The Sacramento Kings gave Keith Smart the honor of representing the team at the NBA Draft Lottery, but it shouldn’t be read as an endorsement. Smart is not considered likely to be retained by the Sacramento Kings’ new ownership group, and his appearance at Tuesday night’s proceedings might be his final as the face of the organization.
2013 NBA Draft Lottery may be Keith Smart’s final appearance for Kings
Keith Smart will smile and wave for the Sacramento Kings Tuesday night at the NBA Draft Lottery, but that doesn’t mean his days aren’t numbered as the team’s head coach.
USA TODAY Sports
Considering everything about the Kings down to the very location of the franchise was up for grabs through last week, basketball operations were allowed to take somewhat of a backseat. But now that Vivek Ranadive and his group are the owners of a team staying home in Sactown, they can turn their attention to the on-court product. Team president Geoff Petrie is likely soon to be fired, and the man who replaces him will likely opt to replace Smart, as Victor Contreras of the Sacramento Bee writes.
As Sactown Royalty wrote as the team’s season wound down, the front office changes were to be expected regardless of where the team ended up. Smart’s coaching style began to chafe with pretty much all of his players, so it’s not particularly surprising.
Smart’s career hit its high mark when he sunk the game-winning basket in the 1987 NCAA Tournament for Indiana. A brief NBA career led to a long one overseas and in the minor leagues. He’s never had much of an opportunity to succeed as an NBA coach: three of his four seasons began as the interim coach for a squad that was already struggling, and this, his fourth, saw the Kings struggle to a 28-54 record, below his lifetime .354 winning percentage.
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