Luke Walton has lost his position in 7 of his last 8 games without teams. Assistant Gentry, who has 17 years of experience as a head coach, will take over.
The jug seemed to go to the source many times and finally broke like a story. After walking a tightrope for a while, the Sacramento Kings announced that Luke Walton has been fired.
The Kings have lost seven of their last eight games to be 6-11 at the start of the season, outside of the play-in spot.
Assistant Alvin Gentry will take over leadership of the team, but will do so on an interim basis. Meanwhile, general manager Monte McNair is looking for a head coach he considers his own. He later exiled Vlad Dibatz.
Gentry, 67, has an extensive record as an NBA head coach, having over 17 years in charge of his last teams, the Pistons, Suns, Clippers, Heat and Pelicans, winning a total of 510 regular-season wins. I am listing.
Walton, 41, is in his third season with the Kings, with a general balance of 68-93, and his sixth as an NBA head coach, having previously managed the Lakers for three years.
The Sacramento Kings are the longest-running NBA franchise without the playoffs since Rick Adelman last gained postseason access in 2006.
Over the last 15 years, the team has had 10 coaches. Some leave, some arrive, but the Kings never seem to be in the playoff key.
