New Report Reveals Ex-Kings HC Could Land With Rival Team

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly interesting in Mike Brown for their head coaching position.

Dec 12, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown gives direction as he stands on the court against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Former Sacramento Kings Head Coach Mike Brown will be considered for the now vacant seat on the Phoenix Suns’ bench, according to insider intel. Brown was dismissed in December by the Kings, but his experience may put him in the running to be the next head coach for the Suns.

REPORT: Mike Brown is among the candidates for the Suns head coaching job, per @MikeAScotto.

(https://t.co/Q2wpzVpjmR) pic.twitter.com/b4s2YiTfMI

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 16, 2025

Brown began his tenure in Sacramento in May of 2022 when General Manager Monte McNair announced the hiring. Brown had spent the previous six seasons as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, widely regarded as an integral part of the Warriors’ back-to-back championships in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons.  

One of the main reasons the Sacramento front office made the decision to hire Brown was his reputation as a great defensive coach, with McNair stating “He has worked with some of the best players in the NBA and is one of the league’s premier defensive minds. I am excited to bring his extensive experience to Sacramento.” 

Brown’s tenure in Sacramento was highlighted by the organization’s first trip to the postseason since 2006, ending the team’s then-record 16 year playoff drought. The original “Beam Team” of 2022-2023 ended the campaign with a 48-34 record and took the defending champion Warriors to a Game 7 in the first round. For their success that season, Brown was unanimously named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.

Mike Brown is the 2022-23 @NBA Coach of the Year! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/eyI8lNQRIC

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 19, 2023

Roughly midway through his third season as head coach, Brown was fired as the Kings got out to a 13-18 start. In what Monte McNair called a “difficult decision”, the organization let Brown go approximately six months after signing the coach to a contract extension. Assistant coach Doug Christie was named Interim Head Coach and has remained in the position since.

In addition to being considered one of the best defensive coaches in the league, Brown also boasts several years’ worth of experience as a head coach. Prior to his stints in Sacramento and Golden State, Brown served as the head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Throughout his career, Brown has coached several of the best players in the league. Current or future Hall of Famers that Brown has coached include LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, Draymond Green, and Steph Curry. The list of world-class players that Brown has coached also includes many current and former All-Stars, most recently the Kings duo of Domantas Sabonis and (since traded) DeAaron Fox. 

The Phoenix Suns, as currently constructed, could make good use of Brown’s defensive mind and experience coaching star players. The Suns’ defense ranked third-worst in the NBA this season. Their rating of 119.30 was better than the ratings of only the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans. 

The Suns’ roster currently boasts a trio of star players - Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Despite the talk of Phoenix considering trade deals for Durant, they may opt instead to bring in a coach who can possibly figure out a way for the three stars to play more cohesively together. 

There will be plenty of options for the Suns, whether they’re looking to give a current assistant coach his first opportunity to be a head coach, or they’d rather bring in someone with head coaching experience. It will be interesting to see if Mike Brown is a name they give serious consideration to.