Smarting after their third straight first-round playoff exit, the Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly soliciting the services of a former division rival.
The Clippers are hiring former Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair in an advisory role, according to a Monday afternoon report from Shams Charania of ESPN.
McNair, a native of Oak Park, Calif., was named the NBA's Executive of the Year after the Kings' widely publicized—albeit fleeting—2023 turnaround. He was the first Sacramento general manager to win the award since Geoff Petrie in 2001, as his team reached its first postseason since 2006.
On April 17, McNair and the Kings went their separate ways after a five-year tenure. Sacramento's win total has declined from 48 to 46 to 40 since '23, and the team fired coach Mike Brown and traded guard De'Aaron Fox this season.
McNair joins a Los Angeles squad struggling to recaptured the magic of its 2021 Western Conference finals run—the only such run in franchise history. The team's last losing season came all the way back in 2011, but consistent success remains elusive.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Clippers to Hire Former NBA Executive of the Year in Advisory Role.