While the Denver Nuggets have their own pressing matters to focus on, head coach Michael Malone took a moment on Friday to share his thoughts on the surprising firing of Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown. Despite his own team’s concerns, Malone couldn’t resist commenting on the situation involving one of his peers in the NBA.
The Kings, reeling from a five-game losing streak, dismissed Mike Brown after a rocky start to the season. Brown took over a Kings team in 2022 that had not seen a winning record or playoff appearance in 15 years. He quickly turned things around, leading them to a 48-win season and their first playoff berth in over a decade, earning Coach of the Year honors. However, after a solid 46-34 record last season, the Kings couldn’t break out of the play-in tournament in a highly competitive Western Conference. Despite high hopes for this year with the signing of DeMar DeRozan, the Kings found themselves at 13-18, prompting the decision to part ways with Brown.
Malone, who was also let go by the Kings in 2014 under similar circumstances, didn’t mince words when discussing Brown’s firing. During a pre-game interview before the Nuggets’ match against the Cavaliers, Malone sharply criticized the Kings’ handling of the situation, especially how they let Brown go.
“I’m not surprised Mike Brown got fired because I got fired by the same person,” Malone remarked. “What really bothered me was how they did it. After their fifth straight loss, Brown had finished his postgame duties and was heading to the airport when they called him to let him go. That’s just classless. No guts, no professionalism.”
Malone’s bold criticism echoed sentiments shared by many across the league. While the Kings have long been seen as a struggling franchise, the way they handled the firing of a well-respected coach like Brown has drawn widespread condemnation. The decision to scapegoat Brown for a tough stretch, without addressing the team’s larger issues, has raised eyebrows throughout the NBA.
Adding to the turmoil, star player De’Aaron Fox recently hired as his agent, and Paul has reportedly been pushing the Kings to make swift improvements. Whether the Kings are caving to Fox’s influence or simply grappling with deeper organizational dysfunction, this latest move only deepens the sense of embarrassment surrounding the franchise, which has become notorious for its missteps.
