Even when the Jazz ousted Tyrone Corbin as their head coach in April, it was clear he still had a place in the NBA – if he wanted one.
Corbin had served for years under Jerry Sloan in Utah. Though he wasn’t cut out to be a head coach, at least not right now, Corbin had acquitted himself well as an assistant.
He’ll continue his career in that role.
Malone, to his credit, targeted a lead assistant who previously served as a head coach. In his first year as a head coach, Malone steered the team to just a 28-54 record. He could use the guidance.
Corbin lands a new job with a team he twice played for, though neither stint lasted longer than a season.
Malone-Corbin isn’t necessarily a winning ticket – at least not in a division that features Alvin Gentry and Ron Adams (Warriors) and whomever Doc Rivers hires for the Clippers as assistants and the quickly impressive Jeff Hornacek head-coaching the Suns. But the Kings’ coaching duo should have Sacramento better-prepared than last season.
The Kings definitely have a head-start on the coach-less Lakers.