The Sacramento Kings have their new head coach, according to Sam Amick at USA Today. Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger and the team have reportedly reached an agreement that will pay Joerger $16 million over four years. However, there is no official word yet.
Dave Joerger has verbally agreed to a deal with the Kings on a four-year $16 million contract. Story here https://t.co/UufZ2GNQkh
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) May 9, 2016
Joerger, 42, is viewed as a promising young NBA coach. However, he ruffled feathers in the Memphis front office, and was fired by team over the weekend. Joerger reportedly asked the Grizzlies for permission to interview with the Kings, something he had done previously when the Timberwolves job came open two years ago.
It is clear for whatever reason Joerger did not want to stay in Memphis any longer than he had to. Although it is hard to imagine why he viewed Sacramento as a superior destination. The Kings have gone through five different head coaches since 2012 and generally have the reputation as the NBA’s biggest dumpster fire.
Since Rick Adelman was fired in 2006, the franchise has missed the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons and only Paul Westphal coached more than 150 games. The Western Conference was a gauntlet for that decade, but Sacramento failed to win more than 38 games in a season during that time.
DeMarcus Cousins is pretty much the only attractive thing about coaching in Sacramento, but it is unclear how much longer he is willing to put up with a losing team. If Cousins determines he wants out sooner than later, Joerger could find himself in real trouble.
Interestingly enough, the man who fired Joerger in Memphis, general manager Chris Wallace, also interviewed with the Kings this offseason.
NBA sources say Grizz GM Chris Wallace secured permission to pursue the Kings' recent front-office vacancy before Sacramento pursued Joerger
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 7, 2016
The Kings wound up hiring Detroit's Ken Catanella after talks with both Wallace and David Morway, then proceeded to their coaching search.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 7, 2016
Wallace ultimately maintained he could not imagine leaving the Memphis community behind to take the job, but there seems to be more going on with the Grizzlies than a simple coach-front office disagreement.
