The Sacramento Kings could reportedly hire Luke Walton as their new head coach by the end of the weekend, according to Sean Cunningham of ABC 10 Sacramento.
Walton and the Los Angeles Lakers parted ways on Friday. Multiple reports surfaced that Kings general manager Vlade Divac reached out to Walton to schedule an interview.
The Sacramento Kings could have a new head coach by the end of this weekend & that coach will be Luke Walton – according to sources.
This coaching search moving quicker than the one that led to Dave Joerger is because Vlade Divac is hiring Walton, who he wanted back in 2016
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) April 13, 2019
The Kings went 39-43 this season. It was the most wins by a Sacramento team since 2006, the last year the Kings made the postseason.
Sacramento has a nice young nucleus headlined by explosive point guard De'Aaron Fox, sharpshooter Buddy Hield and big man Marvin Bagley III.
Many around the league believe the Lakers set Walton up to fail this season with the roster they gave him. That wouldn't be the case with the Kings, as their team is filled with young guys who are hungry to win.
Divac and Dave Joerger reportedly didn't have the best relationship. Whoever Divac hires as the next coach has to be someone who can lead the Kings to the postseason. Sacramento has the longest playoff drought in the NBA right now.
Walton was only with the Lakers for three seasons. He joined the franchise in the summer of 2016. Sacramento recently signed Divac to a contract extension.