AC

Only a dramatic and unexpected collapse in the final stage of negotiations can prevent George Karl from becoming the next coach of the Sacramento Kings, according to league sources. Although the Kings have yet to formally announce a done deal with Karl, sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday that the organization is already operating under the premise that Karl will take over the team after the All-Star break. The parties, sources said, were still working Tuesday on the finer deal points of an expected four-year contract that will formally establish Karl, an ESPN analyst, as Tyrone Corbin's successor and Sacramento's third coach of the season starting next week. The sides are said to be still finalizing contract terms, such as the total worth of the financial package and whether the last year of the proposed four-year deal will be a team option or fully guaranteed. But sources said the delay in publicly confirming Karl as the Kings' new coach is at least partly due to the...