The hits keep coming for the Sacramento Kings. After going into crisis mode last week when rumors of a potential DeMarcus Cousins trade surfaced on the eve of the draft, the Kings once again find themselves in a storm of controversy the day before free agency begins.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé and minority owners are “probing” Kentucky head coach John Calipari about taking over both the front office and head coaching position.
“No formal offer has been made to Calipari, and Kings ownership understands that it will take a multiyear financial package of $10 million-plus annually to get Calipari to seriously consider leaving Kentucky,” sources told Wojnarowski.
Again, according to Wojnarowski, Sacramento asked their attorneys to look over George Karl’s deal and see if there is a way for the franchise to void the remaining three seasons on his contract for cause.
An NBA source has confirmed to Cowbell Kingdom that Ranadivé and Calipari are friends and may have had off-the-cuff conversations about the coach coming to Sacramento, but nothing substantive and certainly nothing imminent. Their conversations over the last few weeks revolved around repairing the team’s relationship with Cousins and the drafting of Kentucky big man Willie Cauley-Stein.
Calipari took to twitter to defend his position and refute the report by Wojnarowski.
For the 100th time, I have the best basketball coaching position in the world. I am not looking for any other coaching position.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) June 30, 2015
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Since he bought the team, @Vivek and I have talked on and off about @boogiecousins.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) June 30, 2015
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In the last two weeks, we’ve also talked a bunch about the draft and on draft day, obviously because of @ThewillieCS15.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) June 30, 2015
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At no time has @Vivek offered me a job. I WILL BE AT KENTUCKY.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) June 30, 2015
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A source has confirmed to Cowbell Kingdom that barring an unforeseen event, Karl will remain the head coach of the Kings this season. Vlade Divac, the team’s vice president of basketball and franchise operations is taxed with repairing the relationship between Karl and Cousins which has become non-existent since the season ended.
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