According to an NBA source, the Sacramento Kings inked Tyrone Corbin to a contract to coach the team through the end of the 2014-15 season more than a week ago. Corbin originally signed a two-year contract as an assistant coach under Michael Malone. When Malone was relieved of his duties on Dec. 14, Corbin was named to an interim role.
This is the second time in his career that Corbin has taken over a team mid-season. The former NBA player stepped in for Jerry Sloan with the Utah Jazz during the 2010-11 season. He coached the Jazz to a 112-146 record from 2011-2014, before being let go on April 21, 2014.
Under Corbin, the Kings have struggled to a 2-5 record, but played without star center DeMarcus Cousins in two of the losses. The team is playing an aggressive, uptempo offensive style, but has struggled on the defensive end.
During his introductory press conference, general manager Pete D’Alessandro gave Corbin a vote of confidence, but was noncommittal on whether he would coach the team for the remainder of the season.
“I give full support to Tyrone,” D’Alessandro stated. “You don’t put someone out there on the floor and say, ‘You don’t have full support of the organization.’ That would be totally unfair if I had that in mind. We’re going to try to get better, we’re going to make decisions obviously to get better, whatever that is. That’s the NBA, you know, that’s the NBA. But right now I’m standing right behind Tyrone and saying, ‘Let’s get this thing. Let’s open this floor up and see what we can do.’”
The Kings travel to Boston tonight for a matchup with the Celtics on New Year’s Eve.
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