The Sacramento Kings fired head coach Dave Joerger Thursday despite completing their best season in more than a decade.
The Kings haven’t been to the playoffs since 2006, but the 2018-19 season was the team’s best in 13 years. Sacramento finished the year 39-43, good enough for a ninth-place finish in the brutal Western Conference. But despite a good season with a young team, the Kings decided to change direction. (RELATED: Gregg Popovich Gets Ejected During Game Against The Kings)
Dave Joerger Relieved as Kings Head Coach » https://t.co/iokRgP0ysG pic.twitter.com/5IQkONT6YO
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) April 11, 2019
“After evaluating the season, I determined that we need to move in a different direction in order to take us to the next level,” Kings General Manager Vlade Divac said in a statement. “On behalf of the entire Kings organization, I want to thank Dave for his contributions to our team and I wish him all the best.”
With respect to Divac and the organization, this doesn’t make a lot of sense. The team appears to have a bright future centered around second-year guard De’Aron Fox and rookie forward Marvin Bagley. The players also appeared to like Joerger.
It could work out. It’s not like Joerger is Phil Jackson, but the organization is going to have a hard time finding somebody better.
This is a puzzling decision and probably the wrong one.