The struggling Kings are finalizing a contract to hire George Karl, according to multiple reports. He will replace interim coach Ty Corbin after the NBA All-Star Game.
The Sacramento Kings have hired George Karl to become their new head coach beginning after the All-Star break, according to multiple reports. The news was first tweeted by Sacramento radio personality Carmichael Dave and later confirmed by Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
Karl will take over after the All-Star Break, according to the Sacramento Bee. Interim coach Ty Corbin will stay aboard until then.
Karl was rumored to be in the running for the job ever since it became available, as his fast-paced style matches the identity the front office and ownership want the Kings to adopt. The Kings originally intended to ride the season out with Corbin at the helm, but terrible results and increasing apathy from the players helped expedite the transition. Sacramento is 7-19 since firing Michael Malone.
As seemingly is the case with everything the Kings do, the move to hire Karl did not come without a few bumps in the road. Reports surfaced that Kings star DeMarcus Cousins, along with his agents Dan Fegan and Jarinn Akana, were not in favor of the move. Those reports were later denied by Cousins' agents, who reportedly said, "Make the move. We don't run the team."
Still, negotiations awkwardly dragged on as Corbin and the Kings continued to play. Cousins himself gave a strange interview after a buzzer-beating win over the Suns, then released a statement insisting he had nothing to do with any of the team's coaching decisions. He also expressed frustration at the public nature of the negotiations and for the awkwardness it created with Corbin and the rest of the coaching staff.
The factions have ultimately been resolved general manager Pete D'Alessandro is likely getting the man he once worked with in Denver. Still, several players reportedly are not on board with the decision.
Hearing multiple players on Kings do not want George Karl as their coach.
— Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) February 9, 2015
Apparently some folks are turned off at what they see as Karl's social media campaigning for the job.
— Jason Jones (@mr_jasonjones) February 9, 2015
Karl, 63, is one of the league's most successful coaches, with a Coach of the Year award to his name (2012-13 season) and 1,131 career wins. He has taken every team he has coached to the playoffs at least once. His Seattle SuperSonics made the Finals, and in his time in Denver, the Nuggets made the playoffs nine times in a row. In fact, in 25 seasons as a head coach, he's only missed the postseason three times.
Despite never winning a championship. Karl's pedigree is unquestionably great and the Kings, who have trouble projecting success and professionalism, will definitely benefit from his hiring in terms of team image.
The fit is not as seamless in terms of personnel, though. Karl's teams thrive when playing at a high pace, and Cousins, the Kings' best player and one of the league's most productive big men, prefers to set up in the post. It's unclear how the mercurial fifth-year center will adapt to Karl's preferred style and personality, which was reportedly one of the reasons why the Kings' front office was ambivalent about Karl until recently. Apparently those concerns were placated and the veteran coach got the job.
Karl will now have time this season to assess the players without a mandate to win now, as Sacramento is out of the playoff picture. Next season, however, the pressure will be on, as the Kings' brass considers the team good enough to make the postseason.
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