SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Sacramento Kings and general manager Monte McNair have agreed to part ways, two years after McNair helped end the longest playoff drought in NBA history.
The two sides reached the decision shortly after the Kings’ season ended Wednesday night with a 120-106 loss to Dallas in the play-in tournament and the team announced it on Wednesday.
"I want to sincerely thank Monte for his leadership and the invaluable contributions he made during his time in Sacramento,” owner Vivek Ranadivé said in a statement. “He helped build a strong foundation for continued success here, and we wish him and his family all the best in their future endeavors.”
Ranadivé immediately found a replacement, hiring former New York Knicks general manager Scott Perry for the role, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because a deal hadn't been announced. Perry spent three months in the Kings' front office in 2017 before being hired by the Knicks.
McNair was hired by Sacramento before the start of the 2020-21 season and helped put together the team that ended a 16-season playoff drought in 2023 when it went 48-34 to finish third in the Western Conference. McNair won NBA Executive of the Year in 2022-23.
The Kings lost a first-round series to the Golden State Warriors in seven games that season and weren’t able to make it back to the playoffs the past two seasons, losing in the Play-In Tournament each season.
McNair said in a statement on social media that he was grateful that Ranadivé gave him “the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“The Beam Team brought so much joy to so many,” he said. “Thank you to the players, coaches, and staff who played such a vital role in creating those special moments and memories. To the Sacramento community — thank you for welcoming and embracing me and my family. We arrived as a family of four and leave as a family of six. As a California kid, this truly felt like a dream homecoming. To Kings fans — you’re simply the best. I’ll never forget the deafening roar before Game 1 or the countless other unforgettable moments we shared. There will be many more beams in the Kings’ future.”
Sacramento won at least 40 games in each of the past three seasons after failing to do that even once in the previous 16 seasons but the Kings weren’t able to take the next step to be a contender in the Western Conference.
This past season was a big step back as the team fired coach Mike Brown in December, traded star De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio in February and finished in ninth place in the conference with a 40-42 record.
It bottomed out with the blowout loss at home to the Mavericks on Wednesday night and then the quick change was made at GM.
The Kings had a 195-205 record with McNair in charge. Under his leadership, Sacramento made a key trade in 2022 to acquire star center Domantas Sabonis from Indiana for Tyrese Haliburton, signed Malik Monk as a free agent, drafted Keegan Murray and made the three-team trade this season that sent Fox to San Antonio and sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento.
Sacramento also must make a decision soon on whether to bring back interim coach Doug Christie, who went 27-24 in the regular season after taking over for Brown.
Christie said before the news about McNair became public that he had been given no indication of his job status.
“But this is where I want to be,” he said. “You guys know that. I need to finish what I started.”
The new general manager will be the fifth lead executive since owner Vivek Ranadive took over the team in 2013. The Kings have gone through nine coaches in that span — including interims — and have the fifth worst record in the NBA.
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FILE - Sacramento Kings General Manager Monte McNair poses for a photo during the NBA basketball team's media day in Sacramento, Calif., on Sept. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — When the Denver Broncos won their first AFC West title in a decade last week, Sean Payton said he didn't talk about it with his team and he told reporters he'd heard the commemorative caps and T-shirts were ugly.
So, it's not surprising when Payton insists he's not focused on the NFL-best and franchise-record 64 sacks the Broncos have piled up heading into Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers with the AFC's top playoff seed on the line.
“I'm not worried about the sacks, not worried about the sacks,” Payton said. "I'm worried about caging the quarterback, rushing him properly. So we’re not focused on the sack numbers. Those can actually be numbers that help a quarterback climb up in the pocket.
"A lot of it maybe has to do with who we’ve been playing relative to the quarterback position, but I’m not interested in the sack numbers.”
Still, they're significant.
The Broncos' 64 sacks, one more than they had last year when they also led the league, are 11 more than the next team's, the Atlanta Falcons, who have 53.
A whopping 17 Denver players have gotten in on the sack attack, led by Nik Bonitto with 12 1/2.
“I think that's the most underrated part about when we rush the passer, or a lot of these blitzes that are being called, is we have so many unselfish guys," Bonitto said. "The D-tackles being willing to drop in coverage, the outside linebackers being able to drop in coverage and the DBs knowing when to blitz and just guys rushing the right way.
“That's why we're seeing the numbers that we are and everybody's able to get a piece of the cake when it comes to getting the sacks.”
For a while, the Broncos were on pace to set the NFL record for most sacks in a season, a mark that's held by the Chicago Bears, who had 72 sacks in 1984.
But since their bye week a month and a half ago, the Broncos have averaged three sacks a game, down from the 4.45 clip they produced during their first 11 games.
To curtail Denver's pass rush, opposing quarterbacks have been getting the ball out of their hands quickly.
“They'd better,” Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph cracked.
Or else they'll get sacked.
But playing the short game with quick passes to keep the Broncos at bay only plays into the the Broncos' hands in the bigger picture as opponents curtail their own downfield passing game to keep their quarterback upright.
“Absolutely, I see that as we’re first in yards per play and we’re first in giving up (the fewest) big plays. That’s it,” Joseph said. “So, if you want to chase numbers, let’s chase the right numbers. And numbers change and numbers can tell a lot of stories. But teams don’t want to get sacked by us, so the ball is coming out quicker. But if we tackle well, it doesn’t hurt us.”
That's where sure-handed rookie Jahdae Barron comes in as the Broncos implement their “Big Nickel" defense in heavy doses with inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw (hamstring) sidelined.
Denver's defense has had to adjust to the quicker releases, too.
“My point to our guys is basics, tackling, the ball is going to come out quicker. D-line, get your hands up, knock some balls down,” Joseph said. “No one’s going to hold the ball against us. It’s gonna be the same on Sunday, it’s gonna be the same in the playoffs, if they hold it we’re going to sack them.”
The Broncos only sacked third-string Chiefs QB Chris Oladokun one time in their 20-13 win at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas night, but they limited him to 66 yards passing and held Kansas City to just 139 yards of total offense.
Joseph insists the Broncos could have obliterated the single-season sack record if Denver's pass rushers weren't unselfish. But they're a disciplined bunch, not rushing past the quarterback's deepest drop and, as Payton said, focused instead on caging the quarterback.
If he steps up to avoid the rush, defensive lineman Zach Allen has been there to close the escape route. Allen's 45 quarterback hits so far lead the league, eight ahead of second-place Myles Garrett, who can set the single-season record with a sack on Sunday.
Allen's 68 quarterback pressures are the most by any NFL interior defensive lineman.
“We're not rushing recklessly (and) passing the quarterback to get 64 sacks," Joseph said. “So, it's being done right.”
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Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
