Not too way back, the Sacramento Kings hosted actual NBA playoff video games for the primary time in practically twenty years in entrance of a sold-out crowd inside Golden 1 Middle. Between the cowbells creating deafening noise and “Gentle the Beam” chants raining down from the rafters, Mike Brown rejuvenated a complete fanbase and made it enjoyable to be a fan of the Kings as soon as extra. After back-to-back seasons of successful 48 and 46 video games, respectively, the 2022-23 NBA Coach of the 12 months was fired by the group as a result of crew’s sluggish 13-18 begin to the 2024-25 season.
The choice made by the Kings to let go of their head coach despatched shockwaves all through the NBA, as gamers, coaches, and brokers had been all shocked, as Brown was a well-respected coach in and out of doors of Sacramento. A five-game dropping streak ensuing within the Kings falling beneath .500 was definitely a motive to be involved, and there was discuss adjustments being made to the Kings. Nonetheless, firing Brown, who had been nothing however profitable since becoming a member of the franchise in 2022, was an unprecedented transfer that his colleagues have not taken flippantly.
“[I’m surprised] for 2 causes,” Malone began when requested for his ideas on Brown being fired. “One, as a result of as an NBA head coach, finally you are going to get the blame. After they win, it may go to [Domantas] Sabonis and [De’Aaron] Fox. Whenever you lose, it is gonna go to Mike Brown. That is the best way it really works. And two, who he works for. So I am not stunned that Mike Brown received fired, as a result of I received fired by the identical particular person. And what actually pissed me off about it was that they misplaced final evening, fifth recreation in a row, I consider. Robust loss, fouling a jump-shooter.
“They’ve follow this morning, he does his postgame media, and he is in his automotive going to the airport to fly to L.A. They usually name him on the cellphone. No class. No balls. That is what I am going to say about that.”
Earlier than being employed by the Nuggets in 2015 and main them to a championship in 2023, Malone was the top coach of the Kings for the whole thing of the 2013-14 season earlier than being let go after simply 24 video games into the 2014-15 season.
Malone wasn’t the one coach to voice his frustrations with the Kings’ judgment, as Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, and Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez, who was an assistant underneath Brown earlier than becoming a member of the Nets earlier than the 2024-25 season, all made comparable remarks claiming that the Kings had been within the fallacious.
One NBA agent who represents numerous gamers throughout the league saved his response transient when requested about Brown being fired, stating, “Effectively, they discovered their scapegoat, so what’s subsequent? I imply, what even went fallacious for this crew to hurry this resolution?”
Earlier than heading to the airport to catch their flight to Los Angeles on Friday, Dec. 27, Brown and the Kings went by a full follow the place the crew’s morale wasn’t any completely different than it usually is, league sources instructed ClutchPoints. This was the day after Sacramento had misplaced 114-113 at dwelling to the Detroit Pistons in a recreation they led by three factors with simply three seconds left. It was De’Aaron Fox who fouled Pistons guard Jaden Ivey as he made a three-point try, sinking the Kings’ hopes of pulling off a much-needed win.
Brown made it some extent to carry Fox accountable for fouling the shooter late within the recreation, and he was essential of his crew, however that’s to be anticipated given the character of this loss and the frustrations of the crew boiling over. What Brown and the gamers did not know is that common supervisor Monte McNair and his entrance workplace had been behind the scenes making ready for the final word change — Brown’s departure.
A call to fireside Mike Brown
There was no crew assembly held after this follow Friday afternoon, and as soon as follow concluded, everybody started packing up their issues to go over to the airport, Brown included. After his press convention with native media, the place Brown claimed that the crew was studying and therapeutic from their errors, the Kings’ head coach obtained a cellphone name from McNair, sources stated, the place he was knowledgeable that he had coached his final recreation on the sidelines for the group he gave his all to over the past couple of seasons. Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic had been the primary to report the cellphone name Brown obtained.
Maybe an important piece of details about Brown’s dismissal is that not one of the gamers knew of this resolution made by McNair, assistant common supervisor Wes Wilcox, proprietor Vivek Ranadive, and some others holding vital roles excessive up within the group. These saved out of the loop embrace Fox, sources stated, who had seen his relationship with Brown shift for the reason that head coach’s first yr in Sacramento.
Whereas belief and respect nonetheless existed between the 2, many across the league started to query small conversations between the coach and his star level guard, in addition to choices made by Brown to publicly pinpoint errors that Fox made in video games throughout his press conferences. When Wealthy Paul of Klutch Sports activities, Fox’s company, met with Kings’ officers a couple of week previous to Brown being fired, there have been discussions about how the top coach was approaching issues with Fox, sources instructed ClutchPoints. Nevertheless, there was no push from Fox, nor his company, to maneuver on from Brown.
Fox has since made it clear on social media that he held no half in Brown’s departure from Sacramento, stating, “There was by no means any pushback about something. This narrative of us butting heads or me going to administration saying something is bulls**t. So you possibly can run with that if you wish to.”
This resolution to fireside Brown got here to fruition between McNair, Wilcox, and another members of the Kings’ entrance workplace earlier than they approached Ranadive about the necessity to make a change on the sidelines. As a result of place McNair and Ranadive had put this crew in to win proper now, significantly after signing six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan within the offseason, administration and possession had been on the identical web page.
A degree of discomfort from increased up within the group had fashioned with Brown’s decision-making and incapacity, of their eyes, to make vital adjustments amid their dropping technique to start the season, sources stated. After all, it isn’t out of the realm of prospects to consider {that a} disconnect nonetheless existed between Brown and the Kings’ mind belief after a spot introduced itself throughout contract negotiations this previous summer time. Finally, the Kings gave their head coach a three-year extension regardless of McNair’s hesitance to take action.
Between mistrust rising bigger and the crew failing to fulfill expectations on account of repetitive errors made for the reason that begin of the 2024-25 season, a call to fireside Brown was given the inexperienced gentle that Friday following the crew’s gut-wrenching loss to the Pistons. How this example was dealt with is just a matter of opinion, as Brown was saved at the hours of darkness and finally blindsided by the Kings’ resolution.
Even with all of the success he dropped at Sacramento and after being the primary coach within the crew’s historical past to be named the NBA’s Coach of the 12 months, Brown was let go in a bothersome technique to many across the league.
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It was merely a cellphone name thanking him for his dedication and that he was now not with the group. Now, simply over 5 weeks till the NBA commerce deadline, main questions exist for the Kings, beginning with Fox’s long-term future.
Kings’ future with De’Aaron Fox
Doug Christie, one of many Kings’ lead assistants who was elevated to interim head coach within the wake of Brown being fired, is now the fifth completely different coach Fox has performed for in his eighth season with the group. A number of change has transpired for the reason that Kings chosen Fox fifth general within the 2017 NBA Draft, and his greatest years got here with Brown on the sidelines. One would suppose the Kings would’ve consulted with their star participant earlier than making this variation, but the 27-year-old held no position on this resolution, sources stated.
Apart from a training change in the midst of the season holding heavy weight, Fox’s future in Sacramento has been a key speaking level in league circles. Even with out factoring in Brown being fired and the Kings failing to fulfill expectations with three All-Stars on their roster, Fox had turned down an extension supply from the Kings this previous offseason in hopes of receiving a supermax deal in 2025.
A call to show down an extension supply in Sacramento raised some eyebrows over the summer time, and plenty of started to query if this was an indication of the Kings’ relationship starting to fracture with their star guard. This would not be the primary occasion of such a factor occurring in Sacramento, as beloved huge man DeMarcus Cousins additionally had a falling out with the group. Humorous sufficient, Cousins and Fox had been each drafted fifth general by the Kings out of the College of Kentucky.
Presently, Fox is concentrated on the 2024-25 season and discovering a technique to get his crew out of the mud. There have been no indications that the star is searching for a commerce earlier than the Feb. 6 commerce deadline, sources stated, and the identical may be stated of the Kings, as they maintain zero curiosity in seeing Fox go away. Guaranteeing Fox that he’s the face of the franchise and the participant they intend on constructing round for the foreseeable future is McNair and Ranadive’s essential precedence, and they’re going to do what is required to assist him and the crew win.
This is the reason many across the NBA anticipate the Kings to be aggressive of their pursuit of expertise earlier than the commerce deadline, presumably leveraging Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, 2024 first-round choose Devin Carter, and draft property to positively change the roster. The Kings have all the time saved Keegan Murray out of commerce discussions by the years, and it will be a shock if the crew seemed to commerce Sixth Man of the 12 months candidate Malik Monk given his robust relationship with Fox relationship again to their days in faculty collectively.
It’s anticipated that Fox will stay with the Kings by the rest of the 2024-25 season earlier than being given the chance to share his ideas on the path of the franchise with the entrance workplace and possession. These conversations shall be of significance, primarily with Fox solely having another yr left on his contract and doubtlessly being eligible for that supermax contract extension he’s wanting.
Whereas it’s nicely too early to forecast a departure from Sacramento for Fox, numerous scouts and front-office executives are already planning to organize for a doable state of affairs. Ought to issues proceed to crumble in Sacramento this season and the crew fails to make the playoffs, Fox searching for a commerce within the ultimate yr of his contract, particularly if administration is not keen to fulfill his extension expectations, will change into the most important headline throughout the offseason.
The Houston, Texas, native has a number of suitors lined up able to put collectively commerce affords for him if he had been to go away Sacramento. Together with the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs being prime locations for him, Fox would additionally draw curiosity from the Miami Warmth and the Los Angeles Lakers, sources stated. Three different groups price mentioning for differing causes embrace the Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic, and Golden State Warriors.
Though the Nets are rebuilding, they’ll enter the 2025 offseason with vital cap area. It’s no secret to anybody across the league that Sean Marks and his entrance workplace shall be aggressive in pursuing star-level expertise to carry to Brooklyn. With Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic are a pretty vacation spot as a younger, rising crew within the Jap Convention. Then there are the Warriors, who’re bitter in-division rivals of the Kings.
It’s a lengthy shot to think about Fox being traded to the Warriors, however his reference to Stephen Curry and Underneath Armour’s Curry Model is price noting. Fox signed with Curry Model in 2023 and not too long ago launched his first signature shoe. The 2 All-Star guards have a robust relationship with each other off the court docket of their enterprise ventures, which might lead to Curry finally handing the keys to Golden State over to his model’s signature athlete. Once more, that is one thing to consider if Fox ultimately leaves Sacramento.
By firing Brown, the Kings have put themselves on the clock. Time is ticking to make choices to raised their quick future. McNair, Wilcox, and Ranadive are able to take the Kings in a brand new path, one they hope shall be crammed with success and led by Fox.