Monte McNair Trade Deadline Press Conference

Monte McNair Trade Deadline Press Conference

And uh really appreciate them as you guys know um you know we’re always active and trying to see what’s out there um but weighing that against um what we have already here and um obviously this year um you know after exploring those opportunities um we we ended up keeping this group together so

Uh you know I think for us we know the jobs ever done we’ll continue to vet those opportunities to um you know make our team better um but uh we’re excited for for what we got going forward so any questions uh go ahead what’s up Sir um just I just saw

The release there about Keon Ellis can you just kind of maybe describe uh or talk about just the growth you’ve seen from him and the decision to elevate him from a two-way player yeah uh I would say first first and foremost Testament to to Keon and the work he’s put in um

Since being undrafted player but um you know really our our entire pipeline you know started in in the draft process where we identified him as a a key Target who went undrafted um you know really credit to um some of our analytics group in particular Colin uh Marshall Zach did a

Great job to identify him then we goes to the g- league has a a great year uh on his two-way contract last year um our whole development team from Stockton to Sacramento um and then gets an opportunity at times this year and um you know shows that he can hang in the

NBA so we’re we’re excited for for Keon and and what he’s done and what he’ll continue to do for us and then just kind of you know going into a trade deadline and just the overall belief that you have in this in the continuity of this team and and the rotation and this

Roster um just overall thoughts maybe just how this season has gone and maybe your thought process as you went into this deadline and then coming out of it without really making some significant move I think the the biggest thing is we’re we’re always almost all of our

Conversations are about uh as we you know really prep for the deadline for for months is okay what what will this do for our our team counterbalanced against the cost uh versus what what we can do with what we have already in house and uh I think I I complimented

Our group I said we have we have a lot of good players we’re accomplishing a lot of good things we obviously you know our goals have not fully been reached but um we’re in a good spot where we where we can have those conversations sometimes the conversations are uh are

Much different about what you’re trying to do um I think the West is hard the West is tough it’s always tough it’s even tougher this year I think we’re we’re on the same win Pace as last year when we were the three seed and now we’re I think we’re in six or seven

Right now so uh the West is going to be tough we’re going to have to earn it we got 32 I think games left um but if we didn’t think that the 17 guys that we got here could could get it done um that may have changed what we did but uh

These guys have shown um you know dating back to last year and this year some growth especially on the defensive end I think it’s been exciting for us um you know we know we got to improve the offense back closer to what it was last

Year we do that we think we make some noise but we got we got some work to do because the West is is tough you know one to 12 13 this year and um every every game is going to be a dog fight Monty you uh back here um you’re

You’re I I was late man I was late um your your words maintain and improve we see the maintain do you see the Improvement uh and how much did that factor in when you were going into this trade deadline yeah good good call back

I think um like I said the defense I do see the Improvement and we we’ve done some really good stuff uh you know I think Keegan in particular has taken a step on that end um but I think we’re seeing also this is I think maybe one of the benefits of that

Continuity second year with with coach and his system um we we certainly haven’t brought it every night on the defensive end but overall we we’ve we’ve seen our rank improve we’ve seen some really good performances um that said we have not maintained our offense and that’s that’s

An issue we we got to get better on that end because if we had maintained our offense and seen the defensive Improvement we’d be a much different position so we we know those things um uh but yeah I think the the Improvement has been a positive not being able to

Maintain some other aspects um is something that we continue to work on and and need to get better at and I guess follow um you guys have if you make the playoffs uh your 2024 gets sent to Atlanta how much should that play into your mind at this deadline that

Starting July 1st you might have seven first round picks and sort of Your Arsenal your your stockpile back yeah well it would it would be it would be six because that one would be would be gone uh which would be a good thing uh but yeah we um look I think

We’ve done uh our group has done a good job of of um you know using assets when when the time comes um but also weighing that against what we can maybe do with them in the future so like you say we’ll have a little bit more flexibility with

Those first round picks uh hopefully this summer um that’s something we’ll continue to pursue um you know but I think we also uh those those picks whether it they can be in trade but they can also be to continue to supplement what we hope is you know a team that can

That the core is here to to go into the second round and and further and then those picks can be used to continue to keep the train rolling uh because it’s you know we know some of the changes in the CBA and things like that it’s going

To be you got to maintain uh you know your flexibility and ability to to do those things because of how hard it is to operate in certain areas of the cap now hey mty two things for you um obviously ups and downs are going to be

The part of any NBA season but what have you made of the inconsistencies and and those popping up maybe more than you would like throughout the course of the Season yeah I think if we were more consistent we would be further up the standings for sure um I think the the

Positive to take from it is for every you know loss that doesn’t feel good that means we’ve also had some pretty good wins if we’re still on the same Pace um you know I think we’re 12-8 against the top 10 these these playoff playing teams in the west so that’s

Shown that we can do it but uh the NBA these days I mean it is there there are some of the records maybe aren’t there for teams but there’s no nights off we can’t take nights off if we want to get where we want to get and um at the same

Time we’ve shown that we can go into some of these on the road in tough places and win so we know we can reach those Heights which is good to see because those are the teams that are going to be there uh hopefully with us

In April May and June so um it’s it’s disappointing of course um that we can’t seem to do it every single night last year I think we did a great job I think after our initial start of the season I don’t think we lost more than two games

Uh for the bulk of the year in a row we were able to write it this year we’ve had maybe some more ups and downs but it means we’ve had some UPS if we can continue like to to the question that James asked um you know we can keep our

Defense there offense can improve same thing with our record if we can uh you know bring it a little more consistently um you know and match those highs we can contend with those those teams that have you know kind of separated themselves from us in the

Standings that’s where we want to get to and then in the process of building an eventual Contender what do you feel like is the important things to attempt to accomplish and and try to move forward with this season well big one is is our defense and and Coach Brown has has

Harped on that um we we know we got to win the 82 games in the regular season for sure and the West is going to be tough and and right now we’re I think we’re not even in the the playoffs I think we’re we’re seventh by tiebreaker

Or something but so you know we know we want to get into the top six first and then hopefully into the top four for home court at the same time um you know when you get to the playoffs it’s a different game which we saw last year um

I think it’s great for our guys to have that experience um we know defensively I think we did a good job against Golden State relatively speaking stepping up our game that’s carried over to this year but we also the offenses are are only getting better I don’t even know

What it is I think the League’s up two points as a whole so I think we’re we’re similar to where we were last year but that’s not the rank’s not there because everybody else is getting getting better and catching up to what maybe we did

Last year so we got to find ways to improve we got to Target on our back teams are going to continue to guard guard us um you know in ways that they say work in other ways we’re going to have to adjust and get better but we get

That back up into the you know top 10 top five um with our defensive Improvement that’s how we can make some noise got too quick um you you’ve mentioned the offense a few times what specifically do you think you need to improve offensively where do you see the

Issues I think one big one is our Pace we we were a pretty clear number one last year uh this year we’ve had some really good moments we we all know what we Dearing can do um but we just got to be more consistent of of that’s one

Where we can impose our our will and where our defense should help us we’re number one in defensive rebounding right but we got to run off those we got to be better there um that’s a big one uh and I think it’s that that the rest just

Gets back to the consistency of you know we’ve had some highs we just haven’t done it night in night out like maybe we did last year um but I think we we’ve seen some really good improvements um you know we’ve been a little better our shooting in particular has come back um

But it’s I think the pace is is the number one thing I would point to because that is that is in our control more than shop making or things like that kind of a broader League wide trade deadline question but how have you seen the Dynamics of the market shift now

Play in maybe the second apron the new CBA this year and did you feel like it was maybe an overpriced market for buyers yeah I think uh the play in for sure um has I think given teams more things to work towards not just to make

The play in but it’s different to be 78 versus 910 you get two chances setad of one it’s really important to get in the top six where you’re now you’re in uh so all those things it used to just be in or out and then maybe homec court so um

You know that just gives teams more things where they can’t just rest everybody’s trying to improve um I think some of the new the new cap stuff teams were still figuring out uh how that’s going to affect team building not just now but into the future this kind of

Been a transition year um based on the new CBA uh I think it’s good for the league most teams are trying to win and compete and get better uh it maybe means some of those more traditional buyer straight buyer straight seller trades aren’t there um but uh we still saw some some

Movement around the leagues that different different teams uh felt they needed to do something I think for us we’re always trying to put ourselves in a spot where um we’re never pressed into something and we get to do it on our own terms um and you know credit to our our

Medical staff again we haven’t been as healthy as last year but pretty healthy uh you know our main guys are are producing uh it’s just you know we we think we got enough in in housee and um whether the I I don’t know it’s hard to

Without sitting back it uh I did get some sleep last night but I haven’t really taken a step back and seen what the league um you know has done Market wise but it does seem like there’s been just fewer of those straight sellers uh Team more teams just trying to improve

However they can I’m on um a couple questions for you one you’ve talked about the offense defense thing um obviously there’s I’m sure healthy debate like within every organization Mike has has really pressed for for the defensive Improvement saying that to have postseason success you’ve

Got to be you know I think in his mind top 10 defensively is that are you guys 100% on on the same page with with that part of it and and or is there you know maybe some give and take in terms of of that discussion I think the we we all

Know we got to be better on both ends because we’re not where we need to be um but I think yeah the the defense was was the easiest thing for us to improve as we mentioned we wanted to maintain our offense to get there and and right

Now our offense has slipped as our defense has improved and we’re in similar spot I think maybe the same record to this point as last year um but yeah I think the the biggest thing for us is that at the end of the night we got to have more points than the other

Team and uh especially in the playoffs you’re going to have to go and stop some really really tough players I mean just look up and down the West I mean it is it doesn’t matter who you play you’re going to have multi-time Allstars all NBA guys future Hall of Famers that

You’re going to have to stop so um yeah we got to learn to do that because when April and May Come we got to do that at the same time we got to figure out you know a way to score because in this league I mean it’s it’s taken 110 120 30

To win so um you know we we got to do both because we can’t have a a good defensive performance go to waste because we we can’t score enough so um it’s always a two-way street I do I do think the easiest thing that we’ve seen

In the past is to be top 10 offense defense that usually gets you in a pretty good spot but uh you know we saw Denver last year win the title with without a top 10 defense so um if you could be special enough on one and

Boston uh way back uh when I started in the league won it with with without I think it’s top 10 offense with with a really good defense so uh both can work we just got to figure out a way to um you know for us to get out of the five

Six seven grouping and if we can do both we can get into that top four okay and um you look around the league and and how teams a lot of teams are built um right now are you I guess this is kind of too pronged um but but are you do you

Do you see a need for for size and length as you guys build this going forward to to add um that those elements and and um if you you don’t if you’re willing to kind of characterize like how close maybe you felt on on you know some

Of these these deals that that maybe you discussed with people were you did you feel like something was was was close I would say the the biggest thing for us um for sure I think if we can add size and length um you know that that

Can make sense for our team at the same time we have we have to balance that with what we know has has worked for us offensively and we know we need you need shooting and spacing in this league and so we can’t sacrifice too much of something like that for instance to add

That so um you know it’s trying to find really find two-way guys guys that can play on offense guys that can play on defense um and I think Mike’s done a great job getting the most out of guys on on both ends and getting guys there

Um but we just don’t want to solve one problem by by you know kind of pulling our finger out of another problem so we got to find guys that can fit into what Jay uh and Mike and the offense are trying to do while at the same time you

Know we got to find guys that can match up with with these guys um you know uh up and down the West so um yeah I I don’t want to get too much into the the rumors and all that was out there we were active we were trying to see what

Was out there if there was something that we thought could improve us for a price we’re willing to pay of course we’ll do that uh at the same time you know we we’ve seen I mentioned Keegan internal growth on that size and length thing I mean Keegan’s guarded some really impressive

Players uh and done I think a great job HB obviously draws the tough assignment a lot of times Tre Lyles uh has guarded some of some of the the big power forwards that that you got to go against so we have guys that can do it uh and I

Think we’ve seen that on the defensive end but yeah we don’t want to just solve one problem by by hurting somewhere else Monty you guys are 22nd I think in the league and payroll um is that a function of just where you guys are in your build

Is it a function of maybe looking forward to some of the contracts that you’re going to have to pay uh whether it be Keagan or dearen down the road and do you have I don’t know if it’s a blank check but you have the ability to go out

And make moves at this deadline and during the summer that maybe would bump you up into closer to the top 10 in salary in the league yeah that that hasn’t um you know the payroll or whatever hasn’t been an issue I think this year it was was a function of what

We did in the in the offseason where we we were a room team and how we were able to operate and that we talked about the things we’re were able to accomplish there and you there’s there’s ways to get a little higher up uh you know used

To be you use room you can’t get much ahead this year we’re able to pop over with um you know tril ‘s bird rights and the room mle and things like that but um that was more of a function of that I do think you know the higher you get it’s

Really going to start handcuffing your ability to to just maneuver and and the there are some very Draconian things um that the tax and the aprons will will limit you on so you know for us it’s making sure that look if there’s something that we can do that puts us

You know into contention with and it you know costs assets adds money you know we’re able to do that we just got to be able to then maintain that and you know we we it’s I think gone or the days of uh you know you just you’re just able to

You know kind of live wherever you want and do everything you want as a you know the the trades they start freezing your picks uh you know all sorts of things happen that are just going to make it hard to stay there so um for us we want

We want to be there for a long time so we we know also want to win in the playoffs soon so we’re always counterbalancing those things but uh I do think the new rules are going to make it so um you know if you’re if you put

Yourself in a tough spot and you don’t reach where you want to get to it’s going to be hard to take that next step uh and if you do reach it it may be hard to maintain it so we’re we’re always you know these days trying to figure out that

Balance imagine you you feel you have a pretty good idea of what this team is or you know characteristics and what they’re capable of I’m just curious like what are you still curious about if anything with this with this roster and maybe one or two question marks you

Might have uh with this group uh looking ahead I’m I’m curious how our you know last year we talked about I think we had seven eight guys make their playoff debuts this year that’s not going to be the case we just went and you know played a tough seven game series so even

Our newbies have have have been in that environment now so I’m I’m curious to see how the group will respond um at the same time we got to get there um you know I think I I’m curious to see if our if our group can step up and um you know

Continue to the defensive Improvement and get back to offensively where we want to get to um you know we’ve seen certainly last last year for most of the Season especially at the end we had a great a great kick um and uh can we do the same thing this year so uh We’ve

Certainly answered some more questions about our team we’ve seen them grow together but still plenty unanswered and um you know but I think exciting because of some of the things that they’ve been able to do like G gain that play of experience and now see how it is to have

A Target on your back with Fox’s growth this year where’s is your confidence level at in him potentially being a number one on a championship team and how important is it to to have that for long-term construction I’ll say uh despite what was voted in I think we have two

Allstars pretty clearly um you know dear and domas have been fantastic um you know at the same time everybody until you until you do it in the playoffs that’s the ultimate litmus test for a lot of guys but um you know what what dear and domas have shown um

You know last year through the regular season into the playoffs and now this year um you know I think those guys can can be the focal points of the foundation of what takes us to where we want to go um you know I think we have

Other guys that continue to step up and and grow as well and that’s going to be a big part of it because um you know I think the way that the playoffs are these days you need to be able to put five guys out there at all times um

Certainly your top guys are going to be called upon more often but it it’s going to be 3 four five six seven all the way down because matchups and um what defenses dictate you do offensively and how you know with switching and those things like it’s it’s no longer we’re

One or two guys do everything so um those guys they’re going to carry their weight and they’ve they’ve done so um we’re going to need the rest of the guys to continue to step up also Monty you touched on the CBA and how you can get handcuffed um under some

Of these new Provisions is there some opportunity here for you guys given where you’re at in your build relative to other teams that that might already be be looking at at kind of that handcuff situation given you know kind of the way their salaries and and everything else is built already yeah we

Hope so um you know I think that that’s uh you know one thing that we’re always looking at because opportunity Now versus opportunity in the future and um you know as as teams become um you know less flexible and uh more restricted by those things that could be opportunity

For us to um you know to add things or or uh be in a position where other teams cannot do things that we can do so um you know I think I think so I hope so and um you know that’s as we continue to to learn and figure out what this new

CBA is going to look like I do think we’re we’re right now in a a pretty good position to take advantage of a lot of those things and and improve this thing as we’re you know again I want to be here for for many years uh we’re

Fighting in the west to uh to win multiple rounds and um to do that we have to we have to balance improving now and and of course the future speaking broadly I guess of course I you you’ve been you know trying to improve this team for since going back to the summer

Um when it comes down to draft day or excuse me to uh to to trade deadline was there much movement that surprised you didn’t surprise you I mean did that day happen about as as across the league about as well as you expected yeah I um

Credit to our group I think we’re you know we’re our information is good we know what the opportunities are uh generally what the costs will be uh really well before deadline day the final day um but it’s um you know OB the exact details maybe obviously aren’t

Known but um we have a very good set this is you know as as we kind of got closer and closer uh was about what what we expected and um you know obviously uh you know for us uh at the end of the day we we chose mostly to to stand Pat but

Um you know we knew what was out there and uh Wes and Phil Paul our whole group they’re were doing a good job of talking to teams and and trying to figure out what’s what’s going on and what where opportunities May lie everyone apprciate it thanks guys who’s going to Super

Bowl I thought you’d be there for sure [Laughter] no oh man

Kings GM Monte McNair speaks with media following the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline.