NBA notebook: Kings reportedly to hire Walton as head coach
Luke Walton and the Kings have agreed to a multi-year contract to make him Sacramento's next coach, The Athletic reported.
Walton met with Kings general manager Vlade Divac on Saturday, and The Athletic's Sam Amick reported the two had reached agreement on a deal that is expected to run through the 2022-23 season.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said an official announcement could come this weekend.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Walton, 39, parted ways on Friday. He compiled a 98-148 record in three seasons as the Lakers' head coach. Los Angeles missed the playoffs in all three campaigns.
--The Lakers, meanwhile, received permission to discuss their opening for head coach with Philadelphia 76ers assistant Monty Williams, ESPN reported, citing league sources.
The Lakers are focusing on Williams and former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue, and general manager Rob Pelinka plans to speak with each candidate in the near future, league sources told ESPN.
After spending the previous two years in the San Antonio Spurs' front office following the death of his wife Ingrid in 2016, Williams got back into coaching as Brett Brown's top assistant with the 76ers.
--The 76ers fined veteran center Amir Johnson an undisclosed amount for showing teammate Joel Embiid his cell phone on the bench late in a 111-102 loss to the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of their playoff series.
TV cameras caught Johnson on the bench in the fourth quarter, when the 76ers were 16 points down and he was scrolling through his phone. After showing Embiid something on his phone, Johnson put it into the pocket of his warm-ups.
"I apologize for having my phone on the bench in today's game," Johnson said in a statement released hours after the game by the 76ers. "I take full responsibility and will accept the consequences of my actions. I also apologize to my teammates, the 76ers organization and the fans for the distraction this has caused."
--Milwaukee Bucks forward Nikola Mirotic is expected to return from a thumb injury to play in Game 1 of the first-round series against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
Mirotic missed the final 11 games of the regular season after fracturing his left thumb during a March 19 game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Mirotic fully participated in Friday's practice and took part in Saturday's non-contact practice. He had his thumb taped during both workouts.
--The Washington Wizards announced they will not make a qualifying offer to free agent forward Devin Robinson after he was apparently arrested late Friday.
"We are aware of the incident this morning involving Devin and are disappointed in his actions. We will not extend a qualifying offer to him for the 2019-20 season," it read.
According to Washington Post reporter Candace Buckner, who covers the Wizards, Robinson was involved in an altercation with Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills at a nightclub.
--Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby could be sidelined until the Eastern Conference finals, should the team make it that far, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
Anunoby underwent an emergency appendectomy on Thursday.
The second-year player, who is a key reserve for the Raptors, scored 7.0 points per game this season with an average of 2.9 rebounds. He played in 67 games this season, starting six of them, a year after he started 62 games as a rookie from Indiana.
--Field Level Media
