Scott Perry tries to put out a fire in Sacramento

Before the victory against Denver on Saturday nightand while the Kings had eight straight losses, Scott Perry decided to pick up his phone to talk to him The Athletic. His goal? Put out the fire before this disastrous start to the season, which does not save the success against the Nuggets: 4 wins with 13 losses. And try to appease impatient and frustrated fans.

“Right now, I completely understand their frustration. This doesn’t seem like what they wanted. The old adage says that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and that’s a fact.”reminds the GM, appointed to this position since April. “If you look at the best teams in the league, they’ve all been through tough times, where you’ve had to lay the foundation and create an environment that can lead to wins. I’ve said it from the beginning: be patient. We have a plan in mind and we’re going to do it together.”

He would have the keys to the transfers

The plan was to “Create a player identity: play fast, be tough and become a better defense”. The start of the season provided a sharp response to these wishes… “Currently, it is obvious that we have not achieved this goal or made this vision a reality”takes over GM. “Is this disappointing? Yes, it is. We are still at the beginning of the season and we still have opportunities to develop an identity, to become more competitive.”

The former Knicks manager then specifies that he has the “autonomy” to carry out this mission. The word is important because we know that in Sacramento, when tough decisions have to be made (firing Mike Brown, transferring De’Aaron Fox, etc.), owner Vivek Ranadiv often makes the decision. So does GM really have his hand on the wheel to run the franchise?

“If I use this word autonomy, it’s because it’s the right word. I’m not making empty promises, I’m telling the truth.”he assures. “I will have full autonomy and the authority to make the decisions I deem necessary to give fans the opportunity to have a team they can root for.”

Words that resonate with rumors that have just surfaced. Kings would indeed “ready to listen to offers”. Journalist Jake Fisher even suggests that GM would understand “ quite realistic » importance a “reconstruction over several years” to start from scratch and not rely on “ashes” current training.

Repeated confidence for Doug Christie

“My job is to constantly look at things here and be open to the changes necessary to improve the team.” he told our colleagues on Saturday. “You have to be patient in this adventure. Historically, in the NBA, when you try to change the culture, to build it, it takes time. That’s a fact. We can’t run away. There’s no miracle solution if you want to do things right.”

Finally, considering the quality of players present in the team, we can also question the level of Doug Christie to lead it. The former player had never coached before taking over for Mike Brown, and after 68 games on the Sacramento bench, he has just 31 successes…

“Doug’s strengths are his natural leadership qualities. He’s passionate about the Kings and was part of the franchise’s last great team. This is his first season, so he still has a lot to learn, but I have every confidence in him and the franchise to lead the team to better times.”concludes Scott Perry.