Over the next three seasons, however, the team's performance regressed, and McKinney was fired after the Pacers posted the league's worst record in the 1983–84 season. He was soon hired as the head coach the Kansas City Kings, but resigned from the position on November 18, 1984, after the team started with a 1–8 record in the 1984-85 season. He left coaching for good afterwards, citing ongoing issues with his memory, plus no longer feeling passionate about the profession.[21]