Vlade Divac: Kings Coaches and Front-Office Should ‘Not Focus on Drama and Rumors’
Tension is mounting in Sacramento between Kings head coach Dave Joerger and his front-office.
General manager Vlade Divac issued a statement urging them to “not focus on drama and rumors” after Joerger reportedly asked assistant GM Brandon Williams not to attend a team shoot-around.
Sources, at @TheAthletic: As tension rises between Kings coach Dave Joerger and assistant GM Brandon Williams, a shoot-around scene this morning in Sacramento tells the tense tale. https://t.co/pC7NlRS4Q1
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) November 29, 2018
There’s apparently a disconnect between Joerger and Williams on how to make use of the Kings’ young nucleus.
Per The Athletic:
According to sources, Joerger on Thursday asked that Williams not be present for the team’s shoot-around in advance of the Kings’ home game against the Clippers. Williams, who had returned from an extended stretch of travel on Wednesday that had helped avoid these sorts of conflicts, subsequently left the shoot-around with Divac as a result of Joerger’s request. Joerger, the sources say, believes that Williams was the source of the Yahoo! story and is upset with the organization for not levying any discipline against Williams.
This is hardly the first time that a coach has taken this tack in response to frustration, and it won’t be the last. What’s more, a source with knowledge of Joerger’s thinking said the choice to ask Williams to leave shoot-around was a one-time-only move that was intended to send a message to his players about their team’s unity and the need to fight for yourself in this NBA business.
“I have advised my front office and coaching staff to not focus on drama and rumors, but instead to focus on continuing to develop our young and exciting team,” Divac said in the statement. “And that’s what we’re going to do.”
