Head coach Mike Brown’s tenure in Sac-Town has reportedly come to an end.
Per senior NBA insider Shams Charania, the Sacramento Kings have fired Brown after two-and-a-half seasons and with just 29 games into the 2024-25 NBA calendar.
Just In: The Sacramento Kings are parting ways with head coach Mike Brown, sources told ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 27, 2024
Furthermore, long-time assistant Doug Christie will take over head coaching duties on an interim basis for the squad per multiple reports.
Per Kings broadcast announcer Matt George, the decision came right after Brown held a full team practice and even spoke to the media afterwards and before the Kings got on board to fly to Los Angeles and play the LA Lakers tomorrow.
The Sacramento Kings just fired Mike Brown right before the team boarded a flight to LA. He just ran a full practice and spent 15 minutes talking to the media.
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) December 27, 2024
Just bad man. Bad bad bad.
Prior to his firing, Brown was asked about the struggles of the Kings this season, saying: “When you’re going through adversity, you know who’s truly there for you.”
I just asked Mike Brown about the pressure mounting on him and how he weathers the storm as head coaches are always to blame for losses. This was his response prior to being fired by the Kings moments later. https://t.co/BrOXIOLSmu
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) December 27, 2024
Sacramento is one of the underperforming teams this season despite adding veteran scorer DeMar DeRozan in the offseason to a roster featuring De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Keegan Murray.
The Kings are currently in the middle of a five-game losing skid and lost 12 of their last 17 games. At 13-18, Sacramento is at 12th spot in the loaded West and are three games out West Play-in territory.
Brown was hired in May 2022 and went on to become the first unanimous winner of the Coach of the Year award after leading the Kings to their first-ever playoff appearance in 16 years.
Sacramento finished as the no. 3 seed before losing to the Warriors in seven games in the West opening round.
Last season, the Kings failed to return to the playoffs after losing to the New Orleans Pelicans in the second and final stage of the Play-in Tournament.
Brown’s firing brought shockwaves and disappointment throughout the league, particularly from his peers.
“The firing of Mike Brown today was just shocking to me and I’m sure all the people in our profession,” said Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who is also the longtime president of the National Basketball Coaches Association.
“I had the privilege of working with Mike when I was in Indiana coaching the first time. I view him as one of the standard bearers for integrity for our profession,’ Carlisle added.
“The firing of Mike Brown today was just shocking to me… I view him as one of the standard bearers for integrity for our profession, and I'm just just absolutely shocked.”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 27, 2024
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle on the Kings firing Mike Brown 👀
(via @danield1214)
Nuggets head coach Mike Malone did not hold back on learning the news, calling the Kings' decision to fire Brown was done with “no class.”
“When they win, it’s going to go to (Domantas) Sabonis and (De’Aaron) Fox. When you lose, it’s going to go to Mike Brown. That’s the way it works,” Malone told reporters.
Incidentally, Malone served as the Kings’ head coach for just one season before his dismissal in 2014.
Michael Malone blasts the Kings for firing Mike Brown: "No balls. No class."
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) December 28, 2024
Malone says Brown was fired over the phone on his way to the airport for the Kings' next game.
"I'm not surprised that Mike Brown got fired, because I got fired by the same person."
Four–time champion coach Steve Kerr also expressed disappointment in Brown — his former assistant with the Golden State Warriors— getting handed the pink slip despite his success with the franchise.
“When you think about where that franchise was before Mike got there, where they’ve been the last couple years, the job he and his staff have done, it’s shocking,” Kerr admitted.
Steve Kerr said he talked to Mike Brown today after the Kings let him go: “When you think about where that franchise was before Mike got there, where they’ve been the last couple years, the job he and his staff have done, it’s shocking.”
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 28, 2024
