New Kings Head Coach To Be Introduced Monday
SACRAMENTO (AP) - The Sacramento Kings will introduce former Golden State assistant Mike Malone as their head coach on Monday.
The news conference to announce Malone's hiring will come three days after new owner Vivek Ranadive officially took control of the franchise from the Maloof family, a team official said on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.
Malone replaces Keith Smart, who was fired Friday shortly after the sale of the team was completed.
Ranadive has been a minority owner the past three seasons of the Warriors, where Malone worked the past two seasons as an assistant under coach Mark Jackson.
Malone, the son of former NBA coach Brendan Malone, has been an assistant in the league for more than a decade and engineered defensive turnarounds at almost every stop — which includes the Warriors, New Orleans, Cleveland and the New York Knicks. He also was an assistant at Manhattan College, Providence and Oakland University in Rochester, Mich.
Malone had interviewed for NBA coaching vacancies the past few seasons but never landed a top gig — until now.
Golden State made the playoffs for only the second time since 1994 this season. The Warriors finished 47-35, beat Denver in the first round of the playoffs and were eliminated by eventual Western Conference champion San Antonio in six games.
Malone inherits a talented young roster in Sacramento headlined by volatile center DeMarcus Cousins that has yet to blend — or play defense. The Kings went 28-54 last season, gaining more attention for the franchise's possible move to Seattle — which NBA owners rejected — than anything positive on the court.
Ranadive still needs to hire a general manager. The contract for president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie ends June 30.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
