The Kings will interview former NBA head coaches Mike D’Antoni and Mark Jackson for their open head coaching position, sources tell Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Sacramento has also received permission to interview former coaches Mike Brown and Steve Clifford, as well as Celtics assistant Will Hardy and Bucks assistants Darvin Ham and Charles Lee, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Of the former head coaches, D’Antoni currently serves as an advisor to Pelicans head coach Willie Green, Jackson is an ABC/ESPN broadcaster, Brown is an assistant with the Warriors, and Clifford is a consultant for the Nets.
The Kings have done their homework on a wide range of candidates and narrowed their list down to a smaller group, according to Charania and Amick, though the above list of candidates isn’t necessarily complete, tweets Sean Cunningham of ABC10 in Sacramento.
The Kings will begin conducting virtual interviews with candidates next week, according to James Ham of ESPN 1320, who tweets that in-person meetings will take place after that first round of Zoom interviews.
Sacramento is in the market for a new head coach after firing Luke Walton near the start of the 2021/22 season and then opting not to retain his interim replacement, Alvin Gentry, last week.
When word first broke that the Kings weren’t bringing back Gentry, Wojnarowski said they would consider candidates who have previously turned lottery teams into playoff clubs. D’Antoni (Phoenix), Jackson (Golden State), Brown (Cleveland), and Clifford (Charlotte and Orlando) all technically fit that bill.
Ham, Lee, and Hardy don’t have head coaching experience, but have all interviewed for head coaching positions in recent years. Ham and Lee reportedly received consideration from multiple teams in 2021, while Hardy was in the mix for multiple jobs in 2020.
Lol Kings
How does D’Antoni keep getting interviews the guy is garbage he’s won nothing and always get fired you would think teams would go after younger and unknown coach’s
Especially a team like the kings who are horrible every year
D’Antoni might be overrated, and yes he’s won nothing. But still he has more wins than most available coaches, he was maybe one injury away from beating the best team ever. Overall he has his flaws, he was bad in NY, but still is a good coach.
They are the Kings, if they can make a run and gun system and reach the playoffs to be a first round exit team, they will be in a better position than last what? 15 seasons?
He was even worse in LA. He has a system and can’t coach out of it. Needs a set of specific players, and when successful (in his terms), his weaknesses begin to show.
He’s a good regular season coach. Gets average players to overachieve. Them getting bounced in the first round is an improvement. I can see him or Jackson getting the job. Both might get them to the playoffs
D’Antoni is the most overrated coach in history, yet the league is obsessed with him apparently. Jackson would be a good hire, but I think he ends up with Lakers. Despite the circus the lakers were last year, the king have been a circus for years. Kings should just hire C Webb as head coach
I think he’ll be good at managing Time Outs.
Him, Mitch Richmond or Bobby Jackson !!
If Jackson actually has a choice between coaching the Kings or the Lakers, he”d be an idiot to choose being LeBron’s assistant …
Why hasn’t Sam Cassell been giving an opportunity in this league yet? He’s interviewed for so many coaching jobs. Does he just not interview well? He had a successful NBA career and was a winner. He has respect of his peers and coaches. I would highly recommend bringing in Cassell and would love to see him do the “Cassell dance” after a big time bucket just because. All jokes aside, he deserves his due for quite sometime.
I would not wish the kings job for cassell, it’s almost a guaranteed failure. He should hold out for the next time the Clippers job opens up, he’d be a good fit there
Jackson might be good. He’ll get guys to play hard and he’s a good defensive coach. If they can make the playoffs and lose in the first round that is an improvement over the last 18 years.
Added bonus never having to hear his dreadful game calling until the Kings inevitably fire him in a season and a half with like a 4 year deal.
Anyone over 50 shouldn’t be allowed to coach the Kings. It’s just not healthy.
DAntoni would be best thing to ever happen for Fox. Sabonis also would love it. They would become the best pick-roll tandem in gm.
As a Rockets fan, D’Antoni is a good coach. Sac should hire him, he will get the most from his players and should be in the play in. His Rockets team had GS beat until CP3 pulled his hammy. That and 0-27 from the arch on game 7, at home. I did not want HOU to hire him but he was a pleasant surprise during Hardens prime years.
Go Kings