De’Aaron Fox didn’t necessarily force it. Sacramento Kings to fire head coach Mike Brown But the organization's decision, which came less than a week after Fox's agent Rich Paul reportedly met with Kings management the next day to question his client and the team's plans, was not necessarily heartbreaking. I made it clear that it was not. .
According to reports Sam Amick and Anthony Slater The Athletic In the aftermath of that meeting, Paul's meeting with Kings GM Monte McNair “focused on the existential question of whether the Fox-Kings partnership, which began eight seasons ago, would continue long-term. . What's the plan here?”
We don't know what answer Sacramento gave Paul and Klutch Sports, but less than a week later we learned that those plans don't include Brown. And on Saturday, when Fox was asked if he or any of his teammates felt guilty about the coach falling on the ax, the Kings All-Star said the team's front office would turn around 13 teams. He didn't seem too sad about the first step in his plan. 18 starts around:
De'Aaron Fox was asked by a reporter if Kings players were feeling “pressure or guilt” following Mike Brown's firing, and he responded, “I don't want to use the word 'guilt.'” Ta. That's the nature of our work. Obviously he signed a contract extension this summer so I thought we could be together…(1/2)
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 28, 2024
“…for a long time. But that's a decision they made. But at the end of the day, he's still getting paid. The great part about being an NBA player and an NBA coach is that the chances of something like that happening are… Yes, but the contract is guaranteed.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 28, 2024
When asked if he felt bad that his coach was fired, Fox basically responded: He's still getting paid so why would I feel bad? That probably tells us everything we need to know about the status of their relationship.
There is also additional context indicating that their relationship had cooled. Following Brown's dismissal, Amick and Slater reported. Part of the reason Brown was released was that his “tough press conferences” in which he chastised players for defensive mistakes “were starting to wear on some players,” and Brown's recent postgame presser. One example of this was Fox's late foul, which forced the Kings into a close game against the Pistons.
Fox's reply His response that night following his coach's firing was equally sobering.
What did he see on that last play that made the coach furious?
“It doesn't really matter,” Fox said. “That doesn’t make anyone feel better.”
And what had to change for the Kings?
“I don't know,” Fox said.
Now you know what your first change will be. While Fox or his representatives did not directly ask the Kings to fire Brown, these quotes certainly don't make it seem like the Kings would have taken no for an answer if they had asked. For their opinion.
