Kings agree with George Karl to coach team

The Sacramento Kings have agreed to terms with George Karl to make him their head coach, a person with knowledge of the situation told Paste BN Sports.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the agreement has not yet been announced. The deal runs through the 2017-18 season, with Karl set to earn approximately $15 million in all. Only $1.5 million of the $5 million he would be paid in the final year of the deal is guaranteed.

And so begins the Kings' era that so many thought was going to start two months ago.

When the Kings made the decision to fire coach Michael Malone in mid-December, their public reasoning had everything to do with style of play and a strong desire to inject life into their team's lackluster offense.

Owner Vivek Ranadive, general manager Pete D'Alessandro and advisor Chris Mullin were widely known to want a team that not only wins but that was entertaining to watch – two qualities that so many of Karl's teams have possessed in the past as he worked his way up the all-time coaching ranks (he's sixth in wins with a 1,131-756 mark).

What's more, his extensive ties from his Denver Nuggets days to influential members of the organization – from D'Alessandro to Mullin to assistant general manager Mike Bratz to director of player personnel Dean Oliver and others – seemed to make Karl the perfect fit.

Yet no such move was made, as former lead assistant coach Tyrone Corbin was promoted to the top spot and the team that had been one of the NBA's early-season surprises quickly lost its way.

Yet Karl now enters as a lifeline of sorts for this organization with the furious fanbase, as their cries for Karl's hiring grew louder with every loss and his arrival is surely seen as a rousing success.