Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

Kings Management Says Cousins and Karl Are Staying

  •  Bob Moffitt 
Tuesday, June 23, 2015 | Sacramento, CA
Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

Kings majority owner Vivek Ranadive, left, and Vlade Divac, Vice President of Basketball Operations, address media rumors about player Demarcus Cousins and head coach George Karl during a press event at the arena construction site Tuesday.

Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

Sacramento Kings owner and management say rumors are false. Neither Head Coach George Karl nor All-Star Center Demarcus Cousins are on the way out.

An ESPN report says Karl is pushing management to  trade Cousins but Kings majority owner Vivek Ranadive won't agree.   

At an event Tuesday at the downtown arena site, Vlade Divac, Vice President of Basketball Operations, blamed the media for stirring things up. He said Karl and Cousins will remain with the team this year.

Divac has been preparing for this week's NBA draft.

"I know what I have to do is to improve our team and Demarcus is -- I've said 20 times -- is gonna be a part of it," says Divac. "Step-by-step. In two days we have a draft. We have to pick a good piece that will improve us."

After serving lunch to construction workers at the new downtown arena, Ranadive spoke to the media to dispel notions that he is meddling with the way coach George Karl runs the team on the court.

"You know, I'm mostly working with Vlade and he's a hall-of-fame coach and I expect we're gonna have a great season," he says.

That’s when Divac jumps in to answer basketball-related questions.

"I'll talk about it because I am more familiar with this stuff," he says, while making a point to say he is responsible for those decisions.

"So far, it's a lot of pressure on me," says Divac. "I'm in charge of making good decisions. I have intention to do that. So, let me do my job and we will see in a month or so."

Divac was hired in March even though the team already had a general manager, Pete D'Allesandro. D'Allesandro left the team June 10 to return to his former employer, the Denver Nuggets. 

The Nuggets then hired Michael Malone to be the team's head coach. Malone was fired as the Kings' coach in December.  D'Allesandro said at the time it was his decision. Ranadive told Capital Public Radio that former adviser Chris Mullin had first brought up the idea of firing Malone and that Ranadive agreed.

Mullin left the Kings last month to become head basketball coach at St. Johns University.

The Kings began last year with a winning record, but went into a tailspin when Cousins contracted meningitis and missed 10 games. Malone was fired December 14 after the team lost two of the first nine games it played without Cousins. 

Karl was hired in February after the squad lost three-quarters of its games under interim-head-coach Ty Corbin. 

Karl had previously worked in Denver when D'Allesandro was an assistant general manager with the Nuggets.

Karl told reporters Tuesday the ESPN report is wrong.

"I think it's all a lot of crazy, crazy fibs and lies," he says. "You know it's a just a situation where you know we won 29 games last year. And as a basketball organization we want to get better. Cousins is our best player. We know that. We want him committed and dedicated to being in Sacramento and playing and leading us to the first playoffs for the first time in Sacramento in six, seven, eight, nine years."

The Kings have the sixth pick in Thursday's draft.

Divac has said he is open to a trade -- not involving Cousins -- before then.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

 kings

Bob Moffitt

Former Sacramento Region Reporter

Bob reported on all things northern California and Nevada. His coverage of police technology, local athletes, and the environment has won a regional Associated Press and several Edward R. Murrow awards.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

State Justice Department hasn’t probed — or even logged — all police shootings of possibly unarmed people

January 27, 2023

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Here's what we know about the Monterey Park shooting victims

January 25, 2023

Many Americans don't know basic abortion facts. Test your knowledge

January 27, 2023

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

North Davis store becomes first Peet's Coffee in the country to form a union

Q&A: Speaker Anthony Rendon on a budget deficit, gun bills and handing over the gavel

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

California announces plan to convert 3 office buildings in downtown Sacramento into housing

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

North Davis store becomes first Peet's Coffee in the country to form a union

Q&A: Speaker Anthony Rendon on a budget deficit, gun bills and handing over the gavel

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.