Pacers’ Coach Rick Carlisle Stunned by Kings’ Decision to Fire Mike Brown

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By: Mike

In a surprising development on Friday, the Sacramento Kings made the decision to let go of Mike Brown, a two-time Coach of the Year, only 28 games into the 2024-25 NBA season.

Rick Carlisle, the head coach of the Indiana Pacers and a former colleague of Brown during their time together in Indianapolis from 2003 to ’05, commented on this unexpected move by the Kings.

“I was completely taken aback by the dismissal of Mike Brown,” Carlisle expressed to reporters before the Pacers faced off against the Boston Celtics on Friday evening. “Having had the chance to work with Mike while I was with Indiana, I consider him a pillar of ethical standards in our field. It’s truly astounding that such a decision was made.

“He’s definitely going to bounce back, but when you consider his performance and the challenges he faced, it’s hard to fathom why this happened,” he added.

Upon his arrival in 2022, Brown swiftly transformed the culture within the Kings’ organization. He led the team to a 48–34 record in his first season, securing the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference playoffs and ending the team’s 17-year playoff drought.

Despite falling short in the play-in tournament last season and starting the 2024-25 season with a 13–18 record, his dismissal has left many in the basketball community shocked.

Brooklyn Nets coach Jordi Fernandez, who previously worked with Brown in Sacramento, also shared his thoughts on the matter.

“Mike is exceptionally skilled at what he does. In my view, he’s one of the best,” Fernandez remarked on Friday. “His firing is disheartening, and I dislike it. It’s just the nature of our industry. It’s peculiar to think that just a year and a half ago he was celebrated as Coach of the Year, and now he finds himself in this predicament.”

The Kings have appointed Doug Christie as the interim coach, who now has the challenging task of revitalizing the season, especially with star guard De’Aaron Fox’s future at the team uncertain.


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