The Sacramento Kings and team manager Vlade Divac have agreed to a four-year extension that will keep Divac in control of the team, The Athletic reports.
Following from Sam Amick of The Athletic:
According? to two sources? with? knowledge? of the situation, Kings? general?? manager Vlade Divac has agreed to terms on a four-year deal that runs through the 2022-23 season. Divac, the beloved former Kings players who was hired in March of 2015 and who built this young core that is widely considered one of the most promising in the NBA, was rewarded for this surprise season that will now be followed by one key question.
What happens with Dave Joerger?
Divac has overseen a complete youth movement in Sacramento that has seen the Kings draft promising young talent in De’Aaron Fox and rookie Marvin Bagley. After years of what seemed like a franchise that had no clear direction, even with superstar center big-man DeMarcus Cousins, there looks to be some light at the end of the tunnel under Divac.
According to Amick, Divac wants full control of the team, and that includes deciding on who is calling the plays on the floor. Joerger has had his share of tensions with the Kings‘ front office, specifically assistant general manager Bradon Williams. If there is a consensus that there needs to be a change at the position of head coach, it will be Divac’s decision and his alone.
According to the sources, the fate of the Kings’ third-year coach rests solely in Divac’s hands. As part of Divac’s agreement, owner Vivek Ranadive made it clear that the team’s top basketball executive will make the final call on the coach who has one season and approximately $5 million remaining on his current contract. And for all the goodwill that was built up early on this season, when the Kings started 30-26 after so many league insiders believed they’d struggle to win even 20 games, the flailing finish has fueled the notion that the 45-year-old Joerger is in peril.
What happens with the coach now that their season is over will be something to monitor as the summer and free agency approaches.
