Jordi Fernandez’s forty second birthday needed to be bittersweet. The Sacramento Kings fired Mike Brown, his longtime mentor, on Friday after a 13-18 begin this season. He went 107-88 in three seasons as Sacramento’s head coach.
Brown gave Fernandez his begin within the NBA. They coached collectively in Cleveland and Sacramento by way of the years. Fernandez served as Brown’s affiliate head coach in Sacramento earlier than accepting his present place as Nets head coach.
The league is usually cut-throat, and Brown’s sudden firing is simply the most recent instance of that. Getting into Friday’s sport in opposition to the San Antonio Spurs at Barclays Middle, it was the very last thing Fernandez wished to listen to.
Brown received Coach of the 12 months in his first season in Sacramento in 2022-23. He signed a three-year extension by way of 2027 with the Kings in June. He received 54.9% of his video games with the franchise, however his firing comes on the heels of a five-game shedding streak.
“Whatever you believe in, your culture and everything you want to build, try to do what’s best for the group, not for yourself,” Fernandez stated. “That’s what he’s always done since 16 years ago that I worked for him, and he brought me into the U.S. to work in the NBA”
JOHNSON, SIMMONS RULED OUT
Cam Johnson didn’t play in Friday’s house sport in opposition to San Antonio due to a proper hip contusion suffered in Thursday’s defeat of the Milwaukee Bucks. Whereas he performed 35 minutes and completed with a game-high 29 factors, he took a nasty fall after throwing down a dunk within the first quarter, which is the place he sustained the harm.
“As we’ve done before, next-man mentality,” Fernandez stated.
Ben Simmons remains to be not taking part in in back-to-back units and was inactive for Friday’s sport as properly. Whereas Simmons’ minutes proceed to extend, Fernandez didn’t present a timetable for when that particular restriction might be lifted.
“The good thing is, we go from a certain amount of minutes, now he’s playing close to 30 lately,” Fernandez stated. “You guys have seen his pace, production, assists, how aggressive he’s been, so that’s good for the group. The next step is playing in back-to-backs.”
FINNEY-SMITH RETURNS
Veteran ahead Dorian Finney-Smith returned to the lineup on Friday after lacking three straight video games due to a left calf contusion. With Simmons and Cam Johnson sidelined, Shake Milton, Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson and Nic Claxton joined him within the beginning 5. It was the sixteenth completely different beginning lineup Brooklyn has used this season.
“So far he’s in good spirits,” Fernandez stated of Finney-Smith. “He was in good spirits yesterday, too.”
