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Mike Malone fired by Sacramento Kings - ESPN
So the team loses their best player to injury, goes on a losing streak, then fires the coach. If Cousins was playing, they would have won at least half those games.
So the team loses their best player to injury, goes on a losing streak, then fires the coach. If Cousins was playing, they would have won at least half those games.
The Sacramento Kings have fired coach Mike Malone, sources told ESPN.com on Sunday night.
The Kings (11-13) got off to a surprising 5-1 start to the season, but have lost eight of their last 10 -- a swoon that has coincided with star DeMarcus Cousins' bout with viral meningitis.
With Cousins off to an impressive start and the team electing to sign Rudy Gay to a three-year extension, the Kings appeared to be headed in the right direction.
But the Kings "expected more," and there was "no incident" that led to Malone's ouster, one source told ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne.
Yahoo! Sports earlier reported news of Malone's dismissal.
Malone (39-67) was hired by Sacramento following the 2013 season.
Malone was the team's first head coach since Vivek Ranadive took over primary ownership of the franchise from the Maloof family.
Assistant coach Tyrone Corbin will serve as the team's interim head coach, sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
Corbin will be the team's seventh head coach since the franchise last made the postseason in the 2005-06 season.
The Kings next play Tuesday, when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are tied with Sacramento at 10th in the Western Conference.
The Kings (11-13) got off to a surprising 5-1 start to the season, but have lost eight of their last 10 -- a swoon that has coincided with star DeMarcus Cousins' bout with viral meningitis.
With Cousins off to an impressive start and the team electing to sign Rudy Gay to a three-year extension, the Kings appeared to be headed in the right direction.
But the Kings "expected more," and there was "no incident" that led to Malone's ouster, one source told ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne.
Yahoo! Sports earlier reported news of Malone's dismissal.
Malone (39-67) was hired by Sacramento following the 2013 season.
Malone was the team's first head coach since Vivek Ranadive took over primary ownership of the franchise from the Maloof family.
Assistant coach Tyrone Corbin will serve as the team's interim head coach, sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
Corbin will be the team's seventh head coach since the franchise last made the postseason in the 2005-06 season.
The Kings next play Tuesday, when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are tied with Sacramento at 10th in the Western Conference.