The Sacramento Kings are fighting for their first playoff spot since 2006, and general manager Vlade Divac, once a player donning the Kings uniform, has played a major part in their return to prominence. Old teammate Chris Webber, now an analyst for TNT, noted the change the organization has undergone since Divac took charge of basketball operations, staying true to his promise of changing the direction of this team in a couple of years:
“Vlade has believed in these guys, especially [De'Aaron] Fox and Buddy [Hield], telling me a long time ago they were going to change the trajectory of the team,” Webber said, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “The great part about it as a Sacramento fan is, I know Vlade, he doesn’t just work for the organization, but he is a fan of the city. He wants it to be great, not only on the court but in the community as well.
“And, yeah, he’s going to (turn) it around. He already has. He said, ‘Give me two years.’ He’s done that. Just wait till we give him a little bit more time.”
The Kings made a surprising splash to begin the season, putting themselves well into contention by winning six of their first nine games and now managing to navigate the ebb and flow of the regular season to the tune of a 30-27 record, only a game shy of the eighth spot in a tough Western Conference.
It was Divac who (infamously) dealt DeMarcus Cousins and got a strong package in return, one that included the likes of Hield, who has developed into a 20-point scorer, now in the third year of his career.
Adding Harrison Barnes before the trade deadline is only further evidence that Divac intends to contend now and isn't shying away from giving the city its first playoff appearance in 13 years, regardless of the results.
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