LAS VEGAS - I spoke with Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie a while ago about the today's interview with Paul Westphal and wanted to share before running off to the airport.
PETRIE
"(The interview with Westphal) was good. He was impressive. I thought he had a really good working knowledge of our team as it currently exists. We went through a lot of important things, style of play on both ends of the court and he talked about his development as a coach. He had a close involvement with the renaissance of the (Phoenix) Suns in the early 90s and a long-term involvement with Phoenix. He's an impressive guy."
On whether Westphal's absence from a head coaching spot in recent years (he last coached Seattle in 2000 before coaching at Pepperdine for five seasons, then becoming a Dallas assistant under Avery Johnson and later the Mavericks' vice president of basketball operations).
"He was on the bench with Avery Johnson down in Dallas, he broadcast games for both the Lakers and the Clippers. He hasn't been detached from the game, and I don't think you forget about coaching when you've been involved with basketball - anyone who has been involved with basketball as long as he has."
On what's next
"We're going to talk some more, (Kings co-owners) Joe (Maloof) and Gavin (Maloof) and I, and at some point we'll decide what direction we're going to go, whatever that is. It's still open-ended I'd say at this point. We're going to talk some more and decide where we're going to go from there."
On whether he had much of a prior relationship with Westphal...
"I haven't had any personal experiences (with him), other than that I competed against him and at a distance, as a player to some extent."
Gotta go... - Sam Amick
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