Let’s back track this from the beginning.
First, the Sacramento Kings fired their head coach, Mike Malone, who seemed to be doing a great job this season for the Kings but ran into difficulties when they lost DeMarcus Cousins to a virus he’s currently trying to get over.
Then, former NBA great, Chris Mullin was reported to be linked to the coaching job. Mullin is the special advisor to the owner, Vivek Ranadive. Mullin shot down those talks about the offer to coach the Kings.
Don’t forget, the Kings interest in former Denver Nuggets coach George Karl and according to reports, the feeling is mutual.
Now late last night, after the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Sacramento Kings, Former Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson, who was calling the Thunder versus Kings game for ESPN, had a late night meeting with the Kings front office and star player, DeMarcus Cousins.
Add another name to the list, because according to reports, the Kings have talked to former Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls head coach, Vinny Del Negro about coaching the team.
The Kings have contacted Vinny Del Negro about its head coaching vacancy, per league sources. Del Negro led Bulls, Clippers to the playoffs.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) December 16, 2014
When did the Sacramento job become the hottest job to have/be involved with? This team is on a steady incline, that’s for sure, but how much of an incline to be bringing in some of these solid names?
Del Negro has a .533 regular season record in his career and you can’t just eliminate him as someone with no idea how to coach in the NBA. He’s been mediocre.
What should bother the Kings fans, and more importantly Ranadivé who wants a faster offense in Sacramento, is Del Negro’s basic offenses with the heavy necessity to play the pick-and-roll sets. He has drawn-out interviews and public interactions and his lack of a good track record of putting players in positions to succeed, like Derrick Rose and Chris Paul who achieved greater success after Del Negro left, draws some big question marks.
Del Negro sells himself as a guy who can develop players. But the Kings would be better off with any of the other candidates rather than Del Negro, even the inexperienced coaching in Chris Mullin.
