Tyler Kaufman/Associated Press
Sacramento Kings general manager Vlade Divac is expected to interview former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton for the team’s vacancy, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
Marc Stein of the New York Times confirmed Sacramento has requested an interview with Walton, and Amick reported Walton is the Kings’ top choice.
Walton and Los Angeles mutually parted ways on Friday.
Sacramento is also expected to request permission to interview San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Ettore Messina, per Stein.
Walton got the Lakers job after serving two years as an assistant under Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors. He went 39-4 as interim coach in 2015-16 while Kerr was sidelined by a back injury.
Taking over a rebuilding Los Angeles franchise, Walton was tasked with helping develop young talent. He compiled a 98-148 record over the course of three seasons, improving the team’s win total with each passing season.
However, given the expectations that come with a LeBron James team, a 37-45 record and no playoff berth were viewed as major disappointments, even with the rash of injuries the Lakers endured this past season.
While his record as head coach may not stand out, the 39-year-old Walton received a strong endorsement from one of the league’s top coaches following Friday’s announcement:
ESPN @espn
“They’re losing one of the best human beings in the NBA.”
—Steve Kerr on Luke Walton https://t.co/nS4vxkmKjf
Sacramento is currently in the midst of a 13-year playoff drought, but this past season saw the Kings take a 12-win jump (up to 39) while remaining in playoff contention for much of the season. With promising young players like De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley III and Buddy Hield, the Kings appear to be a team on the rise.
from Viral News Updates http://bit.ly/2v7S3P7
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