Things with the Sacramento Kings are a mess. Not a mess that can be cleaned up by brushing some things under the rug but a mess that is trending towards an explosion of an epic magnitude.
The Kings majority owner, Vivek Ranadive, has been in control of the team since 2013 and in that time the team has gone 58-114 in that time, they are on their third general manager, fourth head coach and issues with DeMarcus Cousins have run rampant.
Now, the issues might have hit a new level with their head coach, George Karl, and the owner, Ranadive.
Following from USA Today’s Sam Amick.
If the Kings’ 1-7 record that prompted a team meeting on Tuesday gets even worse, his dismissal could come this week. Wednesday, the Kings – as irony would have it – face the same Detroit Pistons team that beat them last Dec. 13 and inspired the firing of coach Michael Malone. Or, should the early-season bleeding subside enough to calm the waters, Karl’s firing could come in the summer.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the level of frustration with Ranadive among some Kings minority owners is at an all-time high. Specifically, his track record of making significant decisions without truly consulting them is a source of significant irritation. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.
It’s reached the point of no return for the Kings. It might be time to let Karl go, despite that fact that he has a $15 million contract, with $11.8 million guaranteed, which goes through 2018. Or else, it might be time to work out some trades for their star, DeMarcus Cousins. Even messier, their might have to be some sort of way that they get Vivek Ranadive out of power, an owner who has a short fuse and who wants immediate success for a team but doesn’t allow any sort of continuity to be formed with the squad.
He’s obviously not happy but where the Kings go from here will dictate the way they want to direct their franchise for the next few seasons. Boogie is reportedly cursing out his coach, so there’s no way they can come back from this.
