THIS article, written by Marty MacNeal, long-time beat writer for the Kings, seems to indicate it was, in fact, a mutual decision to select Theus.
http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/233996.html
Marty Mac's World: Rolling dice on Theus as safe a bet as any other
By Martin McNeal - Bee Columnist
Published 6:48 am PDT Thursday, June 21, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C2
Kings co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof have spent much of their lives literally and figuratively rolling the dice in Las Vegas.
Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie is considerably more conservative, although given the opportunity for high reward, has been known to take a chance.
Enter Reggie Theus, who was introduced Wednesday as the Kings' new coach.
Yes, the Maloofs and Petrie have sidled up to the table and taken the dice into their hands by turning over their squad to a man who has never coached an NBA game as an assistant, much less run the show on his own.
However, whether they had decided to hire a proven winner such as Larry Brown, a former head coach without a great deal of coaching experience such as Kurt Rambis or the NBA coaching neophyte Theus, the decision would have been a gamble.
No one knows how a coaching hire will unfold. Who, including myself, believed Brown's one-year stint with the New York Knicks would have evolved into a 23-59 season and the vitriol that followed?
Consider many of the 16 playoff coaches this season and how they were viewed before they got their first NBA head-coaching position.
San Antonio's Gregg Popovich had been a longtime assistant under Don Nelson, but no one projected him to become a future Hall of Fame coach. Dallas' Avery Johnson also came out of the Nelson camp, but before he was knighted as the Mavericks' coach to follow Nelson -- currently Golden State's coach -- Johnson merely was a smart little ballplayer who had overcome the odds to help lead the Spurs to their first NBA title.
Toronto's Sam Mitchell, New Jersey's Lawrence Frank, Cleveland's Mike Brown, Washington's Eddie Jordan and Houston's former head coach, Jeff Van Gundy, were surprise hires, respectively, yet have turned out to be relative successes. No one could have predicted Utah's Jerry Sloan would still hold the job he has had since 1988. Or that Chicago's Scott Skiles, along with Theus and Charlotte's recently hired Sam Vincent, would be coaches after being members of Orlando'"s expansion team of 1989-90.
Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, Denver's George Karl and Detroit's Flip Saunders each had success coaching in the Continental Basketball Association, but no one could have predicted they would be NBA coaching mainstays.
So when Joe Maloof walked out of the news conference Wednesday afternoon at Arco Arena, he said of Theus: "Why not give him a chance?"
The same thought had come to my mind when it recently came to light that Kings assistant Scott Brooks, Lakers assistant Brian Shaw and Theus were still in the mix. Sacramento is starting anew and likely will begin the 2007-08 season with a remodeled roster.
There would be little sense in bringing in a coach who will have one foot already out the door with a young team. I've never spent much time around Theus, but what comes through brightly is his confidence, communication ability and intelligence.
Theus' confidence has been and will be viewed as egotistical, but that's not unusual. There's always that thin line, and often it depends upon who is doing the judging and how they feel about the person.
The bottom line for Theus' chances of success might rest more in the hands, thoughts, creativity and guts of the Maloofs and Petrie -- more than any maneuver Theus makes as a new coach or the experienced coach he hopes to become.
Theus has said he will add an experienced coach to his staff, and the name Pete Carril immediately comes to mind. Petrie said Carril had hip replacement surgery a few days ago, so his health will be a factor if Theus looks his way.
However, Theus couldn't get off to a better start if he can add this Hall of Famer to his coaching staff.
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/233996.html
Marty Mac's World: Rolling dice on Theus as safe a bet as any other
By Martin McNeal - Bee Columnist
Published 6:48 am PDT Thursday, June 21, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C2
Kings co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof have spent much of their lives literally and figuratively rolling the dice in Las Vegas.
Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie is considerably more conservative, although given the opportunity for high reward, has been known to take a chance.
Enter Reggie Theus, who was introduced Wednesday as the Kings' new coach.
Yes, the Maloofs and Petrie have sidled up to the table and taken the dice into their hands by turning over their squad to a man who has never coached an NBA game as an assistant, much less run the show on his own.
However, whether they had decided to hire a proven winner such as Larry Brown, a former head coach without a great deal of coaching experience such as Kurt Rambis or the NBA coaching neophyte Theus, the decision would have been a gamble.
No one knows how a coaching hire will unfold. Who, including myself, believed Brown's one-year stint with the New York Knicks would have evolved into a 23-59 season and the vitriol that followed?
Consider many of the 16 playoff coaches this season and how they were viewed before they got their first NBA head-coaching position.
San Antonio's Gregg Popovich had been a longtime assistant under Don Nelson, but no one projected him to become a future Hall of Fame coach. Dallas' Avery Johnson also came out of the Nelson camp, but before he was knighted as the Mavericks' coach to follow Nelson -- currently Golden State's coach -- Johnson merely was a smart little ballplayer who had overcome the odds to help lead the Spurs to their first NBA title.
Toronto's Sam Mitchell, New Jersey's Lawrence Frank, Cleveland's Mike Brown, Washington's Eddie Jordan and Houston's former head coach, Jeff Van Gundy, were surprise hires, respectively, yet have turned out to be relative successes. No one could have predicted Utah's Jerry Sloan would still hold the job he has had since 1988. Or that Chicago's Scott Skiles, along with Theus and Charlotte's recently hired Sam Vincent, would be coaches after being members of Orlando'"s expansion team of 1989-90.
Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, Denver's George Karl and Detroit's Flip Saunders each had success coaching in the Continental Basketball Association, but no one could have predicted they would be NBA coaching mainstays.
So when Joe Maloof walked out of the news conference Wednesday afternoon at Arco Arena, he said of Theus: "Why not give him a chance?"
The same thought had come to my mind when it recently came to light that Kings assistant Scott Brooks, Lakers assistant Brian Shaw and Theus were still in the mix. Sacramento is starting anew and likely will begin the 2007-08 season with a remodeled roster.
There would be little sense in bringing in a coach who will have one foot already out the door with a young team. I've never spent much time around Theus, but what comes through brightly is his confidence, communication ability and intelligence.
Theus' confidence has been and will be viewed as egotistical, but that's not unusual. There's always that thin line, and often it depends upon who is doing the judging and how they feel about the person.
The bottom line for Theus' chances of success might rest more in the hands, thoughts, creativity and guts of the Maloofs and Petrie -- more than any maneuver Theus makes as a new coach or the experienced coach he hopes to become.
Theus has said he will add an experienced coach to his staff, and the name Pete Carril immediately comes to mind. Petrie said Carril had hip replacement surgery a few days ago, so his health will be a factor if Theus looks his way.
However, Theus couldn't get off to a better start if he can add this Hall of Famer to his coaching staff.
About the writer: The Bee's Martin McNeal can be reached at mmcneal@sacbee.com.
