UPDATE: This story has been updated with corrections on a few fronts. Vlade Divac was the one behind Oliver’s departure, not Vivek. Also, Pete D’Alessandro was not fired, he left the team. I still feel as though instability is a problem, but this article definitely came off as more sensationalist then it should have. It has been toned down to be more realistic.
In a vacuum, Dean Oliver and the Sacramento Kings splitting would not be that big of a deal. Analyitcs guys get replaced sometimes, especially when a new person (like Vlade Divac) is running personnel. We don’t have vacuums in the NBA however–this isn’t space, it’s Sacramento.
Confirmed Dean Oliver & #Kings parting ways #NBA
— Bill Herenda (@billherenda) July 26, 2015
This is the latest in a long line of front office personnel parting with the Kings under less than ideal circumstances, and I’m certain that sort of thing leaves a bad taste in everybody’s mouth.
Oliver joins former coach Michael Malone and GM Pete D’Allesendro as former Sacramento personnel who left the team abruptly. It’s a bit strange all these people have split as George Karl maintains his head coaching spot despite having apparently campaigned dealing DeMarcus Cousins to Los Angeles.
Oliver was very qualified for his position, considering (as Matt Moore pointed out in this surprisingly objective piece) he literally wrote a book about analytics eleven years ago.
As with most Kings stories this summer, there have been two equally short-sighted responses to the news that Oliver is on his way out of Sacramento. The homer view, and the national media view. The homers are certain this is just a move to a new analytics guy that will mesh better with Vlade, and will actually help overall chemistry in the front office.
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The national perspective believes that this is the latest in a series of moves that are proving that the Kings are the most dysfunctional and hapless organization in the NBA, and that the Kings are ruining any semblance of stability Sacramento had accrued over a fairly good summer of moves.
As usual, I’m more in the middle. This really might not be that big of a deal, depending wholly on who (if anyone) is meant to replace Oliver as the head of analytics. It’s still a net bad move regardless of the replacement (unless someone crazy overqualified like Daryl Morey gets the job, but don’t hold your breath on that) due to the instability of Vivek’s reign showing again, but it’s by no means a straight up terrible move.
But the reason I’m worried this may be a terrible move is because of some news that leaked yesterday, about the Kings offering Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson mystery positions with the organization. If they’re brought in as assistants and merely veteran voices to help guide the people actually running the Kings, then those aren’t bad moves either.
But if Vivek and Vlade have decided since his tenure has gone so well that all available former Kings players should be given high-ranking front office jobs despite their lack of experience, then this is officially a trainwreck. Seriously, if we find out Peja is the intended recipient of Oliver’s job then this is very not good.
Somebody with actual front office experience needs to be brought in, and fast. The Kings really do have a partly unfair reputation as an idiotic franchise, and relying on former Kings players to run the team by themselves wouldn’t exactly be a great way to dispel that reputation. And that should really be the objective for Sacramento this season.
I’ve written it before, but this team as it is now is one star away from competing for a top spot in the Western Conference. Pairing a truly great guard or forward with DeMarcus Cousins and all the other good talent on this roster would make a top four team in the West.
But getting a second star is tough, and it might be impossible for a team with a reputation like the Kings currently have. More than anything else, this season needs to establish Sacramento as a team that finally has stability and credibility. Firing capable front office people and replacing them with completely unproven commodities does the exact opposite.
Let’s hope that Vlade Divac has some sort of master plan to connect all the dots here in Sacramento, or this team might be destined for nothing but more turmoil, and the losses that come with it.
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