Calipari to Sac...

[UAdevil]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-bas ... ari-to-sac" target="_blank


Report: Kings owner intent on luring Kentucky's John Calipari to Sac

This John Calipari-Sacramento Kings thing just isn't going to die. Even with the Kings having played better, going 2-1 since their team meeting to try and defuse the tension, rumors continue to fly that George Karl could be fired any second, and of course, the name that owner Vivek Ranadive continues to chase is Kentucky coach John Calipari.

This time the report comes from Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher, transcription via PBT:

The belief still is it's a matter of when, not if, Karl will be removed as the head coach. If that should happen during this season, the short-term answers are, according to owner Vivek Ranadivé – or sources say – he would like to move Nancy Lieberman into the head-coaching position, making a big splash by having the first female head coach in NBA history. Vlade Divac, the GM is more inclined to fill with Corliss Williamson for the remainder of the season.

But Ranadivé's biggest dream is to have Kentucky coach John Calipari come out and coach this roster full of Kentucky players.

The belief is that Ranadive plans to make an offer that Calipari simply cannot refuse.

Source: Report: Kings owner plans to make big offer to John Calipari | ProBasketballTalk.

Now, the Kings have been linked to Calipari several times over the past year, and of course nothing has happened, but there are actual legs to this thing. Most of the Calipari stuff is quite honestly nonsense, as I have to write every single year. But Ranadivé genuinely wants him on board. You can't look at their acquisition of so many Kentucky players, all that smoke, and not think it's serious.

You want an outside-the-box example? Rapper Drake was a guest of the ownership group at the game two weeks ago where the Kings exploded afterwards in that locker room meeting. Drake's also known to be tight with Calipari. But then, it's Drake. He has a lot of friends. So does Calipari. But it would be incorrect to say no one looked at Drake's appearance and raised an eyebrow.

But the same problem exists. Even if Vivek wants Calipari "badly," it has to be a two-way street. Why would Calipari leave Kentucky, where's he's basically Xerxes, in order to go to a team that has fired seven coaches in nine years, and Karl would make eight? There's also been a strong pushback from local media through team sources to the idea that the Kings will fire Karl, with DeMarcus Cousins reportedly asking the team not to. Does this sound like the sort of situation that Calipari would want to jump into?

Dubious. I am dubious of this.

Meanwhile, if they do fire Karl, then the idea of promoting Nancy Lieberman is sure to make headlines also. Ranadivé has been very interested in being on the progressive end of basketball operations, signing the first India-born player, approving a plan to "crowdsource" the draft, and of course, the infamous "4-on-5" idea. Ranadivé wants to be a trendsetter. Hiring the first female professional men's basketball coach would give him a big PR boost. Lieberman, it should be noted, is as respected in the NBA and basketball world as anyone of any gender. She's a Hall of Famer. This wouldn't be as much of a jump as it would seem based on the trendsetting.

Corliss Williamson is also listed there, and that's a pretty good option under the radar. Williamson, a former player, has been around forever, and would bring a toughness that the team would likely respond to. It should be noted that Divac has hired former teammates Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson. This would be the fourth member of those early 2000s Kings teams to be hired under Divac.

Oh, hey, look at that, George Karl is still coach of the Sacramento Kings.

This is awkward.

[JMarkJohns]

Why in the hell would Cal go to Sacramento? Even if the Kings me to Seattle, that's still not a good move.

[CatMG]

Did Cal do enough in his stint in the NBA to warrant as much money as it would take to lure him away from Kentucky?

[rgdeuce]

Calipari is homies with Lebron (and was thought to be a guy who would cement his return to cleveland) and turned down 10 million a season to coach the cavs. I understand there are other factors in why he and some other coaches shunned Cleveland, but you turn down all that to coach Sacramento? Lol

Being the head coach at Kentucky is pretty damn close to the NBA right now. He has total control and there is no salary cap to worry about. He brings in pretty much whoever he wants. Hes paid out his ass and has it made there.

Lmfao @ nancy lieberman

[TucsonClip]

Cal isnt going to tie what would be his final chance in the NBA to Vivek Ranadivé.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Why in the hell would Cal go to Sacramento? Even if the Kings me to Seattle, that's still not a good move.

I believe that Sacto is interested in Cal. That's all that's legit, though. Calipari has/had many better options if he wants to leave.

http://www.sportsgrid.com/nba/the-7-dum ... de-so-far/" target="_blank

4 on 5 really is the funniest idea an NBA owner has had in a while. I mean, it worked in peewee ball.

[SCCats]

Lots of little funny/interesting things in this article.

John Calipari is once again being courted to the NBA.

After the Brooklyn Nets demoted GM Billy King and fired head coach Lionel Hollins, they're reaching for Calipari to help captain a new era.

According to Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski, nabbing Calipari will come at a cost — a ten-year, $120 million contract.

Calipari had previously been linked to the Sacramento Kings when they were weighing bringing Calipari aboard. According to Wojnarowski, Calipari told the Kings it would take an offer of at least $11 million per year to make him consider leaving Kentucky, where he makes between $8 million and $9 million per season.

Wojnarowski notes that Calipari wants to be paid like Phil Jackson, the Knicks president who signed a five-year, $60 million deal in 2014. His selling point will be as a recruiter to the numerous Kentucky players, namely DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall, who will become free agents when the Nets have cap space.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/john-cali ... 29318.html" target="_blank

[rgdeuce]

Better pay him more than that.

[TucsonClip]

Cal isnt going to the Nets. Who the hell is he going to coach there?

[Beachcat97]

Cal isnt going to the Nets. Who the hell is he going to coach there?

UK is a better job than just about anything the NBA can offer, until some franchise decides to make him GM/coach and pay him 10 mil per year. Could happen. NBA teams are desperate for change and progress, and rolling the dice with Calipari would probably boost fan interest.

[UAEebs86]

Plus Kentucky has no salary cap.

[TucsonClip]

Cal isnt going to the Nets. Who the hell is he going to coach there?

UK is a better job than just about anything the NBA can offer, until some franchise decides to make him GM/coach and pay him 10 mil per year. Could happen. NBA teams are desperate for change and progress, and rolling the dice with Calipari would probably boost fan interest.

Calipari isnt coaching a barren team in the NBA. I've said it for years, his next stint in the NBA would be coaching LeBron. While that seems more and more unlikely, coaching Wall and/or Durant does not.

[Beachcat97]

Cal isnt going to the Nets. Who the hell is he going to coach there?

UK is a better job than just about anything the NBA can offer, until some franchise decides to make him GM/coach and pay him 10 mil per year. Could happen. NBA teams are desperate for change and progress, and rolling the dice with Calipari would probably boost fan interest.

Calipari isnt coaching a barren team in the NBA. I've said it for years, his next stint in the NBA would be coaching LeBron. While that seems more and more unlikely, coaching Wall and/or Durant does not.

If some owner gave Cal 10 mil/year and the keys to the franchise, I think he'd have a hard time turning that down, regardless of how bad a team it was.

[TucsonClip]

Cal isnt going to the Nets. Who the hell is he going to coach there?

UK is a better job than just about anything the NBA can offer, until some franchise decides to make him GM/coach and pay him 10 mil per year. Could happen. NBA teams are desperate for change and progress, and rolling the dice with Calipari would probably boost fan interest.

Calipari isnt coaching a barren team in the NBA. I've said it for years, his next stint in the NBA would be coaching LeBron. While that seems more and more unlikely, coaching Wall and/or Durant does not.

If some owner gave Cal 10 mil/year and the keys to the franchise, I think he'd have a hard time turning that down, regardless of how bad a team it was.

I dont. The Nets dont have their own first until 2019, have one of the worst rosters in the east and aren't signing a premier free agent. Calipari isnt going to the NBA again unless he is in a position to succeed. The Nets and Kings are not franchises worthy of risking your last shot in the NBA.