Wednesday, May 25th, 2011 at 9:00 am  |  75 responses

Reports: Lakers to Hire Mike Brown as Head Coach


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss informed the world yesterday that he was “very close” to finding Phil Jackson’s replacement on the sideline, a man who will command a salary nowhere near what Phil was making.

Late last night, the shocker was who might actually be coaching the Lakers next season.

According to multiple published reports, the Mike Brown Era is on the verge of kicking off in Los Angeles.

From CSN Bay Area and Yahoo! Sports:

Mike Brown will not be the next head coach of the Golden State Warriors. Instead, Brown, the former coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, will be named the new coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, according to two league sources. Brown was considered a frontrunner for the Warriors’ job, but is expected to sign a four-year, $18 million contract with L.A. — succeeding Phil Jackson as coach.

Los Angeles had considered longtime assistant Brian Shaw, but the focus is now on Brown, who is currently an NBA analyst for ESPN. There could be an agreement in place within the next 24-48 hours, sources say, but nothing has been finalized. Brown expects to reach a resolution one way or another with Los Angeles on Wednesday. The two sides are working out issues that could be dealbreakers and cause the Lakers to go to another candidate, sources said, but there’s clearly momentum toward Brown becoming the next head coach.

Known for his defensive approach (a major concern for the Lakers), the 41-year old Mike Brown is a head coach with a proven and impressive NBA track record — he won 272 out of 410 games in Cleveland coaching LeBron James.

Laker fans are understandably worried about his perceived lack of creativity on the offensive end of the floor, and questions regarding his ability to handle superstar talent and ego.

A resolution of some kind is expected today, and should Mike Brown not get hired, Rick Adelman and Brian Shawn are still considered to be strong candidates for the gig.

  • Add a Comment
  • Share
  • RSS

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Newer Comments →
  • Riggs

    aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahaha it is truly the END.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    Kobe WILL NOT finish his career in a Laker uniform. No fu*king way.

  • tomtom

    WHAT!!!????? omg this is horrific. I ACUTALLY feel like crying. There is a really good crop of coaching talent out there and we go for a guy who had arguably the best player in the league and a strong supporting cast in a WEAK-AS S east for numerous years and has absolutely NOTHING to show for it!???? Wow what the hell is Kupcake thinking????

  • Mansonovic

    Kobe will LOVE this. Knowing that Brown is constantly going to put the ball in his hands? Sounds like a dream situation for him…

  • Jer dawg

    I hope Mike Brown is right choice. Owner’s son is a jack**s who think he knows basketball. Rudy T and drafted Bynum. Mitch Kupchak has to work with that clown. The new Laker regime is going to stink if this hire doesn’t work out. I need to witness Kobe get to 7 Championships so critics can Stfu about him not Jordan’s equal. That 7th and 2 more Finals MVPs will at least salvage what awards Kobe never received due to NBA politics and critics bullshit. That said, Los Angeles’ support YOU coach Mike Brown.

  • http://Slamonline.com Caboose

    This is going five awful. That said, I wonder how Kobe will like the purely Iso offense. I’d be surprised if the Lakers get to 50 wins next year.

  • http://Slamonline.com Caboose

    This is going to be awful. That said, I wonder how Kobe will like the purely Iso offense. I’d be surprised if the Lakers get to 50 wins next year.

  • barnabusb

    Haha! Kobe gets LeBron’s sloppy seconds.

  • BBallRehab

    Ahahahahah, is he gonna call LeBron during time-outs to know which play to run?

  • ClydeSays

    First press conference after Kobe puts up 60 points and the Lakers lose the game. “So Coach Brown, was that how you drew it up?”

    Brown: /smiles, nervous laughter “Um….” /shows teeth… “Hahaha. Um…. no.”

    Brown is like alot of other coaches in the League. He’s best suited for young teams. There are only a handful of coaches that can handle veteran rosters (Pop, Jackson, Rivers, SVG, Carlisle now I guess…).

  • http://twitter.com/hurstysyd Hursty

    bahahaha!

  • Pete

    brian shawn would be the better choice…

  • Brent

    Nooooooooooooo

  • http://www.slamonline.com Nick Tha Quick

    ^^^ @ Clyde I thought I was the only one who noticed Mike Brown’s TEETH. Don’t know why he loves to do that!

  • MikeC.

    @Pete – the guy that pumps your gas would be a better choice. I’m so glad I’m not a Laker fan. I’m also very glad that Brown’s proposed contract runs longer than the time it’ll take NY to fire D’Antoni, so NY won’t end up with Brown.

  • BYEBYE

    How the hell a transcending franchise like the lakers would hire a defensive minded coach who never ever likes his team to run coach them unless hes done slot of changing Kobe won’t like this lol gasol will and Bynum will

  • http://slamonline.com Chris O’Leary

    *Grimace*

  • Red Star

    Kobe will not be impressed!!!

  • Riggs

    Mike Brown signs contract with McDonalds to become the new grimace.

  • IAMORANGE4EVER

    Mike Brown is going to LOVE coaching a real closer for the first time in his head coaching career. *snickers*

  • neaorin

    Byron Scott hates Mike Brown’s guts right now.

  • http://redoftoothandclaw.ca/ niQ

    No B.Shaw?

  • http://redoftoothandclaw.ca/ niQ

    and LOL @ riggs.

  • http://www.dimemag.com Royal

    OK…………..

  • http://slamonline.com AlbertBarr

    #worsethanasweep

  • Jacqueline Mitchell

    I don’t think that this move will work in the Lakers favor.They need to do some more searchin’.

  • Dre Baller

    why is it so hard to just make Brian Shaw the head coach?

  • http://pickandroll.tumblr.com/ airs

    GTFOH

  • http://www.nba.com/celtics lights out

    i still think mike brown catches too much flack. he’s a great defensive coach whose offense was better than people remember. to me, his real weakness is in game adjustments, but who knows, maybe he’s gotten better with experience. let’s also not forget that this lakers roster is far more talented than the cavs teams he coached.

  • MikeC.

    @neaorin – I just picture Byron Scott sitting alone in his office, staring at his Cavaliers contract and wondering aloud if coaches can be traded.

  • Jono

    Wots today’s date, April 1st?

  • Joe

    @MikeC– you forgot to add….”With his arms crossed”

  • http://slamonline.com 1982

    I think there was a typo. It should’ve said “Lebron won 272 out of 410 games while being coached by Brown.” Pretty impressive, nonetheless, not only does Bron improve the play of his teammates, he earns better jobs for his ex-coaches as well.

  • http://dsjkflf.com Jukai

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

  • Eddie1

    Did y’all remember what I posted 2 years ago (or in your timezone 2 weeks ago)? I told you the lakers are just destined to fail now that they’ve angered the you-know-who.

  • cru_thik305

    so wait, let me see if i understand this. you guys are critizing brown even though he coached one of the best defensive teams in the league to the best record in back to back years. and instead of hiring an experienced coach that will improve the lakers defense, (so that guys like JJ Barea and Peja Stojakovic wont light them up like they did in the playoffs),you think a rookie head coach would be the better choice? good call

    @tomtom: stfu

  • AD

    cosign … dese lakers fan are stupid…… dey are just like knick fans………. Mike Brown will bring his defensive mentality unlike shaw, all he did was sit there ant talk to kobe

  • http://dsjkflf.com Jukai

    I’ve thought long and hard about this…. this is a present to Kobe. Now he can jack up all the shots he wants and win that all-time scoring title. He has enough rings, time to aim for something else.

  • http://dsjkflf.com Jukai

    I mean, does anyone here believe Mike Brown even knows what the triangle offense is? This is too funny.

  • http://slamonline Brion

    Adelman would coach circles around this guy.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Max

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

  • cru_thik305

    @Jukai- defense wins championships, not the triangle offense

  • http://www.slamonline.com Max

    Anyone else noticed the Lakers can’t win without Mbenga? He has that dj-factor that get’s u wins…

  • http://Philosophervision@blogspot.com The Philosopher

    Kobe Bryant gets The King’s leftovers. lol
    LONG… LIVE… THE KING!

  • http://www.fiba.com Darksaber

    Hilarity.

  • robb

    What??? OK I get it, Kobe doesn’t want to be coached anymore, so they’ll get the ultimate “do whatever you want” coach. Unfortunately Kobe’s game is not a team oriented game unlike Lebron who dished tons of assists and kept his teammates involved. If they hire this man, the Lakers championship aspirations and Kobe’s career are over. Worst news of the day for us Lakers fans.

  • http://www.kangarew.com Jeremy Page

    I just heard that Luke Walton is going to sign a deal to take over as coach.

    “Unbeleeeeeeeeevable”, his father, Bill, was quoted saying.

  • RobbieJay

    shoulda jus gave it to kobe himself

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    If Mike Brown wins the title next year wat does that do to Phil Jackson’s legacy? Nothing? — And going from the best offensive head coach in a long time to the worst is befuddling.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    lol. you said befuddling. Well I personally can’t even take this serious. I think its a ploy. But if not i still predict a championship either way so dammit Brown, meow mix meow mix please deliver!

Newer Comments →
Advertisement