Report: Frustration with Ranadive at all-time high among Kings' minority owners
The Sacramento Kings have dominated NBA headlines - typically for all the wrong reasons - since Vivek Ranadive became majority owner of the franchise in 2013.
While the Kings' history of turmoil originated long before the Ranadive era, the two years since his introduction as the team's new steward have seemed like an eternity - a direct result of the cyclical dysfunction witnessed within the organization.
On Thursday, USA Today's Sam Amick shed light on the royal pains that reportedly exist behind the closed doors of the Kings' organization.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the level of frustration with Ranadive among some Kings minority owners is at an all-time high. Specifically, his track record of making significant decisions without truly consulting them is a source of significant irritation. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.
The veritable coaching carousel Ranadive has facilitated in Sacramento may have contributed to his contemporaries' angst. Current bench boss George Karl is the Kings' third coach in the owner's brief tenure.
Compounding the negative impact of this matter is the fact that Karl's predecessor - Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone - was successful in forming a tight bond with DeMarcus Cousins, the team's mercurial centerpiece. However, Ranadive decided to fire Malone after only 24 games, shortly after the team had started the season 5-1.
Malone's seemingly premature firing didn't sit well with many within the franchise, and Cousins in particular.
Among Ranadive's other missteps is the hiring of Karl, an older but more accomplished coach with a well-documented history of clashes with his former players.
In less than a calendar year, Karl and Cousins have butted heads more times than anyone associated with the team would care to admit, with their relationship arguably taking its biggest hit when Karl reportedly pushed for his All-Star center to be traded.
Additionally, the awkward departure of former general manager Pete D'Alessandro, combined with the introduction of front-office newbie Vlade Divac, left many scratching their heads.
The 2-7 Kings, who notched a much-needed victory on Wednesday on the heels of a Cousins tirade directed at Karl, are currently standing on shaky ground, and it appears the fingers belonging to some of the most powerful people within the franchise are now pointed at Ranadive.