Sacramento Kings lead executive Vlade Divac is making a few changes. His first bit of decision-making came on Thursday morning, when assistant general manager Brandon Williams was relieved of his duties. Now, with a team meeting planned, head coach Dave Joerger has been fired as well.
Via Adrian ESPN's Wojnarowski:
Despite Joerger engineering an improbable 39-win season — the Kings' most since 2005-2006 — Divac is using the muscle of his new contract extension through the 2022-23 season to consolidate power around him, league sources said.
Divac fired assistant general manager Brandon Williams earlier Thursday morning, sources said, and plans to meet with players immediately after dismissing Joerger.
The fact that Divac is firing Joerger comes as a surprise to many Kings fans. He seemed to have the team heading in the right direction, and his 39 wins were the most in his three seasons with the franchise. However, there was a bit of tension with management about playing time for some of the young players on the roster. According to Wojnarowski, this played a role in Divac's decision.
Joerger racked up a 98-148 record with the Kings, and they never made it to the playoffs under his direction. He had one year remaining on his deal with the team.
The Kings had high praise for Divac when they announced his four-year deal. Whether or not his decisions will pay off remains to be seen:
“Vlade has been vital to what we are building here,” owner Vivek Ranadive told ESPN in a statement. “Throughout his entire career, Vlade is someone who has always made those around him better, both on and off the court.”
Be sure to keep your browsers locked on ClutchPoints for more updates on this topic as they become available.
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