Sacramento Kings: 5 candidates to replace Dave Joerger as head coach

SACRAMENTO, CA - JUNE 24: Head Coach Dave Joerger and General Manager Vlade Divac of the Sacramento Kings address the media at a press conference on September 27, 2017 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images /

5. Luke Walton

The still-employed Luke Walton’s future seems to be almost an afterthought for the calamity-embroiled Los Angeles Lakers. It still seems most likely that Walton’s fate with the Lakers is sealed and that he could be dismissed at any point in time, but it has yet to happen.

The Lakers were thrown into an additional level of turmoil when Magic Johnson suddenly stepped down as team president in an impromptu press conference earlier this week, and it’s anybody’s guess how the organization will choose to proceed with Walton’s future.

The Kings are watching the situation closely, according to The Athletic‘s Sam Amick:

Can confirm @wojespn report that Kings GM Vlade Divac will fire coach Dave Joerger today. Lakers coach Luke Walton - if available - is the clear frontrunner here, per sources. Former New Orleans coach Monty Williams is also a strong candidate, as is Spurs asst. Ettore Messina.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) April 11, 2019

Kings co-owner and chairman Vivek Ranadive has a deep fascination with the Golden State Warriors, having been a co-owner and vice chairman of the organization earlier in this decade, and his draw to the Dubs may be a factor in the desire to court Walton should he become available.

Luke Walton was an assistant coach under Steve Kerr with the Warriors and took the reins when Kerr missed time at the start of the 2015-16 season. He led the Warriors to a 24-0 start and handed Kerr a 39-4 team upon his return, and Steve Kerr won that year’s Coach Of The Year award.

It’s been a struggle for Walton in Los Angeles with a poorly constructed, ill-fitting roster, but ultimately will likely end up paying the price. He’s a name to watch for the Sacramento Kings.

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