Things have moved quickly for the Sacramento Kings under new owner Vivek Ranadivé. The team dropped Keith Smart, hired Golden State Warriors assistant Mike Malone as the head coach and told general manager Geoff Petrie that he will not return on a new deal. Now Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace has emerged as the Kings' top GM candidate, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.
Kings targeting Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace in search, according to report
The Sacramento Kings may be looking for their new general manager in Memphis.
USA TODAY Sports
Stein says that Warriors consultant Jerry West has been “counseling Ranadivé on his early moves with the Kings,” and that West backed Wallace for the job. The Grizzlies’ GM interviewed with Ranadivé earlier in the week, and things apparently “went well enough that it stretched into a second day.” Wallace’s role in Memphis has reportedly diminished since the team hired John Hollinger as a senior executive in the organization.
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Wallace has built a spotty record as an NBA general manager. In 12 seasons, his teams have made the playoffs five times, and he has never won NBA Executive of the Year. A list of all his transactions as GM -- from drafting Paul Pierce in 1998 to selecting Hasheem Thabeet No. 2 overall in 2009 -- can be found here.
The Kings have also tapped into Ranadivé ‘s ties to the Warriors from another angle, as they’ve interviewed Golden State assistant general manager Travis Schlenk. The team has also looked into former Indiana Pacers general manager Larry Bird, according to Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.
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