http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/kings/2013/05/30/sacramento-kings-hire-mike-malone-coach/2374529/

Sacramento Kings hire Mike Malone as coach

 Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports10:07 p.m. EDT May 30, 2013

The Sacramento Kings have agreed with Mike Malone in principle on a deal to make him their next head coach.

According to a person with knowledge of the deal, the Golden State Warriors assistant will receive a three-year contract with a fourth-year team option. If all four years are fulfilled, the deal is worth more than $9 million. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition on anonymity because the deal has not been announced.

After the Kings were sold from the Maloof family to a group headed by software magnate Vivek Ranadive recently, Kings coach Keith Smart was informed that he would not be retained.

GET OUT, SMART: Kings cut ties with coach

Ranadive was a minority owner of the Warriors before deciding to buy the Kings, and he targeted Malone from the outset as the preferred coach of his new team. Ranadive is currently in the process of finding a general manager to replace longtime Kings executive Geoff Petrie.

Malone, the son of longtime NBA coach Brendan Malone, was previously an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Hornets.