If you recall my previous post regarding coaching changes, then you may as well relate to this latest piece of information. Just this morning, the Sacramento Kings fired head coach Paul Westphal after two-plus seasons. It was another episode of the Kings' recent misadventures, a team that hasn't seen playoff action since 2006 and was so close from moving to Anaheim at the end of the 2011 season. This despite boasting a promising core of stars with 2010 Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, center DeMarcus Cousins and guard Jimmer Fredette.
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| 'Til We Meet Again: Paul Westphal |
It all began Sunday night when Westphal sent Cousins home after he reportedly asked for a trade, which the center's agent refuted. The Kings did win against the Hornets that night, then a few days later lost badly to the Grizzlies, and then the Nuggets on back-to-back nights. Before the third game in three nights, at home against the Bucks, Kings owners Gavin and Joe Maloof broke the news on Westphal's firing. Keith Smart, who was fired as Warriors head coach in the summer, took his place and coached the team to a come-from-behind win over the Bucks, after which Cousins hugged Smart. Cousins, who had a history of on-court and off-court outbursts, hopes that Smart would be a better communicator than Westphal.
As for Westphal, famous for playing and coaching in a pair of triple-overtime NBA Finals games with the Suns, good luck on your future endeavors. 'Til we meet again.
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