Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest won't face animal cruelty charges for allegedly failing to feed his dog, the Placer County district attorney's office said Friday.

Deputy District Attorney Jeff Wilson said there was insufficient evidence to charge either Artest or his wife, Kimsha, with animal cruelty or neglect.

"The evidence reviewed included witness statements, photographs and multiple reports from veterinarians," Wilson said in a written statement.

As he was last season, former WNBA coach John Whisenant is a top candidate for the Sacramento Kings position.  

A league source said that San Antonio Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo is also a candidate for the position.

With the Sacramento Kings firing of head coach Eric Musselman last week, Pistons lead assistant Terry Porter may become a candidate to become his successor.

Porter said on Saturday that he would like another opportunity to be a head coach.

"Yeah, I want to get to that position again," said Porter, "but we're trying to win a championship. That's what my focus is on right now."

Porter, whose first stint as an NBA assistant was during the 2002-2003 season in Sacramento, was the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks from 2003-2005.

The Sacramento Kings today relieved Eric Musselman of his head coaching duties, it was announced by Kings' President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. The status of the assistant coaches is on hold until Petrie returns from Europe.

"I want to thank Eric for his energy and effort," said Petrie. "I wish him the best of luck in the future. There is no particular joy in making this decision. However, I feel it is in the best interest of everyone going forward."

Musselman, who compiled a 33-49 record this season with the Kings, spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies under Mike Fratello.

Numerous sources close to the Kings say that Eric Musselman's stint as head coach is over.

Geoff Petrie will be traveling to Europe on a two-week scouting trip by Sunday, and he said he wants to "address as much as I can as quickly as I can" in relation to the team.

But Petrie would neither confirm nor deny that Musselman is on his way out.

"My plans are pretty well set for the next two days," Petrie said. "I can't speculate beyond that, obviously. People seem to know what I'm thinking or what I'm going to do, then they ought to stand up and own up to it."

Sources say the decision is Petrie's to make and the Maloofs' to sign off on. Firing Musselman after just the first year of his three-year contract would cost them approximately $5 million.

Ron Artest and Elton Brand became quite chummy during their two seasons as teammates with the Bulls. So the Kings forward had decidedly mixed feelings after doing so much damage to the Clippers' playoff hopes.

Artest had a career-high 10 assists, leading the Kings to a 105-100 victory over the fading Clippers on Sunday.

"I always want to see my boy E.B. in the playoffs," Artest said. "I kind of wished we could have lost tonight so that they could have won, because I like to see Elton do well all the time."

Brand had 29 points and 14 rebounds for the Clippers, who lost for the 20th time in their past 23 meetings with Sacramento. They fell one game behind Golden State and the Lakers in the Western Conference by virtue of the Warriors' win over Minnesota.

Ron Artest's court hearing on misdemeanor domestic battery charges was postponed three weeks on Thursday.

The Kings forward did not attend the brief proceeding in Placer County Superior Court.

"Both sides continue to talk and pursue their independent investigations," Artest's attorney, William Portanova, said. The matter was continued to April 26.