Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty ImagesMark Jackson, the former Golden State Warriors head coach, is one of the hottest head coaching candidates in this year's hiring cycle, and he is already on the short list for at least one job.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium says that Jackson is a finalist for the open position of the Sacramento Kings. The general manager of the Kings has begun notifying candidates if they will get an in-person interview.
Warriors assistant Mike Brown and Brooklyn Nets consultant Steve Clifford have been named as finalist for the job.
Jackson spent time as the Warriors' head coach from 2011-12 to 2013-14. The 57-year-old went 121-109 in three seasons behind the bench and led Golden State to the playoffs in two of them.
The Warriors lost to the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, ending their playoff run. The sides had a fading relationship at the time and tension began to build when the franchise didn't offer him a significant contract extension.
Jackson will return to the NBA for the 2022-23 season. Jackson has drawn interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets and the Kings, as well as the Kings, according to analyst Jordan Shultz.
The head coach of the Nigerian national team at the Olympics in Beijing, Brown has spent the last six seasons as an assistant under Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.
He was the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-06 to 2009-10, leading the team to an Eastern Conference title. He returned to coaching after taking a year off, and was the head coach of the Lakers from 2011-12 to 2012-13.
The Lakers fired Brown just five games into the 2012 season, but he was rehired as the head coach of the Cavaliers for the 2013-14 season. He has been an assistant ever since he was fired after Cleveland went 33-49 that season.
From 2000-01 to 2012-13, he was an assistant coach for the Lakers, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and the Magic. He was the head coach of the Hornets for five seasons, going 196-214 and making the playoffs only once.
The 60-year-old was the head coach of the Magic from the year 2020 to the year 21. The Magic were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round in each of the three seasons he was at the helm.
After the Magic failed to reach the playoffs during the 2020-21 season, he was fired and hasn't coached since.
The Kings parted ways with their head coach in November after a poor start. The team finished 12th in the Western Conference with a 30 52 record and missed the playoffs for the 16th straight season, despite being named interim head coach.
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