The Kings will add a piece to their front office next month, when attorney and agent Jason Levien is expected to join the team as assistant general manager.

A graduate of Pomona College in Claremont who earned his law degree and master’s in public policy from the University of Michigan, Levien played basketball at Pomona and considered a career as a coach. According to the biography on his agency’s Web site, he has a “comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.”

This is why I think Geoff’s high on him a bit, if he in fact is. It’s probably because he’s played hoop, and he’s an intellectual, which is a great way to define Geoff. (Only Geoff’s athletic prowess far exceeded Levien’s, which in no way matters for Levien to be successful as GM.)

I won’t blockquote it, but I thought the point about writing a speech for a congressman was interesting. Especially since in all likelihood Levien is in fact a Dem.

I agree, TZ, that the most important line related in soothing terms for people like us, obsessed fans (it’s okay to say that right?), is that Levien has plenty of background with the NBA. That’s one of my major criticism’s of Whiz being involved in any way with the Kings. He just doesn’t have the experience, and if he wanted to be an assistant coach, I could even see that. But not as a head man. The other part I really like about Levien is that he found Turkoglu as an agent, as well as Martin as an unknown, and managed to get himself as the agent to a prospect like Deng early on. These are all very different and unusual tasks, and I believe his greatest strength will be the CBA, as well as negotiating contracts. On the other hand, I really wonder who will have control of the scouting departments, as well as the financial side of the operation. If they’re changing basketball stuff around, wouldn’t they think about changing the financial side too?