The Lakers hire new head coach
The Lakers and Brown agreed in principle on Wednesday to a four-year deal worth between 4 million and 4.5 million dollars per season, with a team option in the final year that would give him partial pay if he is not retained, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The Lakers, according to ESPN, were expected to make the announcement on Thursday and Brown would likely ink the contract later in the week to succeed legendary coach Phil Jackson. He retired with a record 11 NBA coaching titles (six with Chicago and five with the Lakers), after the club was eliminated by Dallas in the second-round of the Western Conference playoffs.
The Lakers, however, issued a statement to update and clarify the media reports of Brown's hiring.
'In response to rampant speculation and reports about our head coaching position and Mike Brown, we've met with Mike and are very impressed with him.
'In addition, we have an outline for an agreement in place and hope to sign a contract within the next few days.'
The 41-year-old Brown has been working as an ESPN analyst since being fired from the Cleveland Cavaliers nearly a year ago. He would come to the Lakers with a solid resume, but without an all-important NBA Championship ring.
After serving as an assistant under San Antonio's Greg Popovich from 2000-03, Brown turned his first NBA head coaching job into an overwhelming success.
In five seasons with the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, Brown guided them to a 272-138 record and became the franchise's all-time leader.
Brown took the Cavaliers to the playoffs every year, including the 2007 NBA Finals, where they were swept by San Antonio.
After a league-best 66-16 record in 2008-09, Brown was honoured as NBA coach of the year, but the Cavs lost to Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals.
He followed that up with a sparkling 61-21 mark, but Cleveland was beaten by Boston in the second-round last season and Brown was given his pink slip.
Jackson's long-time assistant Brian Shaw was rumoured to have the inside track as the logical replacement, even though he lacked head coaching experience. Then, veteran coach Rick Adelman's name surfaced after his recent firing by the Houston Rockets, along with former coaches Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Dunleavy.
Lakers management, however, moved Brown to the top of the shortlist during a reported face-to-face interview last weekend in Los Angeles.
They were impressed by his head coaching success, his work ethic and his ability to get along with James, something he will need to do with fellow-superstar Kobe Bryant, prompting the Buss family to offer him the coveted coaching spot.
Brown has been known as a defensive coach, but the big question will be how much of the successful triangle offence he will use.
'We're not going to continue exclusively with the triangle,' team owner Jerry Buss told Playboy Radio's Michael Eaves and Bonnie-Jill Laflin on Sirius XM Radio Tuesday. 'Certainly, there will be facets of the triangle incorporated into any modern offence.'
Source:monstersandcritics
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