I have a somewhat odd take on this that adds up to an agreement that Vlade will interview as many people as he can. Vlade doesn't know what a good coach sounds like when interviewed. If I was he, I would interview certifiably bad coaches to get a feel of the warning signs. I would have him interview many others to learn what to look for. He can have as much time as he needs because we really can't afford to screw up another signing.
Vlade Divac played under Pat Riley, Mike Dunleavy, Randy Pfund, Del Harris, Dave Cowens, Rick Adelman and Rudy Tomjanovich. I'm pretty sure he knows the difference between good coaches and bad coaches. And beyond that I think he'll be able to figure out quickly which guys will work well with him, share a similar vision about basketball etc. And we already know he's leaned on Popovich, Petrie and Adelman as far as team building and selecting a coach. If Morway is brought on board that's another voice that can aid in the search. As I mentioned before, Vlade will be hamstrung by the fact that the Kings job is maybe the least attractive job opening right now and that the big name coaches won't want the gig. But he'll get the coach he wants. And I have a lot more faith in a guy like Vlade making that decision than a GM who never played the game.
The way I'm looking at it right now (and yes, it may be only me who is this cynical), this thread is really less about who we might get to coach us next season and more about who we are going to be firing this time next year. From that point of view, Patrick Ewing is as good as anybody, right?
The only way the next coach is getting fired at the end of next season is if Ranadive is firing Vlade too. D'Alessandro was forced to work with a coach he didn't hire and whom he didn't see eye to eye with. Same thing with Divac inheriting Karl. This will be Vlade's hire and I don't see any way this next coach would be fired after a season.
I think there's a reason that Vlade hasn't flat out said this offseason that they are building around Cousins and why he's been consistent in saying that he's hiring the next coach for the long term and not based on the current roster/Cousins. He's a million times more tactful than George Karl but from where I sit it sure seems like Vlade is looking to give it one more go with Cousins as the centerpiece. If the team improves, great. If not, I think Cousins is dealt at the deadline next year.
IF that is the game plan it lends even more credence to the notion that the coach Vlade hires will be around for more than a year. If the team wins with Cousins then obviously he stays on. And if the team rebuilds then he gets a pass for at least next year and probably beyond.
Every offseason we talk about it being a critical one for the Kings. But what is truly different this time around is that there's the potential to create a lasting foundation. A stable front office working with a hand-picked coach with the two of them sharing a philosophy and helping to build a positive culture. That hasn't been the case in Sacramento since the Petrie/Adelman era.