s Next for the Kings After Monte McNair?
With Monte McNair gone, Sacramento faces a pivotal offseason. The Kings are now hunting for a new GM and a permanent head coach, as interim coach Doug Christie’s future remains uncertain. League insiders speculate that former Denver Nuggets GM Calvin Booth could be a candidate to replace McNair, while the Houston Rockets are rumored as a potential landing spot for McNair himself, given his 13-year stint there. The roster, featuring stars like Sabonis, DeRozan, and LaVine, hangs in the balance, with trade rumors already swirling.
The Kings’ dysfunction has frustrated fans, who see McNair’s exit as both a reckoning and an opportunity. Social media posts on X reflect the sentiment, with some calling it “another big mistake by Vivek” and others predicting a “new direction” for the franchise. The organization must navigate this transition carefully to avoid repeating past mistakes. Ran /
adive’s fondness for Christie and Divac’s growing presence raise questions about the front office’s stability.
As Sacramento looks ahead, the stakes are high. Can the Kings finally build a consistent winner, or will they remain mired in chaos? McNair’s departure closes one chapter, but the next one is unwritten. Fans are holding their breath, hoping for a leader who can deliver the playoff glory that has eluded them since 2006. For now, the spotlight is on Sacramento to prove it can rise above its turbulent past.