Kings relieve Paul Westphal of coaching duties

[Sarunas]

The timing of this is only going to feed Cousins' ego even more. I don't like this, this is really bad for Cousins' development.

Couldn't agree more. I would have preferred they waited for another uninspired loss tonight to make it seem more to do with awful performance than mishaps with his players. Then again, Smart's time coaching Monta Ellis can't be worse, or much worse, than dealing with Cousins.

 

[mcsluggo]

If only DMC had been quiet for another week, then this wouldn't leave quite such a foul taste.

this ^^^^^^


i HATE the timing of this move. IN my opinion they should've waited for a couple of weeks for the scent of the cousins/wesphal fight to disipate. This will have the dual bad effects of staining perception of cousins FOREVER as a coach killer, and giving him a little personal stiffie from the knowledge of "look what i can do" that can ONLY make his personality problems worse

 

[Bricklayer]

this ^^^^^^


i HATE the timing of this move. IN my opinion they should've waited for a couple of weeks for the scent of the cousins/wesphal fight to disipate. This will have the dual bad effects of staining perception of cousins FOREVER as a coach killer, and giving him a little personal stiffie from the knowledge of "look what i can do" that can ONLY make his personality problems worse

Not the major consideratin while the team and fanbase is dying. You can hear it in the arena. For the first time in forever the season started wiht hopes/promises,a nd it was falling apart disastrously. And that toxic lockerroom was going to leak out and erode every single players' will to be here. Cousins is a problem, but he's only 1 problem. We still ahd time to nip this in the bud and have a chance at a successful season. You can't jsut sacrifice that over one player.

 

[Bricklayer]

I like this guy. He seems to know what he's talking about and has a good demeanor. He actually talks about plays too!

Yeah, sounds like a smart guy, and much more comfortable in front of the media. Best of luck to him.

 

[LakersStink]

Awesome news!

 

[Kingster]

From his time with the Warriors, Smart tends to rely on veterans and distrusts young players. He went thru every big men scrubs on his roster from Rodmanovic to Jeff Adrien before it dawns on him that high lottery pick Epeke Udoh is on the team and ready. W fans think he kept Curry on a short leash while letting Monta get away with murder. They were also livid that he played ultra scrub Charlie Bell at the expense of Reggie Williams and his strange infatuation with playing Rodney Carney and Rodmanovic. Smart's rotation is a constant topic of complaints from the fans.

Most likely it was just a lame duck coach trying to accumulate as many wins as possible by leaning on the vets although it doesn't explain why Reggie Williams didn't see more floor time while Charlie Bell does. It wouldn't surprise me to see Smart do the similar with the Kings - a little bit of strange rotation and some players that you don't expect to play suddenly getting a lot of mins.

Warrior fans mostly attribute the win increase to the addition of David Lee and by and large were glad that Smart is gone. But, to be fair, Dorrell Wright strived under Smart and the coach seems to be cognizant of the balance a team full of shooters/scorers with rugged role players.

Is it official that Smart is taking over?

Interesting detailed post. It will be interesting to see if his spots stay the same and he relies on vets more than Westphal has.

 

[Kingster]

I doubt if we will see anything different as far as as sytem goes. There is no practice time to insert anything new. I wonder if Boogie knew this somehow anf that's why the happy face tweet of yesterday. I wonder if he actually thought his input to GP was listened to and hence the firing.

So if the system stays the same, what changes?

 

[ElRey]

Not the major consideratin while the team and fanbase is dying. You can hear it in the arena. For the first time in forever the season started wiht hopes/promises,a nd it was falling apart disastrously. And that toxic lockerroom was going to leak out and erode every single players' will to be here. Cousins is a problem, but he's only 1 problem. We still ahd time to nip this in the bud and have a chance at a successful season. You can't jsut sacrifice that over one player.

I agree. The Move to Fire Westpaul so quick was really a move to attempt to save the season and the Sacramento Kings. Don't forget we have an arena to built here, and it's our last effort to keep the team in Sacramento. How you going to sell the public on a new arena when your team is in complete utter chaos, and getting blown out by bad teams or teams without their star players? Not to mention impending complete team mutiny!

 

[gunks]

Joy

 

[ArcoKings]

I feel bad for PW BUT this had to be done for the sake of the team. You knew his days were counted. I don't think the DMC incident had everything to do with the decision to terminate PW. The teams record spreaks for itself. Now we can only hope Smart can correct the ship and bring a better style of basketball and do some teaching along the way. If Smart is a PW clone we're in trouble. Here's to the Kings!! Go Kings!!

 

[ArcoKings]

I have a feeling Smart will be our coach for years to come. I really liked him last year at GS. He has a good demeanor about him and the players respect him. If he can get the team playing well again I can see him getting a contract after this year.

I hope so. As we all know, the coach carousel is getting old. Go Kings!

 

[dbfish]

During the 4th quarter of last nights game, my friend said, " Watch out for that hammer Paul!" Prophetic.

 

[ArcoKings]

This pic was taken moments after the termination.

 

[bajaden]

This was going to happen, it was just a matter of time. If the Kings hadn't ended the season as well as they did, it probably would have happened then. The idea of waiting for another couple of weeks to make it look better is ridiculous. Look better for who? The media? Who cares what they think. Apparently Westphal didn't care when he went public. Right now the Kings are trying to save a season, and its easier to do that now, than two weeks from now when the hole might be so deep, its impossible to dig your way out. If I'm a season ticket holder, which I was for years, I've paid a lot of money to see a competitive team, and I don't give a tinkers damm about how it looks, as long as the team improves.

Its rumored that Petrie and management, I'm assuming the Maloofs, thought Westphal over reacted, and that Petrie has been distancing himself from Westphal ever since. Yeah, I know that Cousins is susposed to be the bad guy in this drama, but just what if, Petrie happens to believe Cousins side of the story. Or at least part of it. Lets remember, Westphal had the bully pulpit, and Cousins basicly couldn't respond with his side. Make no mistake, Cousins is a handful! But he's also the future of this franchise, or as least a major part of it. He's the bright shiney new sports car to which Westphal was handed the keys. And that car isn't winning any races and its getting banged up in the process.

This needed to be done now, and congrats to Petrie and company for doing something that probably should have been done last season. I wish Westphal no ill will. I hope he has a nice fishing boat where he can go relax and heal from this odeal. I'm sure he was doing his best. Unfortunately we live in a results world, and someone's best isn't always good enough. Thats certainly true in this case. I wish him well, but I'm glad he's gone.

 

[Glenn]

I wonder why Westphal's press release was said to have FO support when after he is fired it is said FO thought he overreacted. They talk out of both sides of their mouths.

 

[kennadog]

"Relieved of his duties" is an interesting statement. Is that a hint to other coaches to stay away? This coaching job is a trap!

Well, relieved of his duties is more accurate. He's on the payroll this whole season until his contract expires or the Maloofs buy him out.

I attended the last home game on Sunday. The Maloofs walked out partway through the 4th quarter. It was obvious they'd seen enough. I expected this "firing" ever since. Too bad the Cousins/Westphal spat intervened.

I have nothing personal against Westphal, but I'm glad he's not going to coach the Kings anymore. It was getting really depressing to see even veteran players looking completely lost on the court.

This move restores at least some of the hope I've lost since the beginning of the season. But you are now on the hot seat Coach Smart. I wish you success, because I want to see my team playing better this season.

Edit: How can I get a job where they'll pay me to stay away from the job?

 

[FaStRmAn]

The time had come for Westfail to go. He was a placeholder coach the day he was hired. He does not nurture and cultivate young talent. Our young players have either stagnated or regressed. The owners are partially at fault as well. When were they going to spend the money they have been saying for years they were gonna spend? They are still near the bottom of the list in the NBA. For salary cap. They are right at the salary cap floor. So the Maloofs lied. They haven't hired a good coach. And they are not making a good faith effort to improve the team. I sure hope the Kings improve enough to keep the team here.

 

[Dime Dropper]

Amick just tweeted:

Kings co-owner Joe Maloof tells SI that ownership had no knowledge that Paul Westphal would be making public statement about D. Cousins.

Not surprised that didn't sit well. What an idiot. No wonder we all thought it was so bizarre - he put the organisation in a very tough position there.

 

[Tetsujin]

Amick just tweeted:



Not surprised that didn't sit well. What an idiot. No wonder we all thought it was so bizarre - he put the organisation in a very tough position there.

LOL. What a mess.

 

[Dime Dropper]

And more:

Kings' Joe Maloof on Cousins letter:"It's our belief that you keep basketball situations in house & not make them public. That did upset me"

 

[eflat]

Amick just tweeted:



Not surprised that didn't sit well. What an idiot. No wonder we all thought it was so bizarre - he put the organisation in a very tough position there.

Really bad idea by PW...but did Petrie know? And approve?

 

[IfAt1st]

Last night, when Westphal's postgame comments started, I told my family immediately - "look at his face - he's been fired."

He knew last night, no doubt in my mind.

BTW - so did Cousins, before the game, with that tweet.

The only thing I am not sure about is - did the organization purposely have Westphal make that press release, so as to escalate things so they could change direction and wash their hands of the whole thing, while simultaneously calling DMC on his **** (that they're sick of)?

I'd be surprised if Westphal would fall on the sword that hard, but I'm not buying the official story - there is NO WAY IN HELL Westphal could make an official press release on Kings website without running it by Petrie and/or someone in the Maloofs direct line of communication.

 

[nickmcclure]

I stole this from the Hoopshype forums (StumptheSlob)

 

[Tetsujin]

I stole this from the Hoopshype forums (StumptheSlob)

Demarcus is astoundingly shiny in that third pic.

 

[nickmcclure]

Demarcus is astoundingly shiny in that third pic.

It's that "post-****ty-coach-firing" glow everyone's always talking about.

 

[Rookie]

Well, relieved of his duties is more accurate. He's on the payroll this whole season until his contract expires or the Maloofs buy him out.

I attended the last home game on Sunday. The Maloofs walked out partway through the 4th quarter. It was obvious they'd seen enough. I expected this "firing" ever since. Too bad the Cousins/Westphal spat intervened.

I have nothing personal against Westphal, but I'm glad he's not going to coach the Kings anymore. It was getting really depressing to see even veteran players looking completely lost on the court.

This move restores at least some of the hope I've lost since the beginning of the season. But you are now on the hot seat Coach Smart. I wish you success, because I want to see my team playing better this season.

Edit: How can I get a job where they'll pay me to stay away from the job?

I heard people want to replace a GM...maybe you can build on that.
Get your resume ready...just remember to hire me as your coach...we both get the stay away from job with pay!

 

[AleksandarN]

Oh Happy Days! ....... now lets hope Keith can turn things around.

 

[exGrizzly]

Horray!!

 

[gunks]

And to think, Westphal might have been able to keep his job if only he would have chest bumped Cousins

 

[Section 101]

- there is NO WAY IN HELL Westphal could make an official press release on Kings website without running it by Petrie and/or someone in the Maloofs direct line of communication.

Ya and the Governor's budget won't be posted 5 days earlier on their website. Oh wait !

Who knows what protocal they have for posting to the site. Westphal could have called up the webmaster himself.