Maloof Talks New Coach, New Arena

KingKong

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Written for the web by Jason Kobely, Internet News Producer

Despite a head coaching vacancy and ongoing struggles to build a new arena, Sacramento Kings owner Gavin Maloof is optimistic about landing the right coach for his team as well as securing a new home within the next two years.

In an exclusive one-on-one interview with News10's Bryan May, Maloof said the search is progressing to find a replacement for departing head coach Rick Adelman.

"We've come up with a list of candidates that we're going to look at and pursue and we'll choose the best one," Maloof said.

As for what he, his brother Joe and team president Geoff Petrie are looking for, Maloof said communication and victories top the list of criteria. "Someone who can communicate with the family, communicate with Geoff Petrie, someone that's a winner, obviously," Maloof said. "Someone that's intelligent, someone that works hard, that loves basketball, someone that's capable of winning it all. That's the type of person we're going to look for."

"Geoff is contacting all the potential candidates, and we'll bring them in and sit down and go through the interview process," Maloof said. "We'll take a couple, three hours, whatever it takes to get to know the person, let them know us. I'm sure there will be questions back and forth. This is my first time interviewing for a head coaching position so we're all kind of new at this, but we'll make our way through."

League rules prohibit Maloof from discussing perhaps the most high-profile name associated with the coaching search: embattled New York Knicks head coach Larry Brown. "Larry Brown's under contract to the Knicks at this point and so that's where we have to leave it," Maloof said. "We really can't talk to him."

Maloof offered no timetable for a exactly when a coach could be put in place, but acknowledged that the clock is ticking. "We don't have a specific date, but we'd want to do it sooner than later," Maloof said. "We've got summer camp coming up in Las Vegas and we're going to have a lot of players there. Hopefully, we can do something before than, but there's really no specific date."

Maloof expressed surprise at the public backlash against the organization over the handling of Adelman's departure earlier this month. Adelman told reporters last week that he had wanted to stay with the team and felt he should have recieved an opportunity building off the late-season surge that pushed them into the playoffs.

"I am a little surprised, to be honest. I don't think (the backlash) was warranted," Maloof said. "(Adelman) was good for the franchise, but we were good for him, too. We'll just leave it at that. There are no hard feelings there. I wish him well and I know he'll do well with another franchise. That's the way it is."

On the topic of a new arena, Maloof said recent discussions with the city and county were progressing and he feels the Kings could get a downtown arena plan completed within the next two years.

"I'm cautiously optimistic," Maloof said. "We've been down this road before, but we didn't have the same leadership that we have now. This is a whole different situation, everybody's pitching in, everybody wants to help. We want to get this arena issue resolved."

Earlier this month, the Maloofs enlisted former state Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg to help negotiate with the city over details of any possible arena financing.

"Darrell is a terrific facilitator. He's very intelligent, very well respected in the community. We couldn't have found a better person for the job to take the arena and run with it," Maloof said. "We're having talks now with the city and county. There's a will to get this done. Before, there wasn't a will and now, we have leadership there that wants to work on the arena subject. So it's very positive."

http://www.news10.net/storyfull2.aspx?storyid=17656
 
A couple of things stood out for me:

Maloof offered no timetable for a exactly when a coach could be put in place, but acknowledged that the clock is ticking. "We don't have a specific date, but we'd want to do it sooner than later," Maloof said. "We've got summer camp coming up in Las Vegas and we're going to have a lot of players there. Hopefully, we can do something before than, but there's really no specific date."

and...

On the topic of a new arena, Maloof said recent discussions with the city and county were progressing and he feels the Kings could get a downtown arena plan completed within the next two years.

"I'm cautiously optimistic," Maloof said. "We've been down this road before, but we didn't have the same leadership that we have now. This is a whole different situation, everybody's pitching in, everybody wants to help. We want to get this arena issue resolved."

Two reasons to look forward with at least a little optimism.

Thanks for posting, KingKong.

:)
 
VF21 said:
A couple of things stood out for me:



and...



Two reasons to look forward with at least a little optimism.

Thanks for posting, KingKong.

:)

No, problem.

I'll give you two more reasons:

Kevin Martin and Cisco Garcia:)
 
"I am a little surprised, to be honest. I don't think (the backlash) was warranted," Maloof said. "(Adelman) was good for the franchise, but we were good for him, too. We'll just leave it at that. There are no hard feelings there. I wish him well and I know he'll do well with another franchise. That's the way it is."



That proves there was some animosity!
 
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