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KBergCBS The Kings have sent out a new release that they have fired coach Paul Westphal. 1/5/12 2:29 PM |
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KBergCBS Assistant coach Keith Smart will coach the team tonight against the Bucks. 1/5/12 2:30 PM |
No doubt this was precipitated by the DeMarcus Cousins tantrum. Sacramento made a choice. They chose Cousins.
Uh, discuss. Good for Keith Smart? Will he just be an "interim"?
SB Nation's Sactown Royalty appears to have an answer for the time being:
It's worth noting that the release doesn't deem Smart the new interim head coach -- it states that "Keith Smart will serve as head coach in tonight's game versus the Milwaukee Bucks." My money is on Smart becoming the interim head coach for the remainder of the season, but that could leave open the possibility of the team seeking to bring a new head coach in or allowing one of the other assistants the opportunity to take the job.
0 recs | 104 comments
It was a lot of things.
Deciding Martin and Tyreke wouldn’t work and shipping Martin out for pennies. Alienating Hawes with public derision. Running Dalembert out of town. Generally being a giant dick, etc.
Spider Jerusalem - January 5, 2012
agreed 100%
Westphal was lucky to keep that job as long as he did
Duby Dub Dubs - January 5, 2012
Yeah, the Cousins thing was just 'the tip of the iceberg.' When it comes to Westphal.
VenomySnicket - January 5, 2012
Bad news for Jimmer
He’s going in the doghouse
Tom Huddlestone - January 5, 2012
Jimmer has been shooting inefficiently though
I think he gets Acie Law minutes
doubleteapot - January 5, 2012
So entire 4th quarter?
true torture - January 5, 2012
Jimmer
just needs to start texting Smart
Duby Dub Dubs - January 5, 2012
lol...Smart just keeps on floating along...unsinkable...
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
Good thing Keith Smart is used to jumping in and trying his best to manage a sudden coaching vacancy
When will he get a chance to start off a season rather than jump in and try to pick up the pieces? I’m kind of curious to see what he can do with a team that is truly his.
But frankly, he will likely be shown the door when he is unable to revive Sacramento. Totally unfair but that’s the way the NBA is.
Tremendous Hops - January 5, 2012
I think he will be shown the door because he is a bad coach
doubleteapot - January 5, 2012
Maybe
It won’t matter how good he actually is. Bottom line: If he doesn’t win, he’s out.
Same way he got done in GSW.
Tremendous Hops - January 5, 2012
we know how good he is. he is bad.
bigkino217 - January 5, 2012
How do you know that?
Because the Warriors had a losing season under him? You could say that about every coach and every player we’ve had for most of the last 18 years.
Tremendous Hops - January 5, 2012
because he made idiotic decisions
bigkino217 - January 5, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr2T48tfTAU
classic example of god awful coaching. monta bailed him out.
bigkino217 - January 5, 2012
Not saying he's a coaching genius
Obviously, Smart is not at the pinnacle of coaching talent or he’d be a head coach, not a stand in. But not even Phil Jackson could have taken last year’s Warriors to the promised land.
Tremendous Hops - January 5, 2012
I bet you Phil could have gotten us to the p-offs!
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
Not necessarily
The Kings chose Westphal because he came cheap. I don’t see them going out and paying significant money for a high profile coach, so Smart might have a chance at sticking around for a while.
Pippen - January 5, 2012
?...Smart has already had the chance to start off a season.
Only In Fairfax - January 5, 2012
Smart did start off a season
And it ended with his firing. Smart is a bad, bad coach.
randolphforpresident - January 5, 2012
Tyreke and Jimmer now have free reign to chuck shots from everywhere while playing zero D. Add Francisco Garcia and Travis Outlaw to the list of Keith Smart’s All-Stars as Smart benches Marcus Thornton for absolutely no reason.
WYK - January 5, 2012
good job Sacto...
wish the 94 warriors had the guts you guys just showed.
JimBarnett2KevinGarnett - January 5, 2012
Showing the guts to side with a horrible basketball player over a horrible coach isn’t exactly something to give props to.
WYK - January 5, 2012
you take the horrible basketball player with potential
over the horrible coach….every day of the week….
JimBarnett2KevinGarnett - January 5, 2012
I agree. This wasn't guts it was gutless.
cybermaldonado - January 5, 2012
Nellie was a great coach.
And Webber was on the cusp of being a great player. Different.
GovernorStephCurry - January 5, 2012
Nevertheless, Nellie should have been shown the door.
Pippen - January 5, 2012
Nellie
Offered to step down as coach, but Webber still did not want to be here
azw - January 5, 2012
Do you really think he was sincere? He was probably just playing his usual head games to get his way. Nellie got in a pissing contest with a 20 yr old when he should have been the adult in the matter. Maturity was never Nellie’s strong suit.
Pippen - January 5, 2012
I think he was
he was also playing GM at the time and he knew Webber was a special player.
But since he still wanted out it doesnt matter. My recollection was that Web had a list of reasons he wanted out. first he didnt want to play center, than he was pissed because they traded his buddy (for a center), than Nellie yelled too much.
I sure wish they would have figured some way to keep him here though.
azw - January 6, 2012
*Stategist
rather than coach. Great coach is a title that entails so many things Nellie just didn’t do well.
Phil Jackson was a great coach. Pat Riley was a great coach. Chuck Daly was a great coach. Red Auerbach was a great coach. Greg Popovich has been a great coach.
You get the point. He doesn’t compare to some of the NBA’s best ever coaches. Not even close. Plenty of guys go ahead of him on the list than just these guys.
Brownie13 - January 5, 2012
+++Great distinction and choice of examples.
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
I don't agree after looking back on what he did.
He really did revolutionize the game and his teams would have all been a lot worse without him.
GovernorStephCurry - January 6, 2012
After reflecting on your comment, I agree, Gov. However, does that make him "great"? Shouldn't success be a major factor?
dinohealth - January 6, 2012
Sac did something smart.
qin - January 5, 2012
They’ll be even smarter if they try to get rid of Cousins as well for something of decent value as soon as possible.
WYK - January 5, 2012
Cousins needs some Man Down luv,
Only In Fairfax - January 5, 2012
We'll take him...
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
Keith Smart: forever an interim head coach
JustSomeName - January 5, 2012
I can hear the champagne bottles being popped...
at Sactownroyalty from here.
JimBarnett2KevinGarnett - January 5, 2012
O.t. but Klay was looking real smooth yesterday coming off the screens
Give him some time, I think he’s gonna make you guys really happy.
ClipperBEAST - January 5, 2012
Klay can only get better. I expected him to come in shooting great like Jimmer. Rarely do SG’s come in and be good as a rookie.
J-RIDAH - January 5, 2012
^ Not true.
GovernorStephCurry - January 5, 2012
I was referring to this:
Marshon Brooks and Alec Burks disagree.
GovernorStephCurry - January 5, 2012
Landy Fields
Eric Gordon years ago…
dubzfan - January 5, 2012
Lol
Pretty much anyone could be scoring 14 a game for New Jersey. They’re already one of the worst teams in the NBA, but they also don’t have Brook Lopez. Humphries and Williams have already missed 3 games, too. They’re scoring a horrid 83 points per game, the league’s worst offense.
And Burks is averaging 11 minutes a game, and half of his minutes came in one game in which he went 1 for 6. How is he good? Just because he’s shooting a better percentage so far? That’s far from being good.
Brownie13 - January 5, 2012
Totally agree on Burks
I haven’t watched him play, but his numbers don’t backup GSC’s comment
fjm - January 5, 2012
Maybe i'm looking at the wrong data..
GovernorStephCurry - January 5, 2012
http://thecity2.com/roy-watch/
Evanz - January 5, 2012
Klay is last? :(
Brownie13 - January 5, 2012
yep
OTOH, Ish Smith is doing quite well:
http://thecity2.com/sophomore-ratings/
Evanz - January 5, 2012
I figured.
I’ve liked him when he’s played so far. The worst thing about signing Nate (which I actually liked), is that Ish’s minutes are ABSOLUTELY going to be disappearing now. They were already being taken away and given to Jenkins, but now his chances of getting them back are next to none.
Brownie13 - January 5, 2012
Ain’t that the truth. He can’t get much worse.
Evanz - January 5, 2012
So far in his young NBA career, he is actually shooting exactly like the Jimmer.
Unfortunately, the Jimmer is shooting horribly. :-(
Sleepy Freud - January 5, 2012
he had one pretty good game
I guess that counts for somethin
Duby Dub Dubs - January 5, 2012
I did not know he was a SG....
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
He's gonna be good eventually
I’m so tired of the Klay haters. He didn’t have a summer league or pre-season and people on here a killing him because he didn’t come out of the gates on fire. Let the kid get some PT under his belt before you write him off. I think the one thing you can take away from the few minutes he’s played is he has a smooth stroke and a quick release.
Pippen - January 5, 2012
I guess technically that would be two things.
Pippen - January 5, 2012
And he’s not scared to keep trying to score. Seems he has confidence.
cybermaldonado - January 5, 2012
I agree Pippen. It is just hat some turkeys in here were talking about him replacing Reggie, and he is at least two years away from doing that
-if Reggie stood still and never grew anymore…
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
Neither did any other rookies.
They aren’t all looking as utterly lost as he is. I don’t think anyone should be jumping down his throat, but if you aren’t concerned, you aren’t paying attention.
Spider Jerusalem - January 5, 2012
Smart is better than Westphaul
Badly Browned - January 5, 2012
Apparently so
Tremendous Hops - January 5, 2012
I’d rather have Smart as coach than Westphal. The game passed Westphal by and he had no control over his team. This should have been done last season. Smart isn’t a great coach, but his players seem to respect him.
Pippen - January 5, 2012
I guess you are right...Smart is there, and Westphal isn't..
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
haha I feel glad for Keith Smart, he's a respectable guy
but for the Kings, it can go both ways. Smart is probably better than Westphal, but they still won’t get many wins under Smart
jpees - January 5, 2012
Westphal or Smart can be good coaches
they just need good teams, not this rag tag crew in Sac Town. They are not the guys to coach a half in/half out team with no leadership on the floor. (hell, how many people are?)
Smart is screwed and probably just happy to have a paycheck for now while he figures out who to assist next season.
warriorsvictim - January 5, 2012
True. Westphal has more success on his resume than Sacramento does on theirs lol.
cybermaldonado - January 5, 2012
Smart had a good team last year....better than the one MinniJ got this year...
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
I'm happy for coach smart
I think he got a raw deal here . He had serious injury problems last year and still improved our record over the previous year so I’d have given him one more year instead of running him off for someone who was not willing to learn coaching by coming up thru the ranks .
Skeptic con Urquell - January 5, 2012
OH, Skeptic....you have to be sugaring me! Not after all that wasted talent last year....
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
OH, Skeptic....you have to be sugaring me!
Not intentionally. I thought we had a pretty good record last year up to the point where DLee got Vampired in the elbow? Then Binky had a few sprains etc.? We also beat some pretty good teams last year when things were going right so another year with Smart woulda been justified. I think these new guys are just more into the entertainment aspect of marketing instead of the basketball mechanics of playing so they thought that more fans would be attracted to jackson than Smart cause jackson was a talking head on the TV.
Skeptic con Urquell - January 6, 2012
important note:
Kings have almost identical record as the Dubs…just saying
Duby Dub Dubs - January 5, 2012
he will be a somewhat successful head coach again then....
….jeff van gundy will replace him. lol. damn espn analysts taking his job. poor keith…
lakititi - January 5, 2012
lol
cybermaldonado - January 5, 2012
Westphal got fired for Vin Baker when he coached Seattle.
Baker turned out to be a massive alcoholic and completely worthless as a player for the rest of his short career. It was sad seeing a coach lose his job to a turd athlete just because the athlete had a huge contract. That’s one reason I despise NBA guaranteed contracts.
Seems Westphal never did learn his lesson about dealing with spoiled players. I’m sure he will be happier doing something else.
cybermaldonado - January 5, 2012
Didn't Westphal publicly call out Gary Payton?
tafkasam - January 5, 2012
Westphal was awful in Seattle.
For a lot more reasons than that.
Spider Jerusalem - January 5, 2012
Westphal was also a bad coach
But I like how you are trying to compare two completely different situations to each other
doubleteapot - January 5, 2012
Different how?
This is exactly the same thing you accused me of the other day under completely different circumstances.
cybermaldonado - January 5, 2012
When did I do that?
doubleteapot - January 5, 2012
As to how they were different:
Paul Westphal constantly feuded with Gary Payton, who liked the previous coach, George Karl. This was the reason he was fired; Payton didn’t respect him, and eventually Westphal lost the whole locker room, because Payton was basically their star player. Also, he wasn’t that good a coach, as he has shown with the Sacramento Kings. On the Kings, he was fired because he failed to develop young players like Tyreke Evans and ran an offense that was mostly made up of isolation shots.
doubleteapot - January 5, 2012
If Smart wins with the Kings...
I might just have to get extraordinarily drunk. (can’t bring myself to make a shoot myself in the head joke – I am already too depressed.)
FloorBurn - January 5, 2012
I think a lot of us will join you....
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
The NBA coaching carousel
is so ridiculous. It must be nice being a GM, not being able to field a team (fault or no fault), and then fire the coach, who has minimal impact, over the results. I can’t believe these corporations/businesses/organizations conduct their business in this manner. The only rational explanation for firing him at this point in the season is if he egregiously mishandled the Cousins situations, e.g. lying about Cousins demanding a trade…
salary_cap - January 5, 2012
cousins will ruin that place
in three years, he’ll be demanding to go to a large market team
j-spliff415 - January 5, 2012
LOL Chris Webber talking about the Cousins-Westphal situation.
He said he wished for more patience on this decision. Didn’t know the facts. Why couldn’t you take your own advice back in 1995 huh Chris?!?!
Pot. Kettle. There it is.
kenntoe - January 5, 2012
grrr
Bad. Memories.
One Child XL Webber Jersey, now only useful as an ironic keepsake.
tafkasam - January 5, 2012
i guarantee Chris only said that because it was Sacramento
had it been anywhere else his tone would’ve been different saying something like “maybe players and coaches dont mix and arent meant to be. I had a similar episode and ended up in Washington after winning ROY because it was the best decision for both sides at the time.”
starbury_to_s-jaxci2000 - January 5, 2012
Look, Chris learned from his mistakes
He’s a pretty good analyst now.
doubleteapot - January 5, 2012
Looks like...
Keith Smart is going to be the head coach for a while… (through next season).
Have fun with Smart Kings… the Warriors sure did lol.
Warriors Fanatic - January 5, 2012
This is from
@Wojyahoonba twitter account by the way
Warriors Fanatic - January 5, 2012
I like this
really glad Smart is going to get another shot at coaching
for all I bitched about his rotations, most guys had a good year, our record was right about where I expected, and we didn’t have any major problems
Duby Dub Dubs - January 5, 2012
GOOD JOB, KEITH! THAT'S TAKING THEM FOR THE RIDE!
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
Good for Keith.
Hope he does well. Just not so well the Kings become better than the Warriors.
Brownie13 - January 5, 2012
We are now guaranteed that there will be at least one team worse than us!
dinohealth - January 5, 2012
yea~!!
Smart gonna ask Cousins to work on his 3’s and shoot 3’s at first offense runs in every game.
ILoveWarriorsGirls - January 5, 2012
Secret Agent Double-Oh Keith Smart.
The worst possible rotations as well as a supreme ability to stunt young player growth. Also, a lack of hip hop clubs for young black male athletes will make his job a living nightmare.
Anonymous1337 - January 5, 2012
please destroy Cousins for us, Smart.
since we can’t have him. thanks.
ILoveWarriorsGirls - January 5, 2012
WARRIORS ONE OF MOST AGGRESSIVE TEAMS FOR HOWARD TRADE!
gswarriors12 - January 5, 2012
Smart got his first win
Kings just beat bucks 103-100
Skeptic con Urquell - January 5, 2012
Kings just beat bucks 103-100
haha, someone over on the kings site said the win was “a dead coach bounce”
Skeptic con Urquell - January 6, 2012
I read this somewhere. I don't like bringing up the past but really Keith Smart had no bench last year.
"Former Warriors coach Keith Smart did everything to keep his job.
He figured out a way to make Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry co-exist. He installed a semblance of a system to a team that was run based on the delusions of a bitter old man. The Warriors, the fucking Warriors, won 38 games.
And yet he was done in by Golden State’s new owners who desperately wanted to divorce itself from the legacy of the delusional Don Nelson.
Too bad Smart learned the ropes from Nellie himself, having spent about eight years as an assistant coach.
Unlike Nelson, whose patternless coaching drove even his players nuts, Smart stuck to a starting five that didn’t defy logic. He installed a clear delineation of offensive duties between Ellis and Curry, imposing an amicable solution that has squelched talks of giving up at least one of the team’s prodigious scoring point guards. Hey, he made it possible for Golden State to icing the cake and shove it down their throats! You want offense, here’s offense. In a way that works, without giving the team, and its fans, heartburn.
And yet he’s gone."
Kjestrada - January 5, 2012
Really! If Keith Smart had no bench last year, Minni J has less than nothing this year!
dinohealth - January 6, 2012
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