Jordi Fernandez’s 42nd birthday had to be bittersweet. The Sacramento Kings fired Mike Brown, his longtime mentor, on Friday after a 13-18 start this season. He went 107-88 in three seasons as Sacramento’s head coach.
Brown gave Fernandez his start in the NBA. They coached together in Cleveland and Sacramento through the years. Fernandez served as Brown’s associate head coach in Sacramento before accepting his current position as Nets head coach.
The league is often cut-throat, and Brown’s sudden firing is just the latest example of that. Entering Friday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs at Barclays Center, it was the last thing Fernandez wanted to hear.
“Obviously to me it’s really sad news and I don’t like it,” Fernandez said. “It’s part of the business… I wasn’t there in the last few weeks, few months, but Mike means a lot to me, he’s one of the best.”
Brown won Coach of the Year in his first season in Sacramento in 2022-23. He signed a three-year extension through 2027 with the Kings in June. He won 54.9% of his games with the franchise, but his firing comes on the heels of a five-game losing streak.
“Whatever you believe in, your culture and everything you want to build, try to do what’s best for the group, not for yourself,” Fernandez said. “That’s what he’s always done since 16 years ago that I worked for him, and he brought me into the U.S. to work in the NBA”
JOHNSON, SIMMONS RULED OUT
Cam Johnson did not play in Friday’s home game against San Antonio because of a right hip contusion suffered in Thursday’s defeat of the Milwaukee Bucks. While he played 35 minutes and finished with a game-high 29 points, he took a nasty fall after throwing down a dunk in the first quarter, which is where he sustained the injury.
“As we’ve done before, next-man mentality,” Fernandez said.
Ben Simmons is still not playing in back-to-back sets and was inactive for Friday’s game as well. While Simmons’ minutes continue to increase, Fernandez did not provide a timetable for when that specific restriction will be lifted.
“The good thing is, we go from a certain amount of minutes, now he’s playing close to 30 lately,” Fernandez said. “You guys have seen his pace, production, assists, how aggressive he’s been, so that’s good for the group. The next step is playing in back-to-backs.”
FINNEY-SMITH RETURNS
Veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith returned to the lineup on Friday after missing three straight games because of a left calf contusion. With Simmons and Cam Johnson sidelined, Shake Milton, Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson and Nic Claxton joined him in the starting five. It was the 16th different starting lineup Brooklyn has used this season.
“So far he’s in good spirits,” Fernandez said of Finney-Smith. “He was in good spirits yesterday, too.”