Evidently no job in the NBA is safe, as 2x Coach of the Year, Mike Brown, just got fired by the Sacramento Kings.
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Certainly this comes as a surprise, since it was just in June that Brown recently signed a three-year ($30 million) extension through 2027 with the Kings. And now fast forward six months later, he has been let go subsequently following the team losing five games in a row (13-18 record, 12th seed in the West).
In view of their last game, the Kings were up 113-110 vs. the Pistons with three seconds left, but still somehow lost in regulation.
This came as a result of De'Aaron Fox fouling Jaden Ivey on a three-point attempt, which led to a game-winning four-point play being converted.
🚨 JADEN IVEY WINS THE GAME ON A FOUR-POINT PLAY 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xzm5p9eKoQ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 27, 2024
That is to say, in hindsight this play may have single-handedly ended Brown's tenure in Sacramento.
"Tough loss," Brown said in Thursday night's postgame. "At worst should have gone into overtime, at worst. Because there shouldn't have been a close out to any three-point shooter."
Mike Brown got himself fired after he threw De’Aaron Fox under the bus after the loss last night. pic.twitter.com/FJOZPko6DL
— Mink Flow (@currypistonn) December 27, 2024
And after this unfortunate late-game ending, just like that, the 54-year-old coach was fired the next day.
Undoubtedly, this move caught many off guard, as Brown after all is the one who helped snap the franchise's 16-season playoff drought (2006-2023), which was actually a U.S. sports record at the time.
Reportedly, Brown was notified of the news when he was on the way to the airport on Friday, as he just finished holding a practice, in addition to speaking to the media ahead of the Kings' upcoming matchup vs. the Lakers (per Kings reporter Matt George).
Overall, Brown had a 107-88 record since taking over the Kings head coaching position in 2022, the same season in which he became the first unanimous Coach of the Year in NBA history.
Mike Brown was doomed to be fired as soon as he won COTY pic.twitter.com/mNBGkzrHVA
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) December 27, 2024
Remarkably, in the last seven seasons, excluding the most recent year, all of the previous Coach of the Year award recipients have been fired (except Tom Thibadeau- 2020-21).
2022-23: Kings' Mike Brown (fired); 2021-22: Suns' Monty Williams (fired); 2019-20: Raptors' Nick Nurse (fired); 2018-19: Bucks' Mike Budenholzer (fired); 2017-18: Raptors' Dwane Casey (fired immediately); 2016-17: Rockets' Mike D'Antoni (fired).
Brown's former assistant coach on the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mike Malone (2005-10), defended his counterpart by mentioning that he was also fired by team owner Vivek Ranadive in December 2014, after coaching the Kings for two seasons.
"I'm not surprised that Mike Brown got fired, because I got fired by the same person," Denver Nuggets head coach Malone stated Friday evening.
Mike Malone:
“When you win, it's Fox and Sabonis, when you lose, it's on Mike Brown. That’s how it works… I’m not surprised he was fired because I was fired by the same person.”
(via @DNVR_Nuggets, h/t @HarrisonWind)pic.twitter.com/MlVGzXNJVA
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 28, 2024
Malone concluded his statement by saying, "No balls. No class."
Michael Malone put the Kings on blast for firing Mike Brown today, while he was on his way to the airport for the team’s next game against the Lakers.
Michael Malone coached the Kings in the 2013-2014 season and then fired during the team's 2014-15 campaign. 😧 pic.twitter.com/PzpqLwaKXM
— theScore (@theScore) December 28, 2024
With this in mind, Brown has now become the sixth coach to hold that job in Sacramento since Malone was let go a decade ago.
Here is Michael Malone's full comment on the Sacramento Kings' firing of Mike Brown.
Malone said he was shocked at first, then realized he shouldn't be, "because who he works for. So I'm not surprised that Mike Brown got fired, because I got fired by the same person." pic.twitter.com/DtE5Sf9QLl
— Bennett Durando (@BennettDurando) December 28, 2024
Over the course of Brown's NBA coaching career, he has a 455-304 regular-season record (.599), making the playoffs in seven of his nine full seasons.
To point out, when Brown took over as head coach of the Cavaliers in 2005, he was the second-youngest head coach ever (35). And he ended up leading Cleveland to their first Finals appearance (2007) in franchise history.
Not to mention, he also won four championships as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs (2003) and Golden State Warriors (2017, 2018, 2022), alongside Steve Kerr.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr on Mike Brown’s firing pic.twitter.com/rKOYKl4GgT
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 28, 2024
"We all kind of know this is the nature of the business, but it just seems so shocking when a guy is unanimous Coach of the Year, a year and a half ago," Kerr said. "And when you think about where that franchise was before Mike got there, and where they been the last couple years, the job that he and his staff have done... It's really shocking."
Mike Brown's stint in Sacramento:
- Hired by the Kings in 2022
- Snapped Kings 16-year playoff drought in first season
- Became the first-ever unanimous Coach of the Year in 2023
- Signed a multi-year extension in June 2024
- Fired after a 13-18 start pic.twitter.com/XFYPo7UylE— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) December 28, 2024
Brooklyn Nets head coach, Jordi Fernandez, who got his start coaching with Brown in Cleveland and Sacramento, reiterated Kerr's and Malone's comments, when responding to the firing.
"A year and a half ago he's Coach of the Year and now this situation happens."
Jordi Fernandez on the Kings firing Mike Brown: “He’s very good at what he does. In my opinion, one of the best. I wouldn’t be here without him. It’s sad news. I don’t like it. It’s part of the business. A year and a half ago he’s Coach of the Year and now this situation happens” pic.twitter.com/KQEGb1SZcz
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) December 27, 2024
Even former Kings star player Mike Bibby weighed in after seeing the news, however, he was not as stunned as the others.
Instant reaction from Mike Bibby on the firing of Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown. pic.twitter.com/rVtI8aeGBR
— Straight Game Podcast (@straightgamepod) December 27, 2024
"Something had to give," Bibby said. "It's tough, but the coach is always the first one to go. It's a player's league, the coach is the first one to go. Hopefully this will open things up for Sacramento. It's a really tight race in the West, there's still a chance, there's still a lot of games."
The Kings will attempt to break their five-game skid and get back on track with interim head coach Doug Christie now leading the team.
Notably, Christie has been an assistant coach for the Kings (2021-2024) and previously played for the franchise (2000-2005).
Doug Christie is expected to be the Sacramento Kings’ interim head coach, sources tell ESPN. Christie has been an assistant with the Kings since 2021-22 and played in Sacramento for five of his 15 NBA seasons. pic.twitter.com/FukvFNTHRN
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 27, 2024
Related: The Sacramento Kings And The Case For Patience During An NBA Rebuild
