Report: Kings, Brown pause contract talks, far apart on deal

The Sacramento Kings' front office and head coach Mike Brown don't appear to be on the same page.

With Brown set to enter his final year under contract in 2024-25, extension talks between both parties have stalled amid a gulf in negotiations, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Brown, 54, led Sacramento to a 46-36 regular-season record this season, two wins short of the 48-34 mark he put up in 2022-23, his first year behind the Kings' bench. However, the Kings failed to reach the playoffs in his second season, losing to the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament to decide the No. 8 seed after beating the Golden State Warriors in the No. 9 versus No. 10 matchup.

Brown's first campaign in charge, which ended with a thrilling seven-game series against the Warriors in the first round, was one of Sacramento's most successful seasons in recent memory and ushered in the franchise's "Light the Beam" era. He helped the club snap a 16-year playoff drought, and its 48 regular-season wins were the Kings' most since they finished with 50 in 2004-05.

Sacramento also posted the league's best offensive rating at 118.6 points per 100 possessions in Brown's first season. Had they maintained that rate this year, the Kings would have ranked third behind the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers; instead, their 116.2 offensive rating ranked 13th despite returning a majority of their roster from the year prior.

Kings ownership was apparently displeased with Brown failing to return the franchise to the playoffs in Year 2, sources told insider James Ham.

Formerly the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, Brown signed a four-year contract with Sacramento after spending six seasons as an assistant with Golden State.