Kings' mishandling of Mike Brown's firing is burdening their star

Fox told reporters Tuesday that he was as surprised as anyone that Brown was fired on Dec. 27, saying he found out "in a UPS line." But because Brown had criticized Fox for not guarding Detroit Pistons' Jaden Ivey on a game-winning basket the previous night, observers speculated that Fox was involved in his coach's dismissal.

Fox has repeatedly insisted that wasn't the case on his social media and in an ESPN interview.

"You can ask anybody in this organization: me and Mike have never even had an argument," Fox said. "We could disagree with something. We talked about it and it was gone."

However, no one in the Kings organization has answered questions to explain why Brown was dismissed, so the questions continue to go to the team's star player. Kings owner Vivek Ranadive didn't even attend a game until Wednesday's 113-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, and neither Ranadive, general manager Monte McNair, nor team president Matina Kolokotronis has explained the sudden firing.

In July, Brown signed a contract extension through the 2026-27 season. At the time, Fox claimed, "I don't want another coach." Now he's got one in Doug Christie, the fifth Kings coach since Fox was drafted in 2016.

Christie might be Fox's last coach in Sacramento. Fox can become a free agent in 2026 and rejected a contract extension this summer. If the Kings continue to slide, he could be traded, and the team fears losing him for nothing in free agency.

If Sacramento's long-term relationship with Fox wasn't already in doubt, the front office's silence while he repeatedly fields questions about his coach's firing doesn't help.

Brown was the scapegoat for the Kings' disappointing season, and the front office is letting Fox be one for the firing.