Adelman Is Done in Sacramento

Rick Adelman was dismissed by the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday despite leading the club to eight consecutive playoff appearances as the most successful coach in franchise history.

Geoff Petrie, the Kings’ president of basketball operations, wouldn’t give any clear-cut reasons for the decision not to extend Adelman’s contract. But the coach’s firing mostly was motivated by clashing egos and the empty trophy case of owners Joe and Gavin Maloof, thought to be behind the move.

Sacramento was eliminated from the playoffs Friday by San Antonio after a 44-38 season.

“I came to the conclusion that continuing this way just wasn’t feasible,” said Petrie, who also hired Adelman -- his former roommate from their playing days -- when both worked in Portland. “The dynamic that needed to be there to help it move forward just wasn’t there.”

The Kings also declined to renew the contracts of assistants Elston Turner, T.R. Dunn, Bubba Burrage and Pete Carril.

The Maloofs were in Las Vegas and unavailable for immediate comment.

The brothers tentatively courted Phil Jackson last summer while Adelman still was under contract, angering Adelman. This spring, the brothers could be heard yelling advice at the Kings’ bench from their courtside seats when things went poorly on the court.

Adelman, 59, has the fourth-most victories among active NBA coaches with a 752-481 record in 16 seasons, the last eight in Sacramento, where he was 395-229. He was 34-35 in the postseason.

*

New Jersey forward Richard Jefferson is doubtful for today’s Game 2 of the Nets’ Eastern Conference semifinal series against Miami because of a bone bruise in his right ankle.

An MRI exam was negative -- as was an X-ray taken shortly after he was injured during the third quarter of New Jersey’s Game 1 victory Monday.

Lamond Murray would replace him.