Mike Brown has brought plenty of success to Sacramento since he became Kings coach, snapping the team's 16-season NBA playoff drought and providing a sense of stability for the franchise.
And now, the 54-year-old reportedly would like to be rewarded for his contributions.
Brown's four-year contract he signed ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season includes a mutual option for the fourth season, The Athletic's Sam Amick and Anthony Slater reported Monday, citing league sources, putting the Kings coach in extension territory.
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And Brown "desires a longer-term commitment at his market rate" from Sacramento, Amick and Slater also reported, citing league sources. The 2023 NBA Coach of the Year not only is a four-time champion as an assistant but has helped the Kings reach a level of significance they haven't seen in years, both monetarily and performance-wise.
Still, he has yet to win an NBA title as a head coach -- something some coaches who recently reset that market have done. Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr earns $17.5 million annually after signing a lucrative extension this season, while San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich makes $16 million per year following his own deal. Detroit Pistons coach Monty Williams, however, has yet to win a title in such a role and brings in $13 million a year.
While it's safe to assume Brown could command a double-digit annual salary as well should the Kings extend him, Amick and Slater reported, citing team sources, that ownership is taking "a wait-and-see approach," and that Sacramento could base the decision around singular results -- like the Kings' most recent NBA Play-In Tournament performance.
Brown's side, meanwhile, sees a long list of accomplishments that supports a new market-value deal, per Amick and Slater, including improved optics around the team and an improved defense that promises longevity for the team's recent success.
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It remains to be seen if the Kings in fact will grant Brown's reported wish and reward the coach with a long-term contract.
What remains clear, though, is Brown's immediate impact on the once-struggling franchise, as well as what he could help the team accomplish in the future.