Alvin Gentry agrees to join Kings as associate head coach

The Kings have reached agreement with former Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry to make Gentry an associate head coach on Luke Walton’s staff, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets.

The Sixers were interested in adding Gentry to Doc Rivers’ staff in the same role, Stein adds. Walton and Gentry worked together on Steve Kerr’s staff with the Warriors.

Sacramento’s interest in Gentry was revealed last week. He was Buddy Hield‘s first head coach. Hield’s four-year extension begins next season and he reportedly wasn’t returning Walton’s phone calls.

Gentry was fired in mid-August after the Pelicans played poorly during the restart and failed to make the playoffs. Gentry spent five seasons as the head coach in New Orleans, compiling a 175-225 (.438) record and making the playoffs just once. He’s also been a head coach with the Clippers, Pistons and Suns.

Sacramento had an opening after former Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov left Walton’s staff in July to become the head coach of EuroLeague team Fenerbahce.