Ex-Kings coach Malone: 'Everybody has their own theory' of who fired me

The Sacramento Kings organization has been nothing short of a disaster over the past few seasons, with eccentric owner Vivek Ranadive failing to tie down a cohesive management group since his arrival in 2013.

Three head coaches and two general managers have departed during Ranadive's short tenure, with current Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone among the list of recent firings.

After leading the Kings to a respectable 11-13 record during the 2014-15 season, Malone is still unclear on why he was let go.

"I've heard so many different takes on who fired me," Malone told Sam Amick of USA TODAY Sports. "Was it the owner? Was it the front office? Was it the (former) advisor to the president (Chris Mullin)? I don’t know. It’s kind of like the JFK assassination - everybody has their own theory. All I know is that I’m no longer the head coach of the Kings, I’m the head coach of the Nuggets, and I’m thrilled to be in Denver. I’ll always look back upon my time here really with fond memories."

A year-and-a-half later, Malone still appears bitter, noting that Ranadive never spoke to him during or after his dismissal.

"Again, thankful for the opportunity he gave me," Malone added. "The night I got fired, that Sunday night, Dec. 14, it was Pete D'Alessandro who fired me and I never saw Vivek and I never heard from Vivek. We never spoke."