Kings head coach Luke Walton isn’t interested in taking over at Arizona, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Two decades ago, Walton was a star player for the Wildcats, who created a vacancy by firing Sean Miller today.
“No, no interest,” Walton said. “I love Arizona. I think Sean Miller did an amazing job there in his time, but I have a job. I have a job that I love. I have a group I love working with, so I’m very committed to being here in Sacramento and keeping this going in the direction that we want it to go and getting this team back into the playoffs.”
Walton is in his second season running the Kings and still has two years and $11.5MM left on his contract. There was speculation about his future after Sacramento got off to a slow start, but a report last month indicated his job is safe, at least through the end of the season. The Kings have edged back into the race for a spot in a play-in game and are 12th in the West at 22-29.
Walton spent four seasons at Arizona from 1999-2003, playing for legendary coach Lute Olson. He earned First-Team All-Pac 10 honors two times.
Several other Arizona alumni have been mentioned as possible replacements for Miller, Anderson adds, including Lakers assistant coach Miles Simon, who has been with the team since 2017. Other rumored names include former NBA player and current Pacific head coach Damon Stoudamire and Georgia Tech head coach Josh Pastner.
Hes waiting to get fired so he gets the full contract value.
That report from last month mentions that said the Kings can’t afford to fire him with two more years left on his contract, so they’re stuck with him.
Really? They are such a dumpster fire.
….until I’m fired at the end of the season.
No interest in “coaching” period.
Why would you leave the NBA for a job at a school that is probably gonna get hit with more penalties over the next year or two.
Must be nice to flame out as a coach of the Lakers, fall backwards into a new cushy gig with the Kings, start the process of flaming out all over again, and then have to beat down rumors that yet another place is interested in hiring you as a coach.
Maybe he needs to rethink this…