It may be a forgotten factor at this point in the year, but the Sacramento Kings fired head coach Luke Walton just 17 games into the 2021-22 NBA season after a 68-93 record in two years and change with the club. This means Alvin Gentry had a chance to coach 65 games with the team, but like most situations when taking the gig on an interim basis, he isn’t expected to keep the job.
This means the Kings will conduct yet another coaching search this offseason, to no surprise. We’re only now hearing of some of the rumored candidates to interview for the coaching vacancy in Sacramento.
Quartet of experienced minds lead charge in coaching search
According to Marc Stein, some of the names on Sacramento’s preferred list of head coaching candidates include Mike Brown, Steve Clifford, Mike D’Antoni, and Terry Stotts.
All four individuals have been NBA head coaches before, which indicates a desire to find an experienced hand to take the throne for the Kings.
- Mike Brown – Win-loss record in NBA: 347-216
- Steve Clifford: 292-345
- Mike D’Antoni: 672-527
- Terry Stotts: 517-486
Brown has won the NBA Finals three times as an assistant coach but won NBA Coach of the Year in 2009 thanks to strong play from LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s currently an assistant with the Golden State Warriors.
D’Antoni is a two-time Coach of the Year award winner, once in Phoenix (2005) and once in Houston (2017), but he’s still chasing his first Larry O’Brien trophy. He’s currently a coaching consultant with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Stotts also won an NBA Championship as an assistant, with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, but he’s most known for reaching the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons leading the Portland Trail Blazers with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum’s help. Like Clifford, Stotts is not with a team at this moment.
President of basketball operations Monte McNair is expected to conduct a full coaching search this offseason. It could be that one of the four names listed above ultimately becomes the next head coach of the Kings. Whoever takes over will need to find a way to improve a defense allowing the second-most points per game in the Association.
Related: 4 Sacramento Kings coaching candidates to replace Luke Walton