FIRE MIKE BROWN

Brown had some interesting comments in the presser. When asked about the offense the first thing he talked about was the regression in "pace." Implied that part of it was a lack of clarity on when to run on makes or misses, but then also said they didn't run hard enough to the corners off the ball. Also said that they took too many guarded 3 pointers and more mid-level shots than last year, but then said that Keegan and Monk are going to need to take some of those shots (guarded 3 pointers). (Didn't make mention of Fox in that conversation though.:D).

Regarding the roster, Brown said "change will occur."

P.S. Brown also made mention of the free throws. He expects the overall team to work on it during the offseason.
So he kinda contradicted himself again, but basically fell back on "more spray 3's" ?
 
The "unanimous coach of the year" situation requires a deeper inspection before elevating it to a determinative evaluation of coaching talent.

Brown's first season (2022-23) as King's coach included significant player personnel moves by Monte. Not the least of which was Sabonis (full year), Murray, and Monk among others. The upgraded players, as well as lack of injuries during the regular season, give an apple/oranges comparison with past years of mediocrity. Under these circumstances, a different coach could be conjectured to have achieved COY with the Kings. Pure conjecture to be sure but defining the exact source of the Kings success due specifically to Brown's contribution is murky.

What is remarkable is that Coach Brown does not seem to be remarkable. Examples are strewn throughout this forum thread about areas of concern and need. Not that he requires to be immediately fired for cause. But the Kings management must see something that many here do not. That is, being COY under the circumstances which produced the award does not indicate to management that monetary compensation and tenure is earned based on their far more complete understanding of the situation. The wait-and-see position seems clearly justified given missing the playoffs this season regardless of the excuses and winning record. Management may just be on to something.
Thread winner. Great post.
 
Since the link in the above doesn't embed:


Perfectly crafted red meat tweet for the forum in time for TDOS
Honestly good for Mike Brown for going for it. Strikes me as odd timing though, after just missing the playoffs, and also before your 4th year option has been picked up by the team. This story will continue to hang over the team especially if that 4th year option remains un-exercised by the team any time soon, and Monte doesn't strike me as a guy who gives up leverage for no reason. He's bringing more scrutiny on himself for next year as well, such that if the team is even mediocre, media will say "wait, and this guy wants an extension?"

But you gotta respect the hustle.
 

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
Kind of an awkward time to be asking for this?
Yes and no. Sure, the team missed the playoffs but they had a second consecutive winning season after 16 years of losing and despite some bad stretches/stumbles, they won 46 games, which is just two less than last year when they were the #3 seed.

Extending Brown (which I'm okay with but not clamoring for) would be a sign of long term stability for a franchise that has lacked it since Adelman.
 

Spike

Subsidiary Intermediary
Staff member
Yes and no. Sure, the team missed the playoffs but they had a second consecutive winning season after 16 years of losing and despite some bad stretches/stumbles, they won 46 games, which is just two less than last year when they were the #3 seed.

Extending Brown (which I'm okay with but not clamoring for) would be a sign of long term stability for a franchise that has lacked it since Adelman.
When is McNair's contract up? I'd imagine that, at best/worst, you'd want to have them on a similar timeline.
 
Yes and no. Sure, the team missed the playoffs but they had a second consecutive winning season after 16 years of losing and despite some bad stretches/stumbles, they won 46 games, which is just two less than last year when they were the #3 seed.

Extending Brown (which I'm okay with but not clamoring for) would be a sign of long term stability for a franchise that has lacked it since Adelman.
Reiterating my opinion, the team is winning because it has high-quality all-star capable players that had not been present during the 16 years of mediocrity.

What this thread intimates is that, with these better players, winning consistently and making a legitimate playoff seed is an expectation rather than an anomaly. After this year's disappointing result, the reasons should be explored for finding the floor and to strive to reach the ceiling. Monte and Coach Brown both deserve scrutiny for the happenings.
Additionally, Brown assigning blame on the players at the recent press conference is neither reassuring nor likely to sit well with the team.

While stability has it place in sports, it tends to lead to stagnation rather than growth. Given how the Western Conference has developed, growth is necessary. Improvement tends to come from the top down. If mediocrity is what is wanted, then "stay the course" and accept the 9th or 10th play-in seed for years to come.

That being stated, there does not seem to be a worthy Brown successor at this time. Oft stated is that Brown needs to reevaluate his philosophy, techniques, and emphasis over the off-season and return next season to coach the Kings players to their strengths rather than some Warriors-clone team that does not exist.
 

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
Although I am 100% wholeheartedly against firing Mike Brown and actually find even the discussion of it borderline ridiculous, just for curiosity's sake, who is out there available that would be an upgrade and hirable? Merely curious.
I haven't rechecked this whole thread, but the only actual replacement suggestion was that the Kings should have elevated Jordi, but the Nets hired him away.

I wish him the best of luck in Brooklyn and I think he'll be a good coach, but how logical is it that a guy that was already part of the staff would do a significantly better job as a first time head NBA coach?

But I'm also curious for everyone who is clamoring for Brown's head to name the replacement.
 

Spike

Subsidiary Intermediary
Staff member
Screenshot 2024-04-25 at 1.20.18 PM.png

I'm too lazy to do validity/reliability on these names (obviously some are currently employed), especially because I don't believe in the premise of this thread, but, for argument's sake, this is likely the pool you're looking to pull from, assuming you're not going to go after a top-tier assistant without any experience.
 

funkykingston

Super Moderator
Staff member
View attachment 12622

I'm too lazy to do validity/reliability on these names (obviously some are currently employed), especially because I don't believe in the premise of this thread, but, for argument's sake, this is likely the pool you're looking to pull from, assuming you're not going to go after a top-tier assistant without any experience.
Is it time to cue the "we should've hired Mark Jackson over Brown in the first place" takes? If the reports are to be believed, he was the other major name under consideration by the Kings/Vivek.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
View attachment 12622

I'm too lazy to do validity/reliability on these names (obviously some are currently employed), especially because I don't believe in the premise of this thread, but, for argument's sake, this is likely the pool you're looking to pull from, assuming you're not going to go after a top-tier assistant without any experience.
Sam Cassell would make me happy simply because of my avatar of 20-some years. No idea if he’s a good coach or not!
 
View attachment 12622

I'm too lazy to do validity/reliability on these names (obviously some are currently employed), especially because I don't believe in the premise of this thread, but, for argument's sake, this is likely the pool you're looking to pull from, assuming you're not going to go after a top-tier assistant without any experience.
if he can’t get a HC job, what about adding a guy like Mike Budenholzer to Mike Browns staff? They have a relationship IIRC, and adding a fresh set of eyes to the staff might bring some new ideas to both ends.
 

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
View attachment 12622

I'm too lazy to do validity/reliability on these names (obviously some are currently employed), especially because I don't believe in the premise of this thread, but, for argument's sake, this is likely the pool you're looking to pull from, assuming you're not going to go after a top-tier assistant without any experience.
This chart preemptively has Doc Rivers evidently getting fired by the Bucks, to which I say good for them.
 

SLAB

Hall of Famer
if he can’t get a HC job, what about adding a guy like Mike Budenholzer to Mike Browns staff? They have a relationship IIRC, and adding a fresh set of eyes to the staff might bring some new ideas to both ends.
I like it but that immediately puts smoke to the “what are they going to do with Brown if they struggle” fire in the case he doesn’t get an extension. I’m not ready to give Brown one of any sort yet, so is a distraction like that really for the best? We ran it back with players to middling results, time to make moves with the roster and run it back on the coaches side to see what they have.
 
Although I am 100% wholeheartedly against firing Mike Brown and actually find even the discussion of it borderline ridiculous, just for curiosity's sake, who is out there available that would be an upgrade and hirable? Merely curious.
It would have been Jordy Fernandez. Half the board laughed at me and the other half pulled switch blades on me for suggesting it, before he got hired by a major market team with a massive payroll.

I predicted we'd have to act fast on Jordy or risk losing him. I suppose there never really was an opportunity though.

Christie could be viable maybe with another year of cooking.

"But he doesn't have head coaching experience!"

Actually no head coaches do until they do.
 

Spike

Subsidiary Intermediary
Staff member
It would have been Jordy Fernandez. Half the board laughed at me and the other half pulled switch blades on me for suggesting it, before he got hired by a major market team with a massive payroll.

I predicted we'd have to act fast on Jordy or risk losing him. I suppose there never really was an opportunity though.

Christie could be viable maybe with another year of cooking.

"But he doesn't have head coaching experience!"

Actually no head coaches do until they do.
This isn't a roster that I'm looking to have growing pains with while breaking in a new coach. If you bring in someone on an experienced roster, they better have successful playoff experience, or have been an assistant on a team with a lot of playoff experience, or both.
Someone like. Mike Brown.
 
Hmmm. Coach Brown goes from unanimous 2023 COY to not receiving a single 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place vote for 2024. Same coach(es), same system, same philosophy, and mainly the same players. Other teams/coaches played through injuries so that is a shared factor. What happened in 2024 to fall so far from grace?

Or perhaps the better question is what happened in 2023 to earn the award. Does a winning record and earning a playoff berth (after failing for so many years) weigh that heavily in the voting?
 
Hmmm. Coach Brown goes from unanimous 2023 COY to not receiving a single 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place vote for 2024. Same coach(es), same system, same philosophy, and mainly the same players. Other teams/coaches played through injuries so that is a shared factor. What happened in 2024 to fall so far from grace?

Or perhaps the better question is what happened in 2023 to earn the award. Does a winning record and earning a playoff berth (after failing for so many years) weigh that heavily in the voting?
You pretty much answered your own question...
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
Why would he receive coach of the year votes this year? There were teams that had the kind of leaps the Kings enjoyed last year this year. More telling about what Brown did last year that Daigneault wasn't unanimous despite going from a below .500 lottery team to the #1 seed in the toughest conference in NBA history.
 
Hmmm. Coach Brown goes from unanimous 2023 COY to not receiving a single 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place vote for 2024. Same coach(es), same system, same philosophy, and mainly the same players. Other teams/coaches played through injuries so that is a shared factor. What happened in 2024 to fall so far from grace?

Or perhaps the better question is what happened in 2023 to earn the award. Does a winning record and earning a playoff berth (after failing for so many years) weigh that heavily in the voting?
There's usually a political component to many of these awards