Kings introduce George Karl as head coach

It's a new day in the River City. Again.

The Sacramento Kings introduced George Karl as their new head coach on Tuesday, an announcement that has been months in the making. Karl agreed to a four-year deal worth a reported $14.5 million last week, making him the Kings' third coach of the season as he takes over for Ty Corbin, who had been the interim replacement for Mike Malone.

The Kings understandably did a lot of tire-pumping for Karl, who is the sixth-winningest coach in league history with a 1,131-756 record and won the NBA Coach of the Year award in his most recent season.

It wasn't all puppy dogs and rainbows during the press conference, as Karl was pretty straightforward about the work that needs to be done to build the Kings into a contender. That's a challenge Karl said he's looking forward to, but one he said he's already warned players will take a lot more time in the gym than they may be used to at this time of year.

Karl also seems to have his finger on the pulse when it comes to the franchise's rabid fanbase, rightfully paying them some lip service.

He also appears to recognize where his bread could be buttered on the court, speaking glowingly about franchise center DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins has clashed with coaches in the past and was demonstrably upset when Malone was removed, though he's been complimentary of Karl since his name surfaced in rumors. Karl repaid the kind words Tuesday.

"I'm excited to work with DeMarcus. He's one of the most talented big men I've ever coached in my life," Karl said, later calling Cousins the team's best passer. He also said Cousins has the talent of Shawn Kemp and the personality of Gary Payton, two Karl charges from his Seattle SuperSonics days.

With the Kings out of the Western Conference playoff race, the final two months of the season become about finding pieces that fit in Karl's system and experimenting with the players in house. Karl won't be making changes to his coaching staff until after the season, but the organization may be more aggressive in trying to upgrade the roster before the summer.