A typical Kings move: Firing of Mike Brown brings more questions than answers about the direction of the franchise

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Every now and again the Sacramento Kings do something that reminds you exactly who they are, with the firing of Mike Brown being the latest example.

On it’s face a 13-18 record this season is underwhelming, punctuated by their stunning fourth-quarter collapse to the surging Detroit Pistons on Thursday night. De’Aaron Fox was caught snoozing on the decisive possession in leaving Jaden Ivey open for a 3-pointer when that was the only thing that could hurt them … wait, fouling Ivey would make it worse.

And that’s exactly what Fox did, creating the improbable four-point play that completed the Pistons’ comeback.

As implausible as that finish was, it was even more unthinkable the Kings would apparently fire Brown on his way to the airport in the afternoon, as opposed to doing it during normal business hours.

But then again, it’s the Sacramento Kings, the franchise that actually fired Michael Malone a decade ago, right around this time of year. The same Michael Malone who’s become a championship-winning head coach in Denver, and one of the most stable head coaches in this itchy NBA.

“No class. No balls,” Malone said when hearing the news about Brown, a direct shot at Kings owner Ranadivé.

It was a few short months ago the Kings gave Brown a three-year extension in the neighborhood of $25 million, which is generally seen as an endorsement from the front office and ownership — and losing 12 of 17 games shouldn’t be enough to move a stable franchise off that square.

Mike Brown was the NBA Coach of the Year for the 2022-23 season. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Squares are sometimes Bermuda Triangles in that part of California, apparently. Brown took a franchise that has been rudderless for the better part of its NBA existence and gave it an identity, earning Coach of the Year honors two seasons ago in getting the Kings to the third seed in the wild, wild West.

The Kings added veteran DeMar DeRozan, one of the league’s most clutch players, to Fox, who won the award in 2023. That would seem like a recipe for the Kings to immediately become one of the league’s best late-game teams.

But it wasn’t the…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/a-typical-kings-move-firing-of-mike-brown-brings-more-questions-than-answers-about-the-direction-of-the-franchise-025840487.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-12-28 02:58:00

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