Chris Mullin Is Reluctant To Step In Mid-Season As Sacramento Kings Head Coach

The Sacramento Kings are sending out feelers to former Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers Chris Mullin to the take the coaching job recently vacated by Mike Malone. The Hall of Famer is reportedly flip-flopping on the offer and is reluctant to take the head mentoring job midway through the 2014-2015 NBA season.

Sources: Chris Mullin won't coach Kings this yr. IF he coaches them, it would be at start of next season. Corbin likely 2 remain all season

— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) December 16, 2014

Malone was fired by the Kings Monday over differences in styles among other things. The new management of Vivek Ranadive wanted a more up-tempo style of basketball that would generate a lot of offense and excitement. The owner even suggesting the implementation of a 4on 5 defence wherein a player lags behind to cherry pick on offense. The Kings have not confirmed the story but the conflict also includes personnel decision particularly the off-season negotiations to acquire Detroit Pistons starting power forward Josh Smith. Malone did not want any part of the mercurial forward and it was just fortunate that the Kings management relented on sending out picks and young talent in exchange for the versatile player.

Meanwhile, Mullin is reportedly the choice of Ranadive and General manager Pete D'Allesandro per ESPN. The former general manager of the Warriors also serves in some capacity as an advisor to the team particularly during draft night selections and player movements. The new ownership is looking to elevate him to a permanent coaching position yet the former marksman is finding it hard to squeeze in mid-season bereft of training camp and perceivably the pressure to produce right away and implement a new system without the right roster to supplement it.

Due to this, it is expected within NBA circles that interim coach Tyrone Corbin will remain as the mentor for the rest season. The former Utah Jazz head is chancing upon his second head coaching gig first with the firing of Utah legend Jerry Sloan and now the Kings' dismissal of Malone.

As @Chris_Broussard noted, I'm told Tyrone Corbin would have to fall on his face to not make it to end of season w/ Kings. Karl not in plans

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) December 16, 2014