It's December 26, 2024. The Kings managed to drop another close, heartbreaking loss at home, this time to the Detroit Pistons. Even without Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento led 68-53 at halftime, followed by a 14-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
Yet, the Kings collapsed (once again) in the biggest moments of the game. The final nail in the coffin was a Jaden Ivey '4-point play' after being fouled by Fox to take the lead with three seconds left.
Post-game, head coach Mike Brown called out his team (and Fox) for the late-game situation's lack of execution. Brown didn't know that this game would serve as his last coaching the Kings. Brown was fired just a day after the loss, leaving assistant coach Doug Christie to fill the large void he left in Sacramento. The loss, followed by another to the Lakers in Christie's first game, dropped Sacramento to a 13-19 record, placing them 12th in the Western Conference.
The Kings once-coveted home-court advantage has vanished, with a 6-12 record at home. Despite acquiring DeMar DeRozan in the offseason, the move hasn't paid dividends the way the team hoped, especially in 'clutch time'.
The Kings still sport a positive point differential despite their losing record, but they're losing time to turn their season around. If they can't, moves feel imminent. Firing Brown may have been overkill, but he currently serves as the scapegoat for an underperforming team.
Mike Brown was the first domino to fall, is De'Aaron Fox next?
The ongoing situation with franchise guard De'Aaron Fox has developed into a fascinating one. With an opportunity to sign a contract extension in the summer, Fox elected to wait. He made it clear he not only feels deserving of a large payday but wants to play in a winning situation.
Sitting at 13-19, Sacramento has done the complete opposite of keeping Fox interested in signing an extension. As a result, the team runs the risk of losing him to free agency after next season.
Fox has made alarming comments that would suggest the front office needs a level of urgency to improve the roster, but he hasn't been free of criticism himself. Brown made several recent comments calling out or challenging Fox as the team's leader, many of which created potential tension between the two and the locker room. The organization could've felt forced to decide between Brown or Fox, ultimately choosing the player. Yet, Fox played a major role in extending Brown's contract.
Positioned in the lottery if the season ended today, Sacramento has to consider the protections on its first-round pick this season. If it falls within the top 12, the Kings will keep their pick, otherwise it will convey to Atlanta from the Kevin Huerter trade. How the Kings finish the first half of the season to the trade deadline, could signal their direction moving forward.