Vlade Divac Steps Down From Position As Kings General Manager
Aug 14, 2020, 3:41 PM | Updated: Aug 16, 2020, 2:18 pm
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Former NBA Executive of the Year award winner Joe Dumars will assist the franchise in locating a replacement for Divac
Back in February of 2017, Vlade Divac told reporters that he would step down from his position as general manager of the Sacramento Kings if the team was not good in two seasons.
It appears that Divac is a man of his word.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Divac stepped down from his position as general manager on Friday afternoon.
Amick later stated that head coach Luke Walton’s job is “safe” as of now.
Shortly after breaking the news, Amick went onto Sports 1140 KHTK’s Jason Ross and Doug Christie Show to relay that he believes Divac’s replacement for the foreseeable future could be Joe Dumars.
Dumars, who won the NBA’s Executive of the Year Award in 2003 with Detroit, has been an advisor in the front office with the Kings this season.
Effective immediately, Dumars will become the interim executive VP of basketball operations. Dumars will also become the general manager until a replacement is found—unless owner Vivek Ranadive indeed chooses to instate the Hall of Fame guard as a permanent replacement.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, assistant GM Peja Stojakovic will also be stepping down from his position with the franchise.
After becoming a fan-favorite with Sacramento as a player from 1998-2004, Divac was named general manager of the team in 2015.
The Kings—like they have been for the last 14 years—were underwhelming during Divac’s tenure, compiled a 161-231 record over five seasons.
Sacramento will head into the offseason with tons of question marks, as the roster alone is expected to look quite different next season.
Nothing can happen for the team until there is someone behind the wheel. Someone who knows what to do, someone who knows which buttons to press in building a winner.
Who is going to fix this franchise?
That question may or may not be answered this offseason.
Only time will tell.
