Mike Brown, De'Aaron Fox Reach NBA Finals 18 Months After Sacramento Split
Updated
Updated · Defector · Jun 3
Mike Brown, De'Aaron Fox Reach NBA Finals 18 Months After Sacramento Split
3 articles · Updated · Defector · Jun 3
Summary
Three years after leading Sacramento to the playoffs together, Mike Brown and De'Aaron Fox are back on the biggest stage—Brown with the Knicks and Fox with the Spurs.
A 13-18 Kings start in late 2024 triggered Brown's firing, and Fox was traded two months later after relations with the front office deteriorated.
Sacramento's roster flaws ran deeper than either could fix: weak defense, poor wing depth and a mismatched supporting cast left Fox carrying the offense and Brown masking structural problems.
Owner Vivek Ranadive's moves—including doubling down on veterans such as DeMar DeRozan and later Zach LaVine—instead of resetting helped send the Kings into a 22-60 collapse.
Their Finals run now underscores the same point for Sacramento: Brown and Fox were not the problem, and their success elsewhere highlights how badly the Kings squandered a viable core.