The Sacramento Kings may have resorted back to old franchise habits on Friday when they decided to relieve head coach Mike Brown of his duties amid their five-game losing streak that was punctuated by a heartbreaking defeat to the Detroit Pistons courtesy of a game-winning and-one triple from Jaden Ivey. Brown most recently won the NBA’s Coach of the Year award in 2023 after helping lead the Kings back to the playoffs — their first trip to the postseason in 17 years.
Alas, in a business where results dictate everything, there was bound to be someone scapegoated for the Kings’ struggles as of late — and that person ended up being Brown. And Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who had Brown in his coaching staff from 2016 to 2022, echoed the sentiment nearly everyone has in the aftermath of this shocking firing.
“Very disappointed to hear the news. Mike is a good friend, a good coach. It just seems so shocking when a guy is unanimous coach of the year a year and a half ago. 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 really shocking,” Kerr said, via Anthony Slater of The Athletic…