Kings sign Petrie to 3-year contract extension
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Geoff Petrie will get another chance to turn the Sacramento Kings from a struggling franchise into a championship contender.
Petrie signed a three-year contract extension Tuesday to remain the team’s president of basketball operations. Petrie’s contract was set to expire after this season.
Petrie arrived in Sacramento in 1994 and built a team that won at least 50 games in five straight seasons, contending for the Western Conference title each year. The Kings struggled in recent years and finished with the worst record in the league a year ago.
But Petrie picked Tyreke Evans as part of a stellar draft class last June and hired Paul Westphal as coach. The team is off to a surprising 14-16 start, only three wins shy of last season’s total.
The Kings went to the playoffs nine times since Petrie’s arrival, making it all the way to the seventh game of the Western Conference finals in 2002 before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers. But the team has dealt with hard times since winning at least 50 games every season from 2000-01 to 2004-05. The Kings won only 17 games last season, the worst mark in franchise history.
Despite getting only the fourth pick in the draft, Petrie managed to make the picks that have helped fuel the turnaround. Evans is an early favorite for rookie of the year, averaging 20.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists.
Petrie used the 23rd overall pick on Omri Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the NBA. Casspi’s adjustment has been rapid as he is averaging 11.8 points and 4.2 rebounds. Second-round pick Jon Brockman has provided great energy by averaging 4.1 rebounds despite playing only 10.8 minutes per game.
No comment on Bulls’ coach
CHICAGO — Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Forman says he won’t discuss reports that coach Vinny Del Negro’s job is in jeopardy or go into detail about internal evaluations of staff, players or coaches. Forman made his comments Tuesday night, two days after an ESPN report said the Bulls had decided to eventually fire Del Negro, who is in his second season.
Rockets trying to trade McGrady
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets acknowledge they are trying to trade Tracy McGrady, after the two-time scoring champion’s representatives asked the team to deal him. General manager Daryl Morey says the two sides have had “multiple conversations” and that the Rockets “have agreed to look into trade opportunities and have granted him an indefinite leave from team activities.” McGrady was unhappy with his playing time in six games since returning from offseason knee surgery and left the team before two road games over the weekend.
Suns trade Tucker to Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves have acquired forward Alando Tucker, a second-round draft pick and cash from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for backup point guard Jason Hart. The Suns then waived Hart. In two-plus years with Phoenix, Tucker played in 47 games including 11 this season in which he averaged 3.9 points in 6.5 minutes.
Associated Press
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