After orchestrating a remarkable franchise renaissance, Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair has agreed on a contract extension, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
McNair, who had entered into the final months of his original three-year deal, has overseen the Kings (27-18) rise to third place in the Western Conference and a playoff berth that would end a 16-year postseason absence.
The Kings are also working to finalize a new contract for assistant general manager Wes Wilcox, sources said. After arriving in Sacramento in 2020, McNair has worked with Wilcox to oversee the stabilization of a wayward organization and engineer a series of moves that have elevated the franchise into Western Conference contention.
Among them was the drafting and trading of Tyrese Haliburton for All-Star center Domantas Sabonis, the drafting of impressive rookie Keegan Murray, acquiring guard Kevin Huerter in a trade and the hiring of coach of the year candidate Mike Brown. Another key to the Kings’ revitalization: the growth of point guard De’Aaron Fox, who is an All-Star candidate in the West.
The Kings hired McNair after 13 seasons as a front office executive with the Houston Rockets, charging him with the reshaping a historically dysfunctional and underachieving franchise.
The Kings, who haven’t had a winning season since 2005-06, are averaging 120.3 points — most in the NBA. That would be the most points per game of any team in the NBA since the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets in 1983-84, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
The Kings have also had two separate six game winning streaks this season — something they hadn’t done once between 2005-06 to 2021-2022, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Sacramento will host the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.