Every time the New York Knicks hit another level in the playoffs, the Sacramento Kings are reminded of what they lost by firing Mike Brown. If he can get his current team through the Eastern Conference Finals, he will prove all that was holding him back was ownership decisions in Sacramento.
It's been a minute or two since the Knicks brought home an NBA Championship, the last one happening in 1973. Heck, they haven't even picked up an Eastern Conference Championship this millennium. Their most recent conference title was in 1999. It's been a drought in NYC.
The best the Knicks have done in recent history was winning an NBA Cup in 2025. What was interesting about that victory earlier this season was refusing to raise the banner. The Knicks respected the Cup, but they want their next banner in the rafters to be an NBA Championship.
That "eyes on the prize" mentality has head coach Mike Brown's fingerprints all over it. The goal for this Knicks team is not the NBA Cup or even an Eastern Conference Championship. This is a "league title or nothing" situation, which is the kind of mentality the Kings need right about now.
Mike Brown should have been Sacramento's path forward
Comparing the Kings and the Knicks in their current states isn't exactly fair. Sacramento hasn't had a team as good as the current New York squad in the four decades they've called the West Coast home. Plus, Brown didn't put this roster together, though he has pushed them in a better direction.
Former Knicks' head coach Tom Thibodeau was notorious for running his starters ragged. That was in part due to depth issues on the bench, but the problem was still there. Under Brown, the Knicks have a stronger bench, more rotations, and multiple attackers on all lines.
Brown's experience and vision could have been huge for the rebuilding Kings. Unfortunately, the owners chose to blame him for their mistakes and fired him. The problems the Kings face as a team were there before Brown, and continue to be an issue well after he was removed from the position.
Had the Kings given him the reins of the rebuild alongside general manager Scott Perry, things might look different in Sacramento. For now, Kings' fans will have to wait and see if current head coach Doug Christie can grow into the role or if they will have yet another new head coach for 2027-2028.
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