Think about the last time you got a raise. Did you do anything in particular to earn it? Maybe you took on additional responsibilities, and your bosses noticed the extra work. Perhaps you nailed a big presentation and impressed a client, or you found a way to bring in new business for the company. It may have even been as simple as sticking around for long enough and getting rewarded for it.
Whatever the case may be, if it’s been a while since that raise (or if you’ve never received one), don’t get too down. Just look at Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown for inspiration.
The Kings offered Brown a contract extension that will run through the 2026-27 season. Starting next year, Brown will make $8.5 million—a whopping raise of $4.5 million from this season. He’ll stay at that salary for the next two seasons, as well.
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Going from $4 million to $8.5 million is an enormous leap, and it puts Brown among the top ten highest-paid coaches in the league. He’s certainly earned it in bringing the Kings franchise back to relevance.
In 2022-23, the Kings posted a 48-34 record, good enough for third in the Western Conference. Brown won NBA Coach of the Year, his second time winning the award. Unfortunately for Sacramento, the team ran into the playoff-tested Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry. The Kings fell in a tough seven-game series, but there was hope on the horizon.
That playoff appearance was the first time the Kings had reached the postseason in 16 years. Since the Kings’ last trip to the playoffs, the Seattle Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. Three different presidents had finished their terms. The original Cars movie had just been released. Sixteen years is a long time!
This year, the Kings didn’t have nearly as much success despite an almost identical record. Finishing 46-36 slotted them as the No. 9 seed. Sacramento did get a bit of revenge, defeating Golden State in the play-in before losing to the New Orleans Pelicans and missing the playoffs.
Still, Brown has turned the franchise around. Their last back-to-back winning seasons were in 1998-99 and 1999-2000, and this current roster has several exciting pieces, including De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk, and Keegan Murray.
It’s a good time to be a Kings fan. And it’s an even better time to be Mike Brown. Now go out and get yourself a raise, too.