December 28th 2024.
The recent firing of Mike Brown by the Sacramento Kings has caused quite a stir in the basketball world. Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who himself was fired by the Kings almost a decade ago, was quick to voice his frustration and disappointment with the way things were handled. He revealed that Brown was informed of his termination via phone call, right after he had finished a team practice and was on his way to catch a flight to Los Angeles. Malone was livid about the lack of respect and class shown to Brown, especially after the team had just suffered their fifth consecutive loss the night before.
Malone was no stranger to the Kings' tumultuous coaching history, having been let go in 2014 after just 24 games into his second season with the team. Since then, the Kings have gone through six head coaches, including interim ones. Brown, however, had the most success among them, even winning the prestigious NBA Coach of the Year award in 2022-23. He was instrumental in leading the Kings to break a 16-year playoff drought and secure the third seed in the Western Conference that season. However, the team regressed in his second year and eventually lost in the play-in tournament.
As of Friday, the Kings were struggling with a 13-18 record when Brown was let go. The team's loss to the Pistons the previous night, where they gave up a four-point play in the final seconds, seemed to be the final straw for management. Brown had signed a three-year contract extension just a few months prior, but it seems that was not enough to save his job.
Malone couldn't hide his disappointment and anger at the situation, calling it "awful." He explained that he only found out about Brown's firing during a meeting with his coaching staff, as he is not very active on social media and is often unaware of what's going on outside of the team. He also shared his personal experience of being fired by the same person who now let go of Brown.
As an NBA head coach, Malone understands that ultimately, the blame falls on the coach when things go wrong on the court. He also knows the pressure that comes with working for the Kings' owner, software tycoon Vivek Ranadive, as he himself was a victim of it. The news of Brown's firing did not come as a surprise to Malone, but it still left him feeling shocked and dismayed.
In the end, this incident serves as a reminder of the ever-changing and cutthroat nature of the NBA. As for Malone and the Nuggets, they will continue to focus on their own team and strive for success in the league.
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