Sports

Sacramento Kings fire coach Dave Joerger 3 losing seasons

14 of April 2019

AP Photo, Vivek Ranadive, De'Aaron Fox, Vlade Divac,In this photo taken Sunday April 7, 2019, Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, left, Kings guard De'Aaron Fox, center, and General Manger Vlade Divac, right, talk before the Kings play the New Orleans Pelicans in an NBA basketball game, in Sacramento, Calif. The Kings announced that they have extended the contract of Divac through the 2022-23 season, Thursday, April 11, 2019. Divac, who played six seasons with the Kings, was recently named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame, and will be inducted in September as a member of the Class of 2019. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Sacramento Kings have fired coach Dave Joerger after three losing seasons.

The team announced the decision Thursday, one day after finishing its 13th straight losing season — the NBA’s longest active playoff drought.

General manager Vlade Divac said in a statement the organization needs to “move in a different direction” to reach the playoffs. The dismissal came on the same day the Kings extended Divac’s contract through the 2022-23 season.

Joerger had a 98-148 record in three seasons. The Kings went 39-43 this year, their best record since their last playoff season in 2005-06.

They have several talented young players in guards De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield, forward Marvin Bagley III and center Willie Cauley-Stein.