There is a lot of tension between the Sacramento Kings and George Karl, which is nothing new. The team reportedly was weighing firing the coach back in February. But one reason why they may be balking at firing him and instead be trying to get Karl to resign is money.
Sandy Clough, a Denver radio host at 104.3 The Fan, said on the Colorado Sports Guys Podcast that when Karl was in town with the Kings to face the Nuggets, the two of them talked. Karl apparently told Clough that the Kings tried to get him to resign multiple times.
“Once this year here in Denver when they were in town a few weeks ago was enough, although (the conversation) didn’t center on Boogie Cousins, it centered on Sacramento’s obvious attempt – attempts, plural — to get George to resign so they don’t have to pay him the $10 million they owe him on the remainder of his contract … which everybody knows including George, more than anybody else, that’s exactly what’s going on. And actually his relationship with Cousins, at least at that point, was probably better than his relationship with any other element or person within the organization,” Clough said.
Everyone knows how bad the relationship between Karl and DeMarcus Cousins is, so for Clough to say Karl’s relationship with the team was worse is pretty significant.
Karl reportedly has $6.5 million guaranteed on his contract for after the season. If the Kings decide to let him go, they would owe him $5 million for next season and $1.5 million to buy out the final year of Karl’s deal. If he were to resign, they would have relief on the money owed to him.
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