Kobe Bryant and I are both surprised. Via Yahoo! Sports…
Although the move has yet to be finalized, it sounds like the Los Angeles Lakers and owner Jerry Buss have decided to go with former-Cleveland Cavaliers’ coach Mike Brown as their replacement for Phil Jackson. Brown, the cheapest of the three finalists, should be signing a contract with the Lakers within the next day or so.
One of the biggest issues that appears to have factored into the potential signing of Brown is his price tag. After Jackson drained Buss’ checkbook with a robust eight-figure salary to go along with the highest-paid roster in the NBA, the Lakers are looking to find a good coach at a reasonable price. Of the three candidates, including Brown, Lakers’ assistant coach Brian Shaw and former Houston Rockets head coach Rick Adelman, Brown would most likely take the smallest offer of them all.
Heh. I figured it would be Rick Adelman, Jerry Sloan, or maybe Brian Shaw because Kobe had his back. Mike Brown always had his Cavs at the top of their game defensively, but their offense could’ve been better, and I never felt that he was a dude who had great command over his players, which is the kind of coach that I feel like a team full of egos (like LA) needs. Phil Jackson commanded a certain type of respect that Mike Brown simply does not. Two hands full of rings will do that for a dude. Mike Brown has five fewer than his new star player. This may not end well.
