5 NBA coaches who can replace Mike Brown on Sacramento Kings

Across two seasons, Mike Brown led the Sacramento Kings to 107 regular season wins out of 195 games. But with the team stumbling to a 13-18 record to open their 2024-2025 campaign, the Kings front office has decided to let go of Brown, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year.

While assistant coach Doug Christie has been named interim coach, the Kings will have to decide sooner rather than later on Brown's long-term replacement. There are multiple contenders out there for the role of Sacramento head coach, each with a distinct track record.

5 NBA coaches who can replace Mike Brown on Sacramento Kings

#5 Terry Stotts

NBA: Portland Trail Blazers at Denver Nuggets - Source: Imagn

Replacing a head coach 31 games into the season causes a ripple effect of adjustments that could further derail a team. The Kings, then, could be doing some damage control by hiring a man with 13 seasons' worth of head coaching experience in the league.

That man would be Terry Stotts, whose resume includes stints with the Atlanta Hawks, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Portland Trail Blazers. Stotts' playoff record (23-44) could be a knock against him, but at the very least, he's a seasoned choice for head coach.

#4 Doug Christie

NBA: Sacramento Kings at Golden State Warriors - Source: Imagn

Another option would be for the Sacramento Kings to eventually remove the interim tag from Christie. In more ways than one, the 54-year-old assistant coach represents continuity within the team. Not only has he been on the Kings' coaching staff since 2021, but he also played over four seasons in a Sacramento jersey back in the 2000s.

If the Kings decide that looking elsewhere for a head coach would be too much of a risk at this point, they can stick to their old reliables by promoting Christie to permanent head coach, sooner or later.

#3 Mike D'Antoni

NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder - Source: Imagn

A quick look at the stats sheet shows that the Sacramento Kings are underwhelming in certain offensive categories. In particular, they're inefficient from three-point range, ranking 24th in the league with their 34.2% shooting clip.

Mike D'Antoni could make a difference in that regard. He is a highly creative mind on offense that can spice up the Kings' playbook and open up more scoring opoortunities inside and outside. Under his watch, the Kings (whose offensive rating currently ranks at 8th) could fully embrace the identity of high-octane offense.

#2 Chris Quinn

NBA: Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors - Source: Imagn

The Sacramento Kings are a relatively young team, and they could use a coach that'll take them to finishing school in terms of basketball fundamentals and endgame mastery. Chris Quinn, the current lead assistant coach for the Miami Heat, can help them in those areas.

There's a reason why teams like the Brooklyn Nets and the Charlotte Hornets recently showed interest in Quinn. He specializes in player development, and he's had the privilege of being Erik Spoelstra's primary lieutenant for quite some time now. The Kings could certainly use the prolific influence of a mentor like Quinn.

#1 Micah Nori

NBA: Playoffs-Dallas Mavericks at Minnesota Timberwolves - Source: Imagn

Perhaps the best way for the Kings to turn their regular season around — and possibly even have a lengthier postseason run — is to remedy their defensive woes. Their defensive rating of 112.9 is 16th in the league, and that's not going to be good enough for them to take the next steps that they'd like.

Hiring Micah Nori can help them address this situation. As Chris Finch's right hand man in Minnesota, Nori has proven to be a very capable hand in terms of coordinating an effective team defense. When Finch was physically unable to coach the Timberwolves from courtside during the 2024 postseason, Nori held his own and orchestrated a number of playoff wins for Minnesota. His potential as a head coach is a highly interesting prospect for the middling Sacramento Kings.