About years after the Sacramento Kings fired then-head coach Mike Brown, things are getting chippy again. Brown’s son, Elijah Brown, has publicly criticized Domantas Sabonis following a report that the Kings center was unhappy playing alongside rookie Darius Acuff Jr.
Elijah brought up Sabonis’ previous partnership with De’Aaron Fox under his father, questioning why the veteran would reportedly have an issue with another ball-dominant guard.
“mf u had it great wit MB and Fox high usage and #’s we had u looking like an All-NBA,” Elijah wrote in response to a post by NBA New York on X, formerly Twitter. “U made sure he got fired, now u not happy again?? Hahahahhah, ok Domas”
Mike Brown's son Elijah to Domantas Sabonis: "mf u had it great wit MB…U made sure he got fired, now u not happy again?? Hahahahhah" pic.twitter.com/6266oVBlWD
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 2, 2026
Earlier, Heavy’s Sean Deveney reported that Sabonis was not enthusiastic about playing alongside Acuff because of the rookie’s ball-dominant style. Deveney also suggested Sacramento could explore trading the center during the season or next summer.
Sabonis and Fox formed the foundation of Sacramento’s offense under Mike Brown. The partnership helped the Kings finish 48-34 in the 2022-23 season and end their 16-year playoff drought. Brown was fired in December 2024 during his third season with the team.
Elijah later defended his comments after they gained attention online.
Article Continues Below“Lmaoo the repost is unnecessary 😅 I’m just a son who got his pops back and if this statement was true from Domas it’s just funny. Bc he had it great…and wasn’t happy. Let me tweet in peace tho smh,” he wrote.
However, a Kings source offered a different account of the situation. According to a source cited by Locked On Kings, there was no beef reported between Sabonis and Acuff Jr.
Sacramento's 0-6 start has added pressure to the situation. Sabonis is averaging 16 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists while shooting 70.4% from the field. Acuff, meanwhile, is averaging 26.3 points and 6.3 assists through six games.