Report: Kings Upset With Coach Dave Joerger Not Giving Younger Players More Minutes
The Kings front office is taking issue with how coach Dave Joerger is distributing minutes among the team's younger players like Marvin Bagley III, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports.
Sacramento brass were expecting the team to focus more on developing some of its younger players this season, but Joerger's win-now approach that has him playing more veterans could lead to his dismissal from the team.
Joerger is in his third season with the Kings and is under contract through 2019-20. Since the 2006-07 season, the Kings have had nine different coaches lead them for at least 20 games, counting Joerger. Paul Westphal (2009-2012) is the only coach besides Joerger during this stretch to coach at least two full seasons in Sacramento.
"Dave has our full support and confidence," general manager Vlade Divac said in a statement. "We continue to work together to develop our young core and compete."
In addition to Bagley, the Kings are also looking for Harry Giles (20th pick in 2017) and Skal Labissiere (28th pick in 2016) to also see more playing time. Among those three players, Bagley is the only one averaging at least 10 minutes a game entering Sunday. He is sixth on the team with 22.6 minutes per game and fifth in scoring at 11.9 points a contest.
The Kings are 8-8 entering Sunday. They have not finished above .500 since they last went to the playoffs in 2006, when they went 44-38 in Rick Adelman's eighth and final season as their coach.
