The relationship between professional athletes, front offices, and media members is complex.
For all the criticism that players receive, they’re the stars of the show. For all the complaints that front office members receive, they’re cutting the checks. Despite the improvements that the media can make, they’re who amplify the popularity of players and franchises, helping to put money in everyone’s pockets. So, when those groups are butting heads with one another, it’s definitely counterintuitive and potentially counterproductive.
Sometimes it’s just the natural progression of events though, which is part of the reason why the Sacramento Kings traded De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs.
Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox Critical Of Dysfunctional Kings
Entering the season, the Kings were looking to bounce back from their strange 2023-24 campaign. There was still confusion about why Sacramento had regressed after reaching the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Perhaps it’s because the issues were more intangible in nature. Nevertheless, the Kings had bolstered confidence in their ability to right the ship after what was considered a strong offseason.
They extended two-time Coach of the Year award winner Mike Brown’s contract, completed a trade for All-Star swingman DeMar DeRozan, re-signed perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malik Monk, and drafted Providence standout Devin Carter in the lottery.
Maybe they wouldn’t be beating down the doors to the NBA Finals, but what could go wrong… right?
Rocky Road
From the start, it was clear that Sacramento was going to have a rougher time than expected.
In October, they went 2-2. In November, they went 7-9. Their 3-ball was off. Their defense was off. For all the weapons they stockpiled, the pieces just didn’t fit quite right. But when they decided to fire Brown, it wasn’t necessarily a shocker.
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and general manager Monte McNair were responsible for putting the team together. However, coaches are usually the first scapegoat. Furthermore, reports had surfaced that made it sound like the now 55-year-old had lost the locker room. In fact, Fox –the face of the franchise –was portrayed as one of his adversaries.
It Wasn’t Me
Eventually, the eight-year veteran would come out and dispel the rumors that he played a part in Brown’s firing. Thus, a media report based on locker room leaks obviously painted an inaccurate depiction of him. Yet, Fox takes exception to the fact that the Kings front office knew he was being blamed and didn’t address it.
“You fire the coach, and you don’t do an interview?” Fox says, per ESPN reporter Michael C. Wright. “So, all the blame was on me. Did it weigh on me? No. I don’t give a —-. But the fact y’all are supposed to be protecting your player and y’all let that happen. … I felt at the time the organization didn’t have my back.”
Given how bitter Fox sounds about how it all went down, he probably cared more than he was letting on. In the grand scheme of things though, that’s irrelevant. Sacramento’s behavior isn’t, as it only adds to their reputation of being a dysfunctional franchise.
The fact that the Kings made that decision knowing it would cost them Fox just makes it even worse.
“I was like, ‘Yo, I’ve been here for going on my eighth year. If Mike gets fired, I’ll be going on my fifth coach,'” Fox tells Wright. “And I told them, ‘I’m not going to play for another coach. I’m going to play for another team.'”
That isn’t to say that Brown was wanted by everyone in the locker room. In his ESPN interview, Fox reveals that “some guys wanted him to be fired during the summer.” Nevertheless, it’s clear that Sacramento wasn’t acting on his behalf, with the point guard even noting that he still converses with his former head coach weekly.
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