Lakers Hire Mike Brown as Next Head Coach

Just last year, Mike Brown was fired from his job as the Cavaliers head coach in an attempt by Dan Gilbert to entice LeBron James to stay with new coach. Needless to say, LeBron left giving Cleveland the bird (practically) and leaving Dan Gilbert mad and crazy with a bunch of stationary materials. Mike Brown was still out of a job and was working for ESPN when the Lakers knocked on his door about replacing Phil Jackson as head coach of the team. It turned out that both sides agreed and Mike Brown was hired as the new head coach of the Lakers at 4 years, $18.25 million.

Instead of hiring from within (Brian Shaw) or aforementioned Mike Dunleavy or Rick Adelman, the team has hired Mike Brown, the former coach of LeBron James. An interesting move that seemed to appear from out of left field. Not that Brown didn't deserve some credit while in Cleveland having a good record of 272-138, a trip to the NBA Finals, and was coach of the year in 2009. The point is that he has experience coaching. Still, this is no ordinary coaching job that includes one megastar. This the Lakers, a franchise with a proud team history, a tradition of winning, and a team roster that has won titles. My point is that it will be an awkward "getting to know you" period.

We will have to see how Brown approaches this team, especially in dealing with an aging Kobe Bryant, some immature big men, Pau Gasol and his lack of a clutch factor, and speculation surrounding Dwight Howard coming to the team someday (over the rainbow). It sounds like a truly new era of Lakers basketball.