Mike Brown is staying in Sacramento after rampant speculation about his future due to stalled contract negotiations.
Brown, 54, agreed to a lucrative contract extension with the Kings, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Friday, ensuring the 2022-23 NBA Coach of the Year is locked in with the franchise through 2026-27.
The Kings hired Brown after the 2021-22 season, and the veteran coach helped the team break its 16-year playoff drought.
Sacramento has put together two solid seasons under Brown, earning the No. 3 seed in 2022-23 with a 48-34 record and the No. 9 seed at 46-36 in 2023-24. The Kings lost in the play-in tournament in 2024.
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Mike Brown contract details
Brown’s contract extension will pay him $8.5 million annually through the 2026-27 season, making it a three-year, $25.5 million deal that can be worth up to $30 million if incentives are hit.
Brown’s original four-year contract with the Kings was slated to expire after the 2024-25 season. He was set to make $4.5 million next season but instead gets a major bump to $8.5 million, matching his salary for the following two seasons.
In his first season in Sacramento, Brown became the first unanimous winner of the NBA Coach of the Year award. His new deal keeps him with the tandem of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis as the Kings look to take the next step.
The coaching market is at a premium. Earlier this year, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr inked his own extension. With an average annual value (AAV) of $17.5 million, the two-year deal made him the highest-paid head coach in NBA history, surpassing Erik Spoelstra ($15 million per year).
Contract negotiations between a team and its incumbent coach don’t typically play out publicly, but Brown’s did. The Kings coach made it clear he wasn’t getting the offers he wanted from the franchise despite leading Sacramento to back-to-back winning seasons after a long playoff drought.
While the Kings are aiming higher than just the playoffs next season, their willingness to meet Brown’s demands shows they believe he is the right leader to take on the challenge in the years to come.
Mike Brown coaching record
| Season | Team | W | L | Pct. |
| 2005-06 | Cavaliers | 50 | 32 | .610 |
| 2006-07 | Cavaliers | 50 | 32 | .610 |
| 2007-08 | Cavaliers | 45 | 37 | .549 |
| 2008-09 | Cavaliers | 66 | 16 | .805 |
| 2009-10 | Cavaliers | 61 | 21 | .744 |
| 2011-12 | Lakers | 41 | 25 | .621 |
| 2012-13 | Lakers | 1 | 4 | .200 |
| 2013-14 | Cavaliers | 33 | 49 | .402 |
| 2022-23 | Kings | 48 | 34 | .585 |
| 2023-24 | Kings | 46 | 36 | .561 |
| Career | 441 | 286 | .607 |