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The Scott Perry era is upon us.

On Wednesday morning, the Sacramento Kings held a press conference to introduce Scott Perry as the new general manager of the club after mutually parting ways with Monte McNair last week.

Perry, a long time NBA executive who spent three months with the Kings during the summer of 2017, said he stayed in contact with Kings chairman Vivek Ranadivé since his departure, which helped streamline the hiring process.

“Eight years ago I had a three month interview here with the Sacramento Kings and from that point forward, that three months allowed me and Vivek to establish a relationship that was built on respect and understanding,” Perry said. “We learned each other’s work styles, values…all the things that are important and we maintained that relationship.”

Perry was one of three assistant general managers under Vlade Divac and he was offered a job to step into a general manager position with the Knicks at the time. He left Sacramento with the Kings’ blessing, but clearly left the door open for a potential return down the road. 

During his short stint with the Kings, Perry brought instant credibility to the franchise. He aided in the 2017 draft process that brought in De’Aaron Fox, Justin Jackson, Harry Giles and Frank Mason. He also helped bring Bogdan Bogdanovic over from Europe, as well as sign veteran free agents George Hill, Zach Randolph and Vince Carter.

There was a clear vision put in place during Perry’s short time with the franchise. It didn’t lead to instant success, but some of the moves he made helped set up the 2018-19 squad that finished 39-43 under head coach Dave Joerger. 

“They know what they're getting with me,” Perry said. “They’re getting a proven leader. Someone who has done this job before at a high level. And then I also know and understand the environment of the Sacramento Kings. We have a shared vision, and again, that shared vision and mandate is to build a platform that is going to offer sustainable success and winning for this organization that this community richly deserves.”

Perry’s ability to work with Ranadivé is key in this situation. Ranadivé is an extremely involved owner, but he usually gives a long leash to his executives, at least in the early stages of the relationship. 

There is a lot of work to be done on a Kings squad that finished 40-42 this season. Perry should have the necessary clout with Ranadivé to make some of the difficult decisions facing the franchise.

While he wasn’t completely focused on the Kings roster over the last year or two, he’s already contacted the players, had conversations with interim head coach Doug Christie, and is developing a strategy to move forward with.

“I’m just learning this roster. I’ve watched them from afar, there is some talent here,” Perry said. “There is an obvious need, I think everyone in this room would probably agree to it, there’s not a true point guard on the roster. Also, as I assessed it from afar, we need to add more length and athleticism to this group to enhance some of the talent that’s here.”

This should be music to the ears of Kings fans. The team has a glaring hole in the backcourt after trading away Fox at the deadline. Malik Monk and Keon Ellis both filled in at the position, but neither is a true point guard and the position has quickly moved up the list of priorities.

In addition, Sacramento has gone through multiple seasons with the same need for length and athleticism at the wing. Keegan Murray fits the bill at one of the positions and Jake LaRavia helped out after being acquired mid-season, but there is still a need for more if Perry hopes to build a complimentary roster around Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine.

With the NBA Draft set for June 25 and free agency just days after that, there is time for Perry to get settled in, build a front office staff and decide who will coach this team moving forward. It should be noted that Alvin Gentry, Phil Jabour and Paul Johnson, who all worked under Monte McNair and Wes Wilcox, sat in the front row at Perry’s press conference.

A decision will be made in the coming days and weeks on the front office staff, with Perry likely adding one or two people who he feels comfortable with from his three plus decades in the league. There is still a chance for some holdovers to be retained as well.

As for the coaching staff, Perry said he has already received interest from around the league and he hopes to have a quick resolution, be it removing the interim tag from Christie or jumping into a full-blown coaching search.

“My phone has incessantly rang for interest in this job,” Perry said. “I want to have a few more conversations in and around about this job and hopefully I can come to some sort of resolution within the next week or so in terms of having a decision or an announcement.”

Perry was quick to point out that he has already spoken to Christie multiple times and even met with the former player turned broadcaster turned coach. 

“I’ve watched him this year from afar, in terms of his ability to have a presence on the court,” Perry said. “I think he’s made a connection with the players. We’ve had a few conversations up to this point. He was one of the first people who I met with yesterday when I got into town.”

Christie posted a 27-24 record as the interim after taking over for Mike Brown in December. He helped usher the team through a tough transition, followed by the trade that sent Fox to San Antonio and delivered LaVine to Sacramento, as well as injuries that hit the Kings hard in the last two months of the season.

Whether Christie did enough to earn the full-time job is up to Perry at this point. Ranadivé will have input as well, but Perry should get an opportunity to hire a coach he feels comfortable with moving forward.