Mike Brown plans to move Luke Loucks to the front of the bench

Apr 24, 2024, 11:33 AM

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 26: Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown (left) and assistant coach Jordi Fernandez watch their team play the Miami Heat in the first half at Golden 1 Center on February 26, 2024 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

BY JOSEPH JAROSZ

Former Editor

Mike Brown already has some ideas on who is moving up the bench next season.

Jordi Fernandez was officially named head coach of the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. He previously served as Brown’s associate head coach for the Sacramento Kings.

“Congratulations to Jordi and the Brooklyn Nets, fantastic hire,” Brown said at his end-of-season press conference.

📍 Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/pJGrswWKam

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 23, 2024

Brown announced that Luke Loucks would move to the front of the bench. The associate head coach position is open for now.

Loucks, 34, coached alongside Brown with the Golden State Warriors before joining him in Sacramento.

“My first two hires when I got this job were Jordi and Luke Loucks and I told Luke that if anybody leaves from the front of the bench, I’d move him up,” Brown said. “I’m not sure what Jordi’s situation is or who he’ll try to take at the end of the day, that’s to be determined. But he and I are close and we’ll have conversations about that as time goes on.”

Mike Brown on potential staff changes as Jordi Fernandez moves to Brooklyn: "My first two hires when I got this hire were Jordi and Luke Loucks."

Brown said he told Loucks, when hiring him, that if someone else were to move on, he would get to move to the front of the bench.…

— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) April 24, 2024

He added that he’s leaning toward making Doug Christie the Kings’ summer league coach.

“I think it’ll be great for him to get that experience and see what it’s like to make decisions on the fly, put a practice plan together, and connecting a staff as well as a team, and all the other ins-and-outs that come along with coaching a summer league team,” Mike Brown said. “I think Doug may be the only that hasn’t been in that position yet.”