Before becoming head coach of the Denver Nuggets, Michael Malone held the same job with the Sacramento Kings. Given his history with the team, Malone’s reaction to Brown’s firing was naturally something that people wondered about.
And Malone did not disappoint.
Malone pulled no punches when he found out that the Kings waited until after Friday’s practice (and media availability session) to fire Brown — and that Brown was fired over the phone rather than face-to-face.
Malone issued a statement on Brown’s firing, which concluded with him saying (per Ryan Blackburn, Mile High Sports) that the Kings had “No class, no balls.”
Full Quote from Michael Malone. Epic stuff. https://t.co/0RxkDF524D pic.twitter.com/wXAHCybq9u
— Ryan Blackburn (@NBABlackburn) December 28, 2024
The Kings coming off of back-to-back playoff appearances and acquired six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan in the offseason, hoping he could help get them to the next level. But after a loss on Thursday — Sacramento’s fifth straight — the Kings fell to 13-18 and are currently out of the postseason or even play-in picture.
Knowing how the team has underachieved this season, Brown’s firing was not completely unexpected or even unwarranted. But even if you’re making the right move, there’s a wrong way to do it. The Kings seemed to have done that here.
Sacramento was Malone’s first head coaching job in the NBA. He went 28-54 with the Kings in the 2013-14 season, then was fired 24 games into the 2014-15 season, with Sacramento at 11-13.
[Ryan Blackburn on X]
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