Westphal out as head coach for Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings have relieved head coach Paul Westphal of duties, beginning with tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie announced Westphal was being relieved of his duties in a press release on the team’s website Thursday morning, also naming assistant coach Keith Smart as the new head coach for tonight’s game.
Petrie thanked Westphal for his efforts in the release. “Unfortunately, the overall performance level of the team has not approached what we felt was reasonable to expect,” he said.
Westphal’s record in two-plus seasons as Kings coach was 51-120, with no playoff appearances. The team, 2-5 so far this season, drew attention earlier this week when second-year player DeMarcus Cousins demanded to be traded and Westphal sent Cousins home from a game, citing his attitude.
Smart was the coach last season for the Golden State Warriors, where he had a record of 36-46 and the team did not make the playoffs. Smart joined the Kings as an assistant coach before this season after the Warriors hired Mark Jackson as head coach.
