George Karl To Become Newest Sacramento Coach

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The Sacramento Kings management are making another change.  After lifting current coach Tyrone Corbin’s Interim tag a month ago, the team has been in serious talks with George Karl. Today, they have finally agreed on a four-year, $15 million dollar deal, according to ESPN and other major media outlets.

Owner Vivek Ranadive and GM Pete D’Alessandro motives have been questioned by many over the past few months after firing coach Mike Malone for petty reasons as well as not hiring Karl immediately after letting Malone go. As for now, Corbin will be the coach through the All-Star break before Karl takes over. The team will now be paying three head coaches on their budget.

Management claimed that Mike Malone’s 11-13 start wasn’t good enough (Cousins missed 10 games during that stretch) and have definitely not been satisfied with the team’s progress under Corbin. Sacramento is currently 7-20 with Tyrone Corbin.

Karl has made it clear that he was ready to coach in December when he spoke on NBA radio. Karl: “It’s always interesting for me when a job opens up and your name is in the mesh. First of all, I understand… I’m humbled. If they are interested in me, I would have interest in them. But there is a process to it… And then the process is, I’m sure they have questions that they want answers (to) and if I would have the opportunity to talk to them I would probably have questions would like them to answer. It’s something that, happening in the middle of the year makes it a little more difficult. But there’s no question that I have a hunger to be back in the gym and I have a passion to coach the game of basketball again. I love the gym and I love the NBA and if this would fall into place I would, again, I would be humbled to talk to them and see where it goes.”

Kings fans may never know why he wasn’t hired in December, but they will be content on getting him two months later where he can hopefully establish a winning culture again. During the All-Star weekend Karl will be attending the late great coach Dean Smith’s funeral as well as assembling his own coaching staff.

Karl is expected to coach his first game on Friday, February 20th against the Boston Celtics. Karl last coached in Denver in 2013, when he was named Coach of the Year. However, he was fired after losing a first round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors. His career regular season record is 1131-756 (which ranks sixth all-time) and his postseason record is 80-105. He has not won a championship, as the furthest Karl has gone with a team was with the 1995-96 Seattle SuperSonics, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals.