Report: Kings consider hiring Sachin Gupta and Monte McNair to lead front office
The Kings are reportedly exploring the possibility of hiring two of their top candidates in a move that would pair Sachin Gupta with Monte McNair in a revamped Sacramento front office.
KHTK’s “Carmichael Dave” Weiglein reported there was strong movement Tuesday toward hiring Gupta as head of basketball operations and McNair as general manager. Gupta, the executive vice president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and McNair, an assistant general manager with the Houston Rockets, have worked together twice before, both times in Houston.
Weiglein reported Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, his son, Aneel Ranadivé, and interim executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars conducted in-person interviews Monday and Tuesday in Sacramento. Dumars was not involved in an initial round of interviews last week, according to The Athletic. It remains unclear what role Dumars will have with the team moving forward.
Denver Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth had an informal discussion with Vivek Ranadivé on Sunday and former Atlanta Hawks general manager Wes Wilcox met with the Kings on Monday, sources told The Sacramento Bee. KHTK reported no deal has been reached with Gupta and McNair, but there is “mutual interest on both sides.”
Gupta, 38, earned a computer science degree from MIT and an MBA from Stanford. He began his career at ESPN, where he was a forerunner in basketball’s analytics movement and became well versed in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement while developing ESPN’s Trade Machine. He later worked in the front offices of the Philadelphia 76ers, Rockets and Detroit Pistons before the Timberwolves hired him in July 2019.
“Sachin is an extremely talented basketball mind who brings a diverse and unique background to our staff,” Timberwolves president Gersson Rosas said when Gupta was hired. “Known as a pioneer of basketball analytics and one of the leaders in the CBA, I’m thrilled to partner with Sachin as we aim to build the Timberwolves into one of the most modern and dynamic franchises in the NBA.”
McNair, a Southern California native who played football at Princeton, joined the Rockets as an analyst in 2007. He was named director of basketball operations in 2013, transitioned to vice president of basketball operations in 2015 and was promoted to assistant general manager in October 2018. In addition to his analytics work for the Rockets organization, McNair has been involved in all aspects of player evaluation, including trades, free agency and the draft.
“Monte has been absolutely critical to the success of the Rockets over his long tenure,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said on the team’s website. “His unique combination of analytical skills and ability to work with our coaching staff was a key driver in our record-breaking season last year.”
Morey met Gupta after delivering a guest lecture to MIT alumni in March 2005. Morey hired Gupta when he was named general manager of the Rockets in 2006 and added McNair to his staff a year later. They all worked under executive vice president Sam Hinkie until Hinkie left Houston to become the general manager of the 76ers in 2013.
Gupta spent six seasons with the Rockets, laying the foundation for the team’s analytics department while assisting with strategy, salary cap management and trades. Gupta returned to Houston as a special adviser to Morey in 2017-18.
In January 2017, Philadelphia Magazine published a story entitled, “Meet Sachin Gupta, The Driving Force Behind Many of Sam Hinkie’s trades.”
In response, Hinkie tweeted: “Great article, but I’d change the title — Meet Sachin Gupta, The Driving Force Behind *All* of Sam Hinkie’s Trades.”
This story was originally published September 15, 2020 at 1:18 PM.
