Kings hire Luke Walton

Coach Luke Walton. What's your initial reaction?

  • Great

  • Pretty happy

  • Unsure

  • Not real happy

  • Bummed


Results are only viewable after voting.
It is a legitimate point that Walton has a great basketball pedigree. He grew up with great coaches and great influences and as a college player.
On the other hand, several people on this forum could have a winning record if they were given the Golden State Warriors and their all-star roster to coach.
Only time will tell.
A lot of people keep bringing up that any coach could had coached that GSW team to a 24-0 record and a 39-4 record with the GSW roster. I think a lot of people forget that team did not have Kevin Durant yet. Durant came the year after.

While GSW had Curry and Thompson, people shouldn't make it out like they had a "Super team" that year. They were favored, but they were not the juggernaut team they are now until after they signed KD, the year after.
 
I've thought a lot about this over the past few days.

There was obviously a disconnect that happened this year. Even early in the season Joerger and Vlade kept repeating they saw eye to eye, they were in lockstep with their vision. I think the Williams drama was much more than we realize. It was very disruptive to a young team and I think ultimately Vlade didn't want people who would participate in that nonsense.

I think Bagley was a small part of it, but I think ultimately Barnes and Burks were the largest issue. Vlade traded for a 3 and a backup 1/2. The 3 played at the 4 and the backup 1/2 didn't play. If they no longer saw eye to eye and this disfunction was building, then unfortunately this was the right move long term. No need to extend the issues.

Now, I'm not sure those decisions were wrong. Burks did not look good, but he also didn't get much leeway.

I'm still most intrigued by Grants statement that Vlade didn't hire Joerger but gave the ok. Who hired him then? Was that Vivek's last personnel decision? Because they flew to see him and signed him immediately. I also don't buy that Mark Jackson was the #2 option behind Luke 3 years ago. THat's crazy talk.

So while I am not blown away by the Walton hire, I am intrigued by it. I will be more intrigued by the assistant coach hires. What existing coaches are retained? What coaches do the bring in? Lastly, what are the possibility of adding Monty Williams to our front office. I think that would be HUGE for this franchise to add someone that respected to this organization.
 
I've thought a lot about this over the past few days.

There was obviously a disconnect that happened this year. Even early in the season Joerger and Vlade kept repeating they saw eye to eye, they were in lockstep with their vision. I think the Williams drama was much more than we realize. It was very disruptive to a young team and I think ultimately Vlade didn't want people who would participate in that nonsense.

I think Bagley was a small part of it, but I think ultimately Barnes and Burks were the largest issue. Vlade traded for a 3 and a backup 1/2. The 3 played at the 4 and the backup 1/2 didn't play. If they no longer saw eye to eye and this disfunction was building, then unfortunately this was the right move long term. No need to extend the issues.
My personal opinion is that the FO and Joerger already weren't seeing eye to eye before the season started. Which is why the Williams news story came to be in the first place. Vlade didn't like Williams leaking the story, but he also didn't like how Joerger handled it. They only leverage Joerger had was winning games. So trying to force management to fire Williams, or burying managements prized draftees on the bench was a failed power play and it ultimately did him in.
 
It is a legitimate point that Walton has a great basketball pedigree. He grew up with great coaches and great influences and as a college player.
On the other hand, several people on this forum could have a winning record if they were given the Golden State Warriors and their all-star roster to coach.
Only time will tell.
Come on, guys. Not just you, ppine. Bit all the kings fans who are now saying that coaching the warriors was a cake walk and counts for nothing. I get the point. The warriors were a well oiled machine. But it wasn’t likely as easy as some are suggesting. Even championship teams have their coaching challenges.
 
My personal opinion is that the FO and Joerger already weren't seeing eye to eye before the season started. Which is why the Williams news story came to be in the first place. Vlade didn't like Williams leaking the story, but he also didn't like how Joerger handled it. They only leverage Joerger had was winning games. So trying to force management to fire Williams, or burying managements prized draftees on the bench was a failed power play and it ultimately did him in.

I mean, knowing Vlade like this fan base does, any attempt at any sorta power play was going to do anyone in. He just doesn't operate that way, at all. So if true, Joerger's fate was sealed at that moment, regardless of whether he was in the right or not.
 
My personal opinion is that the FO and Joerger already weren't seeing eye to eye before the season started. Which is why the Williams news story came to be in the first place. Vlade didn't like Williams leaking the story, but he also didn't like how Joerger handled it. They only leverage Joerger had was winning games. So trying to force management to fire Williams, or burying managements prized draftees on the bench was a failed power play and it ultimately did him in.
Come to think of it, all the way back at the beginning of the season it came out that the only reason Joerger was keeping his job was because he was winning games.

Then post ASB the wins stop coming and things unraveled.

People always deny reports that are negative to the team, no matter the source, but we really should have seen this coming.
 
Come to think of it, all the way back at the beginning of the season it came out that the only reason Joerger was keeping his job was because he was winning games.

Then post ASB the wins stop coming and things unraveled.

People always deny reports that are negative to the team, no matter the source, but we really should have seen this coming.
Yes. I think some missed the fact that Williams didn't get punished right away because what he told Yahoo was the truth. He just wasn't supposed to leak it to the media. (Or get caught leaking it).
 
Yes. I think some missed the fact that Williams didn't get punished right away because what he told Yahoo was the truth. He just wasn't supposed to leak it to the media. (Or get caught leaking it).
The assumption was that Williams was leaking his own personal agenda to displace Vlade when the reality may have been he was just being a sieve with no agenda, which would also explain why they waited until the end of the season to let him go. Joerger's victory dance did coach no favors but Williams's inability to get along with the rest of the staff with their extensions proved he also had no future here.
 
A lot of people keep bringing up that any coach could had coached that GSW team to a 24-0 record and a 39-4 record with the GSW roster. I think a lot of people forget that team did not have Kevin Durant yet. Durant came the year after.

While GSW had Curry and Thompson, people shouldn't make it out like they had a "Super team" that year. They were favored, but they were not the juggernaut team they are now until after they signed KD, the year after.
Plus, they were destroying teams, especially early in the year. This doesn't make Walton a great coach, but what he did at Golden State shouldn't be completely disregarded.

I'm pretty sure neither a rock nor a member of this forum would have had similar success (both insightful examples of alternative coaches who would have done as well as Walton).
 
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wow, people are going as far as defending the Lakers to up the coaching ability of Luke Walton. So are people going to be willing to admit that the Lakers were a better team than the Kings last year? If they didn't have all of those injuries, they would've had a better record than us. Lakers won 37 games vs. the Kings 39 games with their multiple main players missing 1/4 of the season.

The only way I would crown next season "successful" is if we make the playoffs. This entire team under Joerger would've been on track to make the playoffs. Can Luke Walton keep the Kings on track?

Can't unhire Luke.. so I'll be rooting for him now.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
wow, people are going as far as defending the Lakers to up the coaching ability of Luke Walton. So are people going to be willing to admit that the Lakers were a better team than the Kings last year? If they didn't have all of those injuries, they would've had a better record than us. Lakers won 37 games vs. the Kings 39 games with their multiple main players missing 1/4 of the season.

The only way I would crown next season "successful" is if we make the playoffs. This entire team under Joerger would've been on track to make the playoffs. Can Luke Walton keep the Kings on track?

Can't unhire Luke.. so I'll be rooting for him now.
I can confindently say if LeBron doesn’t get injured for 1/3rd of the season, the Lakers end with a better record than the Kings.

Yeah, the Kings had injuries. The Lakers had the worst case scenario injury.
 
A lot of people keep bringing up that any coach could had coached that GSW team to a 24-0 record and a 39-4 record with the GSW roster. I think a lot of people forget that team did not have Kevin Durant yet. Durant came the year after.

While GSW had Curry and Thompson, people shouldn't make it out like they had a "Super team" that year. They were favored, but they were not the juggernaut team they are now until after they signed KD, the year after.
Walton has had LeBron and a group of first round draft picks in 3 years with the Lakers and a crummy record.
 
Walton has had LeBron and a group of first round draft picks in 3 years with the Lakers and a crummy record.
Walton was doing better with his Lakers roster the previous 2 years than Joeger was with the Kings their first 2 years. Last summer, I was thinking the Lakers were way ahead of the Kings as far as player development on the rebuild.

They would had probably projected the same or higher than us this year, if it weren't for Magic trying to trade the whole team for AD mid-season and LeBrons major injury.
 
couple of things..

I mentioned before that first thing Vlade wants is to create great atmosphere.. and he always talks about this.. with Dave something was really rusty, and I do not think it was only Williams problems, he left and not a single person from Kings said anything.. you usually have this courteously saying, but now we could not even hear this.. if it was just problem with Williams this would not happen.. and I think Luke is what Vlade really wants, and that they both share this vision..

now about Walton.. first of all he was a victim of a bad management and big spotlight in LA, they expected him to raise big franshise to previous heights, but this Lakers are not the same Lakers as before.. and especially when Lebron came, who is by far worst player to coach in the league.. not a time and plays to go in details, but he wants to be only one deciding on and off court, and for any coach that is a coach, and not just person standing near bench it is hard.. anyway even with all of this, until injuries Lakers were decent..

second thing is that times have changed.. being coach is always about X and O, but as time goes less and less, and it is more and more about creating good atmosphere, maintaining good relationship with players and balancing egos.. I think Luke is very good in this field, which in todays basketball is very important.. and I am sure he will grow as coach, he is willing to learn..

third thing he is a good brand now.. like I said, basketball changes, world changes and marketing is bigger and bigger every day..Walton created a brand from himself and he pushed Kings brand even further.. it is still far from atracting big names, but it has rissen a lot during this past years and if continues in this direction it will grow.. and Walton is big thing in this project..

just a few sentances about Vlade.. before Cousins you had disfunctional franchise whos goal was to make PO somehow, just to try to trade for somebody so they can reach that 8th position, and not many wanted to come.. now Kings hired one of coaches that many teams would like to have, you have veterans and players that want to come here, and fans look at playoff just as a one more stop until championship.. all this in small market.. Vlade had mistakes, he will have them in future, but he has done a great leap with Kings, and this is a fact..
 
Loved the press conference. Really like Luke's composure, confidence, and focus. Seems like a straight shooter who will have no problem holding people accountable and being assertive...this adds a lot of additional value to him being such a good teammate. I liked Coach J a lot and loved his press conference at the time, but the contrast was pretty remarkable. None of that "It's all you dawg, check out how much we like each other" stuff. This is about making a rational decision, moving forward purposefully, and getting the job done. Definitely got the sense that he and Vlade were on the same page and on the same approach to what lies ahead. I look forward to seeing it.
 
Looks like Bobby Jackson is sticking around, at least in some capacity. That's a good thing! :)
Pretty sure he will be. I don’t think he was considered part of Joergers coaching staff but player development for the organization. Like a road agent of sorts. Bobby works for the Kings.

Maybe they should get him back on the pre and post game shows. I miss the utter disdain he showed for guys like Hamm and Herenda(especially Herenda). Not that it was right but it was hilarious