They say you can't go home again. That may be true, but you can definitely go back to Sacramento.
The Kings' former head coach is now the bench boss for the New York Knicks. During the course of the season, the Knicks and Kings play twice, giving Brown two opportunities to show his former franchise what they missed.
These dates include a return to Sacramento on January 14, 2026. Since he was only there for just over two seasons, it's hard to call it a homecoming.
Regardless, Mike Brown's opportunity to show up the Kings' franchise is much bigger than two in-season meetings.
Mike Brown's new home
There's a certain amount of irony to Mike Brown becoming the head coach of the Knicks. After being unceremoniously fired from the Kings, Brown is taking over for Tom Thibodeau, who was unceremoniously fired from the Knicks.
Like Thibodeau, Brown was released after leading his team to its best postseason showing in a long time. Neither move made sense, but what's done is done.
Now, Mike Brown finds himself as the head coach for one of the most legendary franchises in the league. On top of that, they are true contenders with a roster that features Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby.
The Kings missed out
This season is Mike Brown's opportunity to prove the Kings' front office has always been the problem. It's probably not his goal, but it's there.
If Mike Brown is successful with the Knicks and the Kings continue to flounder, it will become unavoidably evident where the real problems during his tenure as head coach were. The Kings' decision to fire Brown will look more and more ill-conceived with every Knicks' win.
The optics will get even worse if the Kings have a bad season, and most analysts believe 2025-2026 will be tough for Sacramento. Mike Brown succeeding with the Knicks will be salt in the wound.