Report: Brown wants longer-term Kings commitment at market rate
Report: Brown wants longer-term Kings commitment at market rate originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Mike Brown has brought plenty of success to Sacramento since he became Kings coach, snapping the team's 16-season NBA playoff drought and providing a sense of stability for the franchise.
And now, the 54-year-old reportedly would like to be rewarded for his contributions.
Brown's four-year contract he signed ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season includes a mutual option for the fourth season, The Athletic's Sam Amick and Anthony Slater reported Monday, citing league sources, putting the Kings coach in extension territory.
And Brown "desires a longer-term commitment at his market rate" from Sacramento, Amick and Slater also reported, citing league sources. The 2023 NBA Coach of the Year not only is a four-time champion as an assistant but has helped the Kings reach a level of significance they haven't seen in years, both monetarily and performance-wise.
Still, he has yet to win an NBA title as a head coach -- something some coaches who recently reset that market have done. Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr earns $17.5 million annually after signing a lucrative extension this season, while San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich makes $16 million per year following his own deal. Detroit Pistons coach Monty Williams, however, has yet to win a title in such a role and brings in $13 million a year.
While it's safe to assume Brown could command a double-digit annual salary as well should the Kings extend him, Amick and Slater reported, citing team sources, that ownership is taking "a wait-and-see approach," and that Sacramento could base the decision around singular results -- like the Kings' most recent NBA Play-In Tournament performance.
Brown's side, meanwhile, sees a long list of accomplishments that supports a new market-value deal, per Amick and Slater, including improved optics around the team and an improved defense that promises longevity for the team's recent success.
It remains to be seen if the Kings in fact will grant Brown's reported wish and reward the coach with a long-term contract.
What remains clear, though, is Brown's immediate impact on the once-struggling franchise, as well as what he could help the team accomplish in the future.
