Kings name Mike Bratz interim general manager

The appointment of an interim general manager does nothing to clear up the decision-making hierarchy in the Sacramento Kings front office.

President of basketball operations Vlade Divac announced Thursday that the team's assistant general manager, Mike Bratz, will take over the general manager position on an interim basis. Former general manager Pete D'Alessandro left the post earlier this week to take a front office position with the Denver Nuggets.

Context cues suggest the interim tag is likely a conditional one, with Bratz's opportunity in the G.M.'s chair likely one without much actual power. Since owner Vivek Ranadive took over in 2013, there's been an upheaval in the organization's power structure, with Ranadive reportedly calling most of the shots and hand-picking Divac as his basketball No. 1.

The constant change and alleged meddling from the owner has made it difficult to get a grasp on the Kings' future plans, and the Bratz promotion does little to allay that. The Kings could do anything this summer - deal DeMarcus Cousins, land Rajon Rondo, draft any number of players, or trade their pick - and it shouldn't be surprising.