Sacramento Kings Rumors 2016: Management Fires Assistant Coach Vance Walberg
The recent firing of Sacramento Kings assistant coach Vance Walberg is a clear sign that the hostilities between head coach George Karl and the ownership aren't done yet. Walberg is a close confidant of George and his exit is a sign of more changes to come.
According to the team, they wanted to vacate the spot of Walberg in order to give way to adding a defensive-minded coach that will help Karl turn the Kings into a team that can play defense. Several reports are also saying that Mike Brown, the former Cleveland Cavaliers coach, is being considered.
The move to fire Walberg is reportedly masterminded by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac, who observers think does not have a good relationship with Karl. "This was a tough decision made after consideration of what is best for the team moving forward," Divac said.
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Walberg came on board the Sacramento coaching staff in February of last year and it was Karl who insisted on having him. The 59-year-old is a key contributor to the team's offensive strategies.
The Kings are in disarray right now, losing eight of their last 10 games before the All-Star break. While firing Walberg leaves a lot of questions, there is no denying that the team is indeed in need of someone who can help them play defense. In those last 10 games, they allowed their opponents to score 110 or more points, a number that should be quite alarming for a team that want to reach the playoffs this season.
With DeMarcus Cousins leading the team in offense, the key to making them playoff contenders is to improve the team's overall defense. To do that, hiring a veteran and proven defensive coach should be a top priority. And while this rationale is being considered the very reason for the Walberg firing, there are also rumors that Divac and the ownership are just trying to force its head coach out of the team by firing the people in his staff closest to him.
