Ex-Rockets coach Kevin McHale continues to be the most often discussed name by those inside the Kings organization, reports James Ham of CSN California. At 58, however, McHale is coming off a rough season in Houston, where he was fired after only 11 games and it’s still unclear how interested he is in returning to the bench, Ham cautions. McHale is one of several names Hoops Rumors has listed in our primer for the Kings’ coaching search.
Here’s more on the Kings:
- Hornets coach Steve Clifford confirmed that Patrick Ewing will interview for the Kings’ coaching job, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel relays (on Twitter). It was reported Saturday that Ewing would interview with Sacramento.
- The Kings would be smart to let Rajon Rondo walk via free agency if they cannot bring him back on a short and manageable contract, Bobby Marks of The Vertical writes. Heading into the summer, the Kings need to establish an identity, have defined roles for players and develop mental toughness, Marks adds.
- The Kings’ front office must also determine whether DeMarcus Cousins is a player who can be the focal point of a playoff contender at this point of his career, writes Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders. Cousins is one of the league’s top big men, but the franchise has not seen any success with him as its star player, Davis adds. The organization’s dysfunction over the years is not all Cousins’ fault, but as the face of the team, he likely deserves some of the blame, Davis surmises.