Here we go again: A peek at what doomed the last 12 Sacramento Kings coaches
The Sacramento Kings have been consistent in one troubling trend since their often-chaotic tour in Sacramento began in 1985: They zip coaches in and out of town like people hustling through a turnstile at a must-see concert.
“Good to have you aboard and good luck” soon turned to, “This isn’t working. We’re done with you.”
Some coaching terminations made sense, others not so much. With Monday’s announcement that interim coach Alvin Gentry was relieved of his duties, the Kings now seek their 12th head coach since Rick Adelman was shown the door after the 2005-06 season, deemed too dull for the Maloof ownership group. There have now been 12 coaches in 16 seasons since Adelman’s departure.
Adelman was cut loose despite Hall of Famer guiding the Kings to their only eight winning seasons since arriving in 1985 from Kansas City.
Here’s a peek at how each coach since Adelman fared and what ultimately sunk them:
ERIC MUSSELMAN
Season: 2006-07
Record: 33-49 (.402)
Recap: An 8-5 start to the season with a lot of players held over from the Adelman era was dulled by losing 17 of 22 down the stretch, souring the Maloofs. They went impulsive again and cut Musselman loose (he has since found tremendous success coaching in college, including back-to-back Elite 8 efforts at Arkansas).
REGGIE THEUS
Seasons: 2007-09
Record: 44-62 (.415)
Recap: Sacramento’s first star player openly coveted this job despite the Maloofs being on the verge of promoting assistant coach Scott Brooks. But Theus wowed the Maloofs in an interview and was hired. Theus started 6-18 his second season and was let go. Theus went on to coach at various colleges.
KENNY NATT
Season: 2008-09
Record: 11-47 (.190)
Recap: Natt took over on an interim basis for Theus and was a well-liked everyman in his playing days, but a league-worst record meant this was a short experiment. He has not coached in this county at any level since.
PAUL WESTPHAL
Seasons: 2009-12
Record: 51-120 (.298)
Recap: A Hall of Fame player and as nice of a man as you’d ever meet, Westphal had some NBA coaching chops, including leading the Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson-led Phoenix Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals. But he could not connect with star center DeMarcus Cousins, who led the league’s youngest team, and things veered off course in a hurry. Westphal died from brain cancer just over a year ago.
KEITH SMART
Seasons: 2012-13
Record: 48-93 (.340)
Recap: Famous for his 1987 NCAA championship game-winner with the Indiana Hoosiers, Smart inherited a Kings roster thin on talent and heavy on one-on-one players, and free agency and the draft afforded little help. Smart now coaches at Arkansas with Musselman.
MICHAEL MALONE
Seasons: 2013-14
Record: 39-67 (.368)
Recap: This seemed like a good fit, especially with Malone getting along with his embattled center, Cousins, when others could not. But Malone was surprisingly cut loose after an 11-13 start in his second season, despite Cousins missing games due to illness. This was a Vivek Ranadive move, the new Kings owner seeking change, and it’s a termination that still irks Kings fans, given that Malone has had a successful run as the Denver Nuggets coach. Malone stressed earlier this season that “continuity” is vital to a team’s success.
TYRONE CORBIN
Season: 2014-15
Record: 7-21 (.250)
Recap: A role player with the Utah Jazz in his day, Corbin was an interim fill-in for Malone, and he had no chance. He has continued to coach in the NBA as an assistant.
GEORGE KARL
Seasons: 2015-16
Record: 44-68 (.393)
Recap: The next Kings savior flamed out in quick order. A winner in his previous NBA stops, Karl received a standing ovation in downtown restaurants and before his first Kings home game, but it wasn’t long before he was booed by those same fans. Karl didn’t get along with Cousins, among other things, and was let go after a 33-49 season, a game shy of coaching his 2,000th contest as a head coach. He hasn’t coached since but there is always life post-Kings. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this fall.
DAVE JOERGER
Seasons: 2016-19
Record: 98-148 (.398)
Recap: In his third season, Joerger had the Kings on the move before the club stalled out down the stretch, and per the norm: blame the coach. He was canned with a year left on his contract. Joerger is an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers.
LUKE WALTON
Seasons: 2019-21
Record: 68-93 (.422)
Recap: A lot of Kings fans were leery of Walton from the start, in part because he was a one-time Lakers player and coach, and he immediately became the fall guy for those long-suffering fans. With last-place talent, myriad injuries and the blundered draft of Marvin Bagley III from the previous regime yielding little results, Walton took the fall, cut loose after starting this past season 6-11.
ALVIN GENTRY
Season: 2021-22
Record: 25-43 (.368)
Recap: A highly regarded, well-liked coach known for class and being blunt about a team’s putrid efforts, Gentry replaced Walton on an interim basis. He could really only get the permanent job if the Kings managed to squeeze into the playoffs. No chance. He was fired Monday with a year left on his contract.