Kings fire coach Luke Walton after 6-11 start to 3rd season

By JOSH DUBOW

The Sacramento Kings fired manager Luke Walton connected Sunday aft getting disconnected to a disappointing commencement successful his 3rd play successful charge.

Walton was informed of the determination a time aft a 123-105 location nonaccomplishment to Utah that dropped the Kings to 6-11 connected the season.

“After a thorough valuation of the play frankincense far, I decided to marque a alteration to the caput manager position,” Kings wide manager Monte McNair said successful a statement. “I privation to convey Luke for his efforts and contributions to our team.”

Walton had a 68-93 grounds successful two-plus seasons arsenic coach, failing to get Sacramento backmost to the playoffs for the archetypal clip since the 2005-06 season.

ESPN archetypal reported the firing.

Associate manager Alvin Gentry takes implicit connected an interim basis. Gentry astir precocious served arsenic caput manager for the New Orleans Pelicans (2015-20). He has besides had caput coaching stops with Miami, Detroit, the Clippers and Phoenix. He has a vocation grounds of 510-595.

The Kings ranked adjacent the bottommost of the league successful respective antiaircraft statistic nether Walton’s leadership, including scoring and shooting percentage.

Sacramento has tried to physique a halfway astir caller lottery picks similar De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell.

But the biggest mistake came the twelvemonth earlier Walton arrived erstwhile the Kings took Marvin Bagley III 2nd overall, up of some Luka Doncic and Trae Young. Bagley has played successful lone 4 games this play arsenic helium has fallen retired of favor.

The Kings person been astatine the bottommost of the league for years, with their existent 15-year agelong without a playoff berth tied for the longest successful NBA past with the Clippers franchise, which missed the playoffs from 1977-91 portion playing successful Buffalo, San Diego and Los Angeles.

Walton posted 31-41 records successful each of his archetypal 2 seasons but was incapable to instrumentality a measurement guardant this twelvemonth and was fired aft losing 7 of the past 8 games.

The concern successful Sacramento has been truthful atrocious that Walton’s .422 winning percent with the squad is the 2nd champion of the 18 coaches since the franchise moved to California successful 1985.

Rick Adelman had a people of .633 and led the Kings to the playoffs and a winning grounds successful each 8 seasons successful charge. Sacramento hasn’t had a winning grounds successful a play with immoderate different manager since leaving Kansas City.