The Sacramento Kings are once again headed for another reset after a turbulent season. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Kings and general manager Monte McNair have mutually agreed to part ways following Sacramento’s season-ending 120-106 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Play-In Tournament. League sources have since confirmed the report to ClutchPoints, signaling the end of McNair’s four-year run with the franchise.
McNair’s departure, while officially termed “mutual,” hardly comes as a surprise. After firing head coach Mike Brown early in the 2024-25 campaign and dealing franchise cornerstone De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, the writing had been on the wall for months. Rumors swirled as early as Wednesday afternoon that McNair’s job was in serious jeopardy if the Kings failed to beat Dallas, and their disappointing exit only sped up the inevitable.
Initially hired in September 2020 to replace Vlade Divac, McNair made an immediate impact. His bold moves — most notably trading young star Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis — helped snap Sacramento’s infamous 16-year playoff drought. That accomplishment earned him the 2023 NBA Executive of the Year award and briefly made him a hero in a long-suffering city.
McNair also scored major wins by drafting sharpshooting forward Keegan Murray fourth overall in 2022 and signing high-energy scorer Malik Monk in free agency. Under his leadership, the Kings posted three straight seasons with 40 or more wins — an achievement that would have been unthinkable for most of the last two decades.
But beneath the surface, cracks were forming. Multiple coaching changes, rumored tension between the front office and ownership, and increasingly desperate moves to stay competitive began to erode the Kings’ foundation. Sacramento’s front office struggled to balance Ranadive’s demand for immediate success with McNair’s more measured, long-term approach. The pressure led to rushed free-agent signings, questionable trades, and mounting frustration within the locker room.
The internal discord boiled over this season when Brown was abruptly fired just 31 games into the year, despite leading the team to a playoff berth the season prior. Not long after, Fox — who had grown increasingly disillusioned with the direction of the franchise — forced his way out. His exit, orchestrated by agent Rich Paul, left the Kings reeling and placed further strain on McNair’s position.
Now, the Kings are left searching for another executive to stabilize the organization, rebuild credibility, and maximize a roster still brimming with recognizable talent. Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine headline a team that looks good on paper but enters the offseason clouded in uncertainty. After finishing just 40-42 and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year via the play-in tournament, Sacramento faces a critical summer.
Vivek Ranadive’s ownership tenure has been defined by instability, and the decision to part ways with McNair continues that trend. Whoever steps in next will have the difficult task of navigating ownership expectations, repairing player trust, and trying to build a sustainable winner in one of the NBA’s most notoriously difficult environments. For the Kings and their loyal fanbase, the hope is that this next chapter finally brings the consistency they have long been searching for.
