Sacramento Kings GM Vlade Divac steps down
Sacramento Kings General Manager Vlade Divac is stepping down, the NBA team said in a statement Friday.
The Kings said Joe Dumars has been named the interim executive vice president of basketball operations and will “immediately” assume the general manager’s responsibilities.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the General Manager for the Kings,” Divac said in a statement. “I want to thank Vivek for the opportunity and recognize all of the incredible colleagues who I had the great pleasure of working with during my tenure. Sacramento and the Kings will always hold a special place in my heart and I wish them all the best moving forward.”
Divac was the Kings general manager for five seasons.
“This was a difficult decision, but we believe it is the best path ahead as we work to build a winning team that our loyal fans deserve,” Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé said in a statement. “We are thankful for Vlade’s leadership, commitment and hard work both on and off the court. He will always be a part of our Kings family.”
The team will work with Dumars to develop a strategy for the Kings’ basketball operations structure – including finding a new general manager.
Dumars was named special advisor to the general manager in June 2019, the Kings said. He has more than 30 years of experience in the NBA as a player and front office executive.
“Joe has become a trusted and valued advisor since joining the team last year, and I am grateful to have him take on this role at an important time for the franchise,” Ranadivé said.
The Kings said no other details will be released until a new general manager is in place.