NBA: Kings fire coach Mike Brown

The Sacramento Kings fired coach Mike Brown on Friday, ESPN and The Athletic reported, halfway into his third season at the helm.

Brown, 54, guided the Kings to the Western Conference playoffs in his first year on the job (2022-23), when he was voted NBA Coach of the Year, and to the play-in round last season. The team awarded him with a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $30 million in July.

But Sacramento is 13-18 this season, 12th place in the 15-team West. The Kings have lost five in a row -- all at home -- after the Detroit Pistons beat them 114-113 on Thursday.

It was unclear who would take over for Brown in the immediate future. The Kings visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday before returning home for three more games next week.

Brown went 107-88 in his two-plus seasons leading the Kings, who hired him after a six-year run as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. Brown went 305-187 in six seasons coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers and 42-29 in parts of two seasons with the Lakers.

—Field Level Media/ Reuters