Lakers to Hire Mike Brown

Added on May 25, 2011 by Scott in

NBA

If the numerous reports are true, the Los Angeles Lakers have found their new head coach. His name is Brown, but not the one you might think. Mike Brown, not Larry, is rumored to have been offered a 4-year, $18 million contract to take his talents to La La Land. The deal is expected to be finalized sometime today.

Brown, 41, beat out the likes of Rick Adelman and current Lakers assistant Brian Shaw to secure one of the most coveted jobs in coaching. Adelman brings a veteran resume to the table, while Shaw is a rising talent popular with many of the players, most notably Kobe Bryant, who endorsed both Shaw and Adelman.

Replacing the zen master Phil Jackson won’t be easy. If Brown is the choice, it will save the Lakers a boatload of cash. Jackson earned over $20 million during his final two seasons in Tinseltown. Monetary issues aside, the decision to bring Brown aboard has struck many NBA pundits as a bit strange.

Brown’s five seasons in Cleveland were highlighted by a trip to the 2007 Finals, a Coach of the Year award in 2009 and five consecutive playoff appearances. He is a defensive minded coach who transformed the Cavaliers into one of the league’s best. However, his offensive system met with much criticism, and his inability to wrangle LeBron James’ growing ego led to his abrupt dismissal after the 2010 season.

Is Brown capable of juggling big personalities in a piping hot spotlight? The Los Angeles market is a grind and one better suited for a “name” coach. As good as Brown may be at preaching fundamentals, he doesn’t fit the description of a Pat Riley or Phil Jackson. Motivating an experienced roster will present a difficult challenge.

Like the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys, coaching the Lakers is all about championships. Winning 60 games and reaching the conference finals isn’t enough. If Brown thought handling LeBron in Cleveland was hard, he ain’t seen nuthin’ yet. Welcome to Hollywood.

Source: CBSSports.com