The Sacramento Kings are interested in hiring Luke Walton to be the next head coach of the franchise, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reports that Walton is the “clear frontrunner.”
The Kings just completed their best season in a decade, winning 39 games under Dave Joerger. But after securing a long-term extension, team president Vlade Divac is reportedly considering dismissing the head coach. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Joerger will be fired.
Walton’s own position is tenuous, much like Joeger’s. The Lakers have improved their record every year under Walton but missing the playoffs after signing LeBron James is a failure that has placed Walton on the hot seat all year.
It’s not clear how Magic Johnson’s resignation will affect Walton’s job. It seems that Magic’s decision, in part, was caused by his desire to fire Walton but his unwillingness to do so due to team owner Jeanie Buss’ support for the head coach. Most likely, his fate will not be sealed until the Lakers figure out the direction of their front office.
