Kings fire Vance Walberg

[sdballer]

according to sources

Carmichael Dave ‏@CarmichaelDave 14m14 minutes ago
For my 3 remaining followers that DONT know, Kings fire assistant Vance Walberg. Sorry, at a little league meeting. #DadLife

MOD NOTE: Here's the official Kings media release:

Kings Announce Coaching Staff Change
Posted: Feb 17, 2016

SACRAMENTO, CA – The Sacramento Kings announced today a change to its coaching staff, parting ways with assistant coach Vance Walberg, according to Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac.

“This was a tough decision made after consideration of what is best for the team moving forward,” Divac said. “We want to thank Vance for his contributions to the organization and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”

Walberg joined the Sacramento bench on February 23, 2015.

 

[SacKings384]

Wrong coach.

 

[sdballer]

They said they plan to add a defensive coach to the staff, possibly Mike brown. I like that overall direction.

Chris Mannix Verified account ‏@ChrisMannixYS
Kings will look to add a defensive minded coach to the staff, per sources. One candidate that bears watching: Ex-Cavs coach Mike Brown.

 

[HndsmCelt]

I call this a good first step. Mike Brown would be a nice second step. Tail lights of Carl's car leaving Sacramento the coup de Gras

 

[King Baller]

Links to stories?

 

[k_dubb90]

Who knows maybe mike brown can still coach. He got royally screwed in la, and Cleveland

 

[LPKingsFan]

They gonna fire one Karl assistant a week until he gives up?

 

[The_Jamal]

Weird firing. Isn't he our main offensive assistant? Offense has been fine, it's the other side of the ball that needs work.

 

[SacTownKid]

This was the system guy. And no, the offense wasn't fine. It's a part of why this team is as bad as they are defensively.

 

[Dbeltz24]

Please, no Mike Brown.

 

[sdballer]

Please, no Mike Brown.

As s defensive coach, he'd be a good find

 

[CurseOfTheSalmons]

Please, no Mike Brown.

It is certainly weird to be hiring coaches when they might be looking to replace everyone at the end of the season.

 

[LPKingsFan]

This comes off as "another bizarre Kings thing" but maybe Karl is really willing to change the system, and there was no need to retain Walberg (the system architect) anymore.

 

[Bricklayer]

Ok:

1) shades of what they did to Hornacek -- sure, you can lame duck it, but we'll just fire your assistants out from under you

2) on the other hand Wahlberg was PRECISELY the assistant I have been pissed at all season long. He is Mr. Dribble Drive Offense. He could easily be why Cousins is standing out at the 3pt line. If so, good riddance and its actually a targeted and telling firing that maybe we are going to switch things up system-wise midseason, which is fairly aggressive and rarely attempted.

P.S. Mike Brown wouldn't really be my choice, but a defensive assistant that Karl would actually defer too would be another pretty remarkable move.

 

[Blob]

playoffs here we come

 

[funkykingston]

I understand the motivation, especially if the rumors of the minority owners blocking Karl's firing are true but it's just another example of Sacramento dysfunction when viewed from the outside.

 

[est.1999]

This was the system guy. And no, the offense wasn't fine. It's a part of why this team is as bad as they are defensively.

Exactly. Points scored doesn't always mean your offense is great or efficient.

 

[VF21]

Aaron Bruski ‏@aaronbruski 24m24 minutes ago
Kings can get 2 birds with 1 stone here. Get Boogie into the post where he obviously belongs and get rid of the defensive system via whoever

 

[sdballer]

It is certainly weird to be hiring coaches when they might be looking to replace everyone at the end of the season.

I agree but if they want to turn things around this year, it might not be a bad idea to bring in some guys to help guide that

 

[VF21]

They said they plan to add a defensive coach to the staff, possibly Mike brown. I like that overall direction.

You need to add links or something. I already added the official media release to your first post, but I'm not sure where y0u saw the stuff about Mike Brown.

 

[Blob]

hee hee

Karl was vehemently against the decision to dismiss Walberg, league sources told The Vertical.

 

[Dbeltz24]

As s defensive coach, he'd be a good find

When you have LeBron, of course your defense is going to be in the top 10. That 08-09 team when Cleveland had the #1 defense, they had LeBron, Ben Wallace, Big Z and Varejao.

In the past 12 years, LeBron's team has only finished out of the top 10 in defense once(last year).

Mike Brown's 2 years without LeBron: Team finished 15th and 19th in Defense.

I hope Vlade and other's realize that Brown's defensive philosophy and his team's being rated so highly on D was due to having LeBron.

 

[VF21]

...2) on the other hand Wahlberg was PRECISELY the assistant I have been pissed at all season long. He is Mr. Dribble Drive Offense. He could easily be why Cousins is standing out at the 3pt line. If so, good riddance and its actually a targeted and telling firing that maybe we are going to switch things up system-wise midseason, which is fairly aggressive and rarely attempted.

I can't find it at the moment, but there have been some tweets linking Walberg directly to Boogie and the perimeter.

 

[Iced Espresso]

Take the buyout Karl.

 

[nebs]

Fire the offensive coach? Oh good, we've been struggling to score points all year.

 

[VF21]

Aaron Bruski ‏@aaronbruski 36m36 minutes ago
Vance Walberg’s spread offensive system is among the worst offensive ideas I’ve seen in years of doing this. So this is a smart move for SAC

 

[sdballer]

You need to add links or something. I already added the official media release to your first post, but I'm not sure where y0u saw the stuff about Mike Brown.

I know. Sorry. On my phone holding a crying newborn so it was the best I could do

 

[sdballer]

When you have LeBron, of course your defense is going to be in the top 10. That 08-09 team when Cleveland had the #1 defense, they had LeBron, Ben Wallace, Big Z and Varejao.

In the past 12 years, LeBron's team has only finished out of the top 10 in defense once(last year).

Mike Brown's 2 years without LeBron: Team finished 15th and 16th in Defense.

I hope Vlade and other's realize that Brown's defensive philosophy and his team's being rated so highly on D was due to having LeBron.

15th would be a godsend right now

 

[Dbeltz24]

I can't find it at the moment, but there have been some tweets linking Walberg directly to Boogie and the perimeter.

Almost going to guarantee that Walberg is responsible for that. The CC I played for is where Walberg used to coach, a big man was always on the perimeter. Walberg's dribble drive offense is 4 guys on the perimeter and one down low. Especially the plays when Boogie gets the ball at the top and drives.

 

[Bricklayer]

hee hee

I always wonder on something like that though -- ok:

1) don't fire Karl

2) fire Wahlberg

is that supposed to somehow automatically make Wahlberg's system go away? Wahlberg was with Karl for years in Denver, then came here and spent a year with him in Sacto. I'm sure Karl knows how to run it, and if he likes it, he would just keep on doing do. After you have already established you aren't going to fire him, what's the pressure you can apply?


P.S. I am also reminded of two things said earlier in the season:
1) back in preseason Vlade told Boogie not to mess with the 3pt stuff, to get down inside. This guy may have irked him all season long.
2) Cousins repeated statements that he was trying to be coachable. Trying to be coachable to me indicates you are doing stuff you wouldn't normally do on your own, but you're tying to be open minded and cooperative.