The Los Angeles Clippers have reportedly employed former Sacramento Kings normal supervisor Monte McNair as an advisor, sources knowledgeable ESPN’s Shams Charania on Monday.
Monte McNair Started His Entrance Workplace Profession With Rockets
McNair started his entrance workplace profession with the Houston Rockets as a basketball operations senior analyst in 2007. He was then promoted to director of basketball operations in 2013, VP of basketball operations in 2016, and assistant GM in 2018.
After greater than a decade with Houston, the Kings employed McNair as normal supervisor in 2020. Sacramento went 195-205 (.488) throughout McNair’s tenure.
The California native received NBA government of the yr in 2023 when the Kings completed 48-34 and ended an NBA file 16-year playoff drought.
Former Sacramento Kings normal supervisor Monte McNair, the 2022-23 NBA government of the Yr, is becoming a member of the Los Angeles Clippers in an advisor function, sources inform ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 16, 2025
Nevertheless, McNair and the Kings mutually agreed to half methods in April, shortly after the group was eradicated within the Play-In Event. He was Sacramento’s normal supervisor for the previous 5 years previous to being changed by Scott Perry.
Based on Basketball Reference, the Kings received 40 or extra video games in three straight seasons below McNair. Earlier than this streak, that they had not received 40 video games in any season since 2005-06.
Clippers Have Suffered Three Straight First-Spherical Playoff Exits
In the meantime, McNair joins a Clippers group that has suffered three consecutive first-round playoff exits. L.A. has failed every season to succeed in the Western Convention semifinals for the reason that 2021 playoffs.
Regardless of latest playoff disappointments, Los Angeles has cap flexibility to present James Harden a wage enhance, use most of its nontax midlevel exception, and nonetheless stay under the luxurious tax.
Together with Harden’s $36.3 million participant possibility and the first-round choose, the Clippers are $12 million under the tax and $20 million beneath the primary apron. Harden and Batum ($4.9 million) have till June 29 to choose in to their contracts for subsequent season.
Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, though Harden “is trending in direction of declining” his possibility, each side “are fascinated by persevering with their partnership.”
Since McNair spent a number of years with Harden in Houston, his addition may imply that the 11-time All-Star will stay in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future.
McNair May Lure Kevin Durant To L.A.
Based on ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, the Clippers are additionally a “group to watch” within the Kevin Durant commerce sweepstakes this offseason, as they “have the contracts to make one other transfer to reinforce” their roster round Kawhi Leonard and Harden.
Per Spotrac, the Clippers may create monetary flexibility with the non-guaranteed contracts of Drew Eubanks ($4.8 million) and Jordan Miller ($2.1 million).
In addition to the nontax midlevel exception, L.A. has the second-round, veteran minimal, and three commerce exceptions ($6.5 million, $4.2 million, and $2.1 million).
McNair would undoubtedly make headlines for the Clippers if he’s capable of land Durant.
