The Sacramento Kings have denied reports that they’re planning to discuss a front office position with former Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie. The team released a statement Monday that says, “The Kings are not hiring Sam Hinkie and have no plans to bring anyone in above Vlade [Divac].”
Kings deny reports of interest in Sam Hinkie for front office role
Despite reports of the Kings’ interest in the former Sixers GM, they’ve come out with a statement to the contrary.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
There were multiple reports on Monday evening that the Kings had interest in hiring Hinkie in an executive role. Marc Stein and Zach Lowe of ESPN.com first reported that they had secured permission to talk with him from the 76ers, who have a non-compete clause with their former GM for this season.
The move reportedly came as a result of the Kings “quietly searching” for someone to replace current GM Vlade Divac, according to Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski. Based on the Kings’ statement, it sounds like Divac’s power in the organization is safe for now, but Wojnarowski is standing by his reporting.
Hinkie, who left the 76ers in April 2016, has reportedly had casual contact with Kings owner Vivek Ranadive. It’s not clear whether he actually has interest in joining the team, which has had its issues under Ranadive and Divac, but it would be Hinkie’s first foray back into the NBA since leaving Philadelphia.
The Kings have been one of the NBA’s worst teams over the past few years, even when they had one of basketball’s best young players in DeMarcus Cousins. That relationship ended in ugly fashion with a seemingly lopsided trade that sent Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans, after which Divac admitted he had turned down a better offer days before.
With the Kings lacking direction on their way to another lottery finish, hiring someone like Hinkie could be the beginning of a ... process ... to get the team back heading in a different direction.
Hinkie’s extensive rebuilding effort in Philadelphia has begun to bear fruit with Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, and Ben Simmons forming an intriguing core. It was controversial during the worst of the losing seasons, but Hinkie at least had a core vision, something the Kings have lacked, which was apparent in how the Cousins situation concluded.
Based on the Kings’ quick response, they seem to be committed to current leadership, at least for now. But if these recent reports are accurate, change could be coming in Sacramento sooner than later.
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