Russell Ousted as Kings’ VP

Basketball legend Bill Russell has been fired as vice president of the Sacramento Kings, and Coach Jerry Reynolds has been named director of player personnel, the team said today.

The Kings said a search would begin immediately to find a replacement for Reynolds.

Kings Managing General Partner Gregg Lukenbill said the shake-up was “in the best interest of the organization. It has become evident that our franchise was not moving in a positive direction.”

Russell, 55, has come under increasing criticism for his role in two costly trades and his aloofness with fans. He has served as the Kings’ vice president in charge of basketball operations since March, 1988, when he was fired as head coach.

Reynolds, 45, took over as head coach when the Kings had the fourth-worst record in the NBA. The Kings are a hapless 7-14 this season.

Lukenbill said Reynolds was appointed director of player personnel but would continue as interim head coach until his replacement was found.

Lukenbill said Russell was being replaced by Rick Benner, the team’s vice president for business.

Russell has been criticized locally for the Kings’ acquisition of Pervis Ellison, the No. 1 pick in the NBA’s 1989 college draft, and Ralph Sampson, the 7-foot-4 star center who the Kings obtained in a Sept. 27 trade with the Golden State Warriors.

Both have been hampered by injuries and are unable to play.

Reynolds is in his fourth season with the club.

There were several hundred empty seats--mostly no-shows of season ticket holders--at Arco Arena in Sacramento Sunday night for a loss to the Phoenix Suns. Kings management announced the game as a “sellout,” indicating that some season ticket holders who didn’t attend may have been unable even to give their tickets away.

Reynolds said he “participated” in the decision to move him into the front office in the belief that “this team needs an experienced NBA coach with playoff exposure for it to reach its full potential.”

Russell was unavailable for comment.