Sacramento Kings fire coach Mike Brown after a disappointing 13-18 start

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 10: Head coach Mike Brown of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center on November 10, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Kings defeated the Suns 127-118 in overtime. NOTICE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and/or using this photograph, User consents to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images)

Mike Brown coached the Sacramento Kings for only two full seasons. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings fired head coach Mike Brown, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday.

Sacramento is currently on a five-game losing streak and has lost 12 of its last 17 games. At 13-18, the Kings are last in the Pacific Division and ranked 12th in the Western Conference.

Assistant coach Doug Christie will be named the interim coach, according to multiple reports. The team resumes its season on Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

On Thursday night, the Kings coughed up a one-point loss to the 14-17 Detroit Pistons on four points in the final seconds of the game. According to ABC10’s Matt GeorgeBrown was fired after running practice and meeting with the media just before the team boarded a flight to Los Angeles for their matchup with the Lakers on Saturday night.

“I’ve been through a lot in this business, I’ve been through far more good times than bad times, but I’ve been through some bad times,” Brown told reporters Friday. “I’ve been lucky, blessed … to be around great players and great coaches, and the crazy thing about it is that I’ve been around coaches who have won titles. And they have a lot of smoke, they have to face when their little affliction is not great.”

Brown, 54, was named the 2023 coach of the year and in June signed a three-year extension with the team through the 2026-27 season.

Before agreeing to the extension, the Kings and Brown disagreed over the average annual salary in a new deal, and it appeared he could end his contract after this season. His final deal put him among those top eight head coaching salaries in the league at $8.5 million per year. He finished in Sacramento with a 107-88 record and a first-round playoff series.

Brown previously served as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers (2005-10 and 2013-14) and Lakers (2011-12). His overall record is 454-304.

Prior to his first head coaching position, Brown worked as an assistant for eight seasons with the Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors. He was on the staff of four NBA championship teams, one with the Spurs and three with the Warriors.

Christie joined the Kings’ coaching staff as an assistant under Alvin Gentry for the 2021-22 season. For the previous three seasons, he was an analyst on the team’s telecasts. Christie played five seasons for the Kings among his 15 seasons in the NBA. He also played with the Lakers, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers.