Brendan Malone resigns as Kings assistant
Brendan Malone resigned as an assistant coach on his son's staff with the Sacramento Kings, the team announced Wednesday.
Michael Malone, starting his first year as the Kings' head coach, hired his father in late June after he accepted the position. Chris Jent will take over as the lead assistant.
"As a veteran of 27 seasons in the NBA coaching ranks, Brendan brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to our organization, and we were all fortunate to have had an opportunity to work with him," Kings general manager Pete D'Alessandro said. "His departure is not indicative of a loss of passion for the game or his desire to help our franchise succeed, but rather a decision based on factors associated with the rigors of coaching in the NBA."
Malone joined his son after five seasons with the Orlando Magic working for coach Stan Van Gundy. He also was the first coach of the Toronto Raptors and served as an assistant with the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.
"I'm thankful that I had my father on our staff during the summer and throughout training camp as I transitioned into a head coaching role," Michael Malone said. "He was my father long before we became colleagues, and while I'll miss his presence on the bench, he will always be an invaluable source of counsel on all matters basketball and otherwise."
The younger Malone was the lead assistant with the Golden State Warriors before accepting the Kings' job. He replaced Keith Smart, who was let go after less than two seasons on the job in Sacramento.
The Malones join Eric and Bill Musselman as the only father-son duos to hold head-coaching jobs in the NBA.
