There’s still a scintilla of doubt that the two sides get a deal done. After all, just last week, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Mike Brown and the Sacramento Kings had tabled talks. Nonetheless, the two sides now appear to be making headway in their contract negotiations.
Kings, Mike Brown Take Next Step In Contract Negotiations
The Kings have offered Brown a three-year, $21 million extension through 2026-27, with $6 million in bonuses, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Sacramento Kings have made a competitive offer to head coach Mike Brown on a contract extension – three years and $21 million through 2026-27, up to $27 million with bonuses, sources say. So far, no agreement. Brown is believed to be seeking around $10 million annually.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 31, 2024
That offer is believed to be similar to the one Jason Kidd received from the Dallas Mavericks, according to Sean Cunningham FOX40 News. The 54-year-old is looking for an annual salary in the ballpark of $10 million, what Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer will be paid, per The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson.
Brown, who rose to fame during LeBron James’s first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, will be on the final season of his contract in 2024-25.
Mike Brown’s Mixed Review
Hired by the Kings in 2022, Brown achieved rapid success.
In 2022-23, Sacramento won 48 games, earning a playoff berth as the No. 3 seed. For a team that went 30-52 the previous season, the fourth-worst record in the West, this was completely unexpected. Brown got the best out of De’Aaron Fox —who was named an All-Star for the first time —on both ends. He catered his offensive system to Domantas Sabonis’s strengths, transforming him into an All-NBA center.
However, the franchise took a step back in 2023-24. Fox leaned too heavily on his newfound jumper. Sabonis’s lack of rim protection was a weak link for the defense. Keegan Murray hit the sophomore wall, shooting just 35.8 percent from 3 after making 41.1 percent of his 3s as a rookie. On top of all that, the Kings struggled in matchups with inferior competition, going 18-23 against teams that had a below-.500 record.
Sacramento finished with a 46-36 record, which isn’t too far off their 2022-23 campaign. This time though, they were the No. 9 seed. They would need a pair of Play-In Tournament wins to reach the playoffs.
In that effort, the Kings blew out the Golden State Warriors in the first game of the tournament, winning by 24 points. They then fell to the Zion Williamson-less New Orleans Pelicans, 98-105, the next game. Fox went 4-16 from 3 while Murray was 2-7 from beyond the arc.
At the end of the season, Kings ownership was displeased with Brown’s performance, and understandably so. He can’t shoot the ball for his players, no. Nonetheless, he didn’t motivate his players properly in 2023-24. He also didn’t hold Fox accountable enough.
The Last Word on Mike Brown
Brown’s $5 million option for 2024-25 is still too low for a head coach with his experience, success, and background. Furthermore, while Brown wasn’t perfect in 2023-24, a few of the Kings’ issues were on the front office. While no roster is perfect, no coach is either. The front office’s job is to give both the roster and coach the best support possible.
Sacramento needs to provide Brown with a rim-protector. They also have to identify a starting shooting guard that can excel on both ends. Lastly, they need to shore up their bench, even if Malik Monk opts to re-sign as a free agent.
