SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento Kings fans are expressing surprise, frustration, and confusion after the abrupt firing of head coach Mike Brown. The decision has left many wondering what comes next for the team, as hopes for a breakthrough season quickly diminish.
“I feel like Mike Brown, it’s not your fault,” said Grey Lawrence, a long-time Kings fan.
Lawrence, along with others, believes Brown was unfairly blamed for the team’s early-season struggles. “The first bad stretch he has ever had, and we are firing him. Kings are setting themselves back.”
Brown’s firing follows a difficult stretch for the Kings, but many fans argue that he should not bear the full responsibility. Miko Hart, another fan, added, “Everybody needs to take accountability,” referring not only to Brown but also to the team’s front office and players.
Michael Mick, a fan who acknowledges that change was needed, is still concerned about the direction of the team.
“I think Mike is a great coach, obviously he has won a lot. It was the first time the Kings have been good in years since Michael Malone,” Mick said. “But if the players are not responding, you have to make a change. Personally, I like Mike Brown, but we will see. I think there will be more moves to be made.”
While some fans are questioning the decision to let go of Brown, others believe that management and ownership should also take some of the blame.
“Shocking to begin with,” said John James, a Kings fan who was at the game the night before the firing. “Management. Do better.”
As frustration grows, fans are also calling for accountability from the players. Tension increased following the Kings’ loss to Detroit on Thursday, when star guard De’Aaron Fox was criticized for failing to take responsibility after a critical foul late in the game. The foul helped the Detroit Pistons secure a win, and some fans were disappointed by Fox’s response to post-game questions.
Damien Barling, host of ESPN 1320’s DLo & KC Show, weighed in on the situation. Barling, who was disappointed by the firing of Brown, also expressed frustration with Fox’s lack of accountability.
“Acknowledge I messed up. Acknowledge I made a mistake. And move forward. And he was not able to do that,” Barling said. “For me, that is one of the more frustrating things that I am going to be watching, not for the rest of the season, but really for the next few weeks leading into the trade deadline.”
Barling’s frustration reflects a broader sentiment among fans who feel the team’s struggles go beyond just coaching changes.
“If your coach gets fired can’t wake you up, like nothing will,” Barling added.
Despite the mixed emotions about the firing, some fans, like Doug Christie, are still holding out hope that the Kings can turn things around, though they remain unsure if firing Brown is the only necessary change.
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