Kings head coach Luke Walton finds himself on the hot seat once again, according to Sam Amick and Shams Charania of The Athletic, who say the pressure is mounting on Walton amidst Sacramento’s current four-game losing streak.
Sources tell Amick and Charania that Walton’s job will likely be “in peril” soon if the Kings’ slump continues.
Walton faced some pressure last season as well, but ultimately held onto his job for a variety of reasons, including his approval rating in the locker room, his strong relationship with general manager Monte McNair, and the fact that he still had multiple guaranteed years left on his contract, per Amick and Charania.
According to The Athletic’s duo, Walton isn’t expected to given as much leeway this time around, since there’s increasing urgency for the Kings to snap their 15-year playoff drought. Amick and Charania add that the current roster is viewed internally as one capable of making the postseason.
The Kings’ current losing streak includes a home game vs. Indiana and road games in San Antonio and Oklahoma City, which are the types of contests that management and ownership would expect the team to win. Sacramento will play in Detroit on Monday night, and Amick and Charania note that a loss to the 3-9 Pistons certainly “would not aid Walton’s cause.”
Walton, who was hired by former Kings general manager Vlade Divac in 2019, led the team to consecutive 31-41 (.431) finishes in his first two seasons, and is off to a 5-8 start in 2021/22. He’s under contract for one more year beyond this season.
A franchise with poor leadership and terrible direction from the top down. They need an entire new management team and a new owner…..but that’s not happening.
As well as an entirely new roster, save maybe Halliburton.
The fact that “internally” they believe this roster is capable of making the playoffs is as much of an indictment on the FO as their performance is on Walton.
no fox? no mitchell?
Mitchell sure – I’d move on from Fox though
Their roster is very good, they need to trade for Thad young and start him at power forward, and they need a new coach, the gm is barely into his second season and inherited a horrendous mess…kings are close, that guard rotation is nice and richaun Holmes is among the most underrated players in the league, Harrison Barnes is shooting his career percentages at a higher usage rate and performing, their collapses are on the coach and accountability…but thinking they need a whole new roster is a casual take……I am not a kings fan disclaimer
Shouldn’t have been hired in the first place… such a bad coach. I’m surprised Fox still wants to be in Sacramento… would’ve been so much better hiring one of the stacked coaching class this off-season… missed opportunity
Walton is not a good coach but he is not the main problem
Problem is the GM, who is too conservative to make huge trades
Huge trades are absolutely needed
Kings don’t need overpay bum Ben Simmons, they need a star who can take them to the playoffs
McNair has made really smart draft picks and trades since he took over. He also had had two pretty big trades fall apart at the last second at no fault of his own.
I wouldn’t say McNair has made great draft picks just yet. Haliburton weirdly fell into his lap and taking him was as no brainer of a decision as there ever is. And it’s too early to render a ruling on Mitchell.
Good point about the trades, though.
Kings have made some nice draft selections and signings, but they still don’t have a #1.
You can win if you have many #2’s but it’s not easy.
This whole Bagley situation doesn’t help either, as he’s a former lottery pick that adds nothing right now.
If Ben’s head is in the right place (granted that appears to be a big if right now),if traded to Sac he would instantly be their best player regardless of who was left on roster. Good God man, learn the game.
Yeah right
Kings have been a complete disaster since 2005…
Walton need not worry. When he gets fired, some other team will gift him yet another head coaching job.
My money is on the Pelicans after they scapegoat Green for the lost season.
Gentry was hired for a reason.
Trade Fox. He’s a losing player. Haliburton is a better all round player
What? Lmao when did this change? I just read an article from the Athletic last night with a differing view point???? The Athletic interviewed GM McNair who said he has a great working relationship with Walton and they talk every day. Now he is suddenly on the hot seat? Seems odd..
You can have a good working relationship and still be on the hot seat. Just because they talk doesn’t mean they’re ass at their jobs
Are you new to following sports? That’s normal front office speak for someone being on the hot seat, regardless of the sport. McNair wasn’t going to come out and say “Yeah, that guy hasn’t been doing very well. I might get rid of him”. They will purport the lie right up until the time Walton is fired, at which point they’ll soften the blow by saying “We appreciate everything he did for the organization, but simply felt it was time for a new voice.”
Not that it may necessarily be his decision but Vivek’s instead.
No I am not new to following sports.
I can attest… Taco shells have been at ballgames for many years.
No one on the team is making any improvements. Fox, Hield, MB3, Halliburton, Holmes. All the same or worse.
He’s really messed up with MB3. And he’s alienated Hield for a few years. Barnes is the only player out performing his previous production. He’s made himself into a prime trade candidate this season. Very palatable contract.
They basically need to retool, yet again. Trade MB3, Barnes, Hield, and probably Fox. Get as much as they can for these guys. Maybe go with a more defensive minded route and try again through the draft. Keep Mitchell, Haliburton, Holmes.
They’ve been connected to the Sixers (Simmons) and the Hawks (MB3 landing spot).
But they need to change the HC. Obviously isn’t working. And this core isn’t going to amount to anything before their contracts are up.
I don’t know if Walton can coach or not, but there is only so much job drama that a HC can live through and still have ability to coach the team effectively. HC is a key leadership position, or at least it should be. If the PTB are having discussions about replacing a key leader more than once a year, do everyone (including him) a favor and replace him. I sometimes think the FO types like keeping everyone talking about their HC’s job status so nobody is talking about theirs.
It’s been a cliche word, but there has been no “culture” with the KINGS since those Adelman days.
When players get to talk aloud about trade demands, playing time, you know the head coach hasn’t taken a hold of the locker room.
Luke Walton has mostly been under Phil Jackson & Kerr …….. One didn’t even attempt to coach without a transcendent star, lest he be exposed.
The other lost his transcendent stars, still had some all-stars, yet still got exposed and didn’t make the playoffs the past 2 seasons.
The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.
I love my kings… But what are you going to do ? Haha — I started going to Arco in 1989… We were spoiled in the early 2000s and ever since it’s been a total catastrophe. We celebrated when vlade finally left & and we’ll do the same when Walton does. I love the roster and we have the pieces to make the playoffs we just need a jigsaw master to put us together.
The fact that he was kept around entering the season makes me question McNair’s judgment. He’s supposed to be this analytics guru, but his rap sheet is a little suspect.
Only reason he was kept around is because of a contract issue…. All is Kings fans wanted him gone. If McNair can actually pick his coach…. That would be nice but the owner is a dimwit. Who in the world would have thought we would miss them magoofs….. Just thankful my team didn’t end up in Seattle….
Maybe he should start by benching Haliburton & getting Buddy back in the starting five, then, bench Harkless & get MBIII back in the starting line… that would make them at least compete… but, having said that this team was never build for the playoffs as it is!
They need to focus their offense much more in Fox, & think about trading Haliburton, hopefully he hasn’t lost too much value, as so far he has been more hype than performance, he will never be half the player Fox is.
I’d say good riddance to Walton possibly the worst HC ever!
#FreeMBIII
Yes please free him get him off the team. This soft soft soft soft soft head case won’t recover and will never play any meaningful minutes in Sacramento. Bags, his agent & his dad are jokes…… And trading Tyrese. That’s just a really bad idea One of our only bright spots that enjoys being in Sacramento.
If only someone would have actually wanted to trade for Buddy or Marvin…. These Kings comments are as cringe-worthy as the new Kings broadcasting duo.
I’m surprised he’s still there. He’s done a bad job. Simple as that. Should go back to being an assistant.
the funnyst is that if MB3 had just kept his mouth shut, someone would’ve traded for him by now.
instead he’s known as a distraction and a cry baby while also being a disaster on the court