Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé reportedly suggested the team defend 4-on-5, leaving a cherry-picker on offense. Former Sacramento coach Michael Malone confirmed the idea came up.
Ranadivé, in a Q&A with Sam Amick of USA Today:Q: You’ve mentioned things reported that aren’t true. From your perspective, what hasn’t been true and what haven’t you agreed with when it comes to the way you’re perceived?
A: “Well just that I’m overly involved with the team. I’ve never actually been on the team plane. I’ve never even sat through a practice (Ranadive still lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, but comes to Sacramento several times a week)…I had no involvement between the GM and the coach, or which player got picked or which player got traded. There was this five-on-four story which was completely absurd, which was categorically, patently untrue.”
Let’s take Ranadive at his word. He’s not overly involved in basketball decisions.
He just smears those who are and publicly admonishes them for their errors while noting he would’ve made the correct choice.