Mike Brown Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Coaching Rumors: Hollins, Snyder, Jensen, Brown

April 24th, 2013 at 8:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

As many as a third of the league's teams could be looking for coaches this summer, and that doesn't include the Cavaliers, who've already hired Mike Brown, Grantland's Zach Lowe writes. An agent told Lowe that the Brown/Cavs pairing could spur movement in the rest of the coaching market. Lowe has plenty more on coaches who could be coming or going, and takes a closer look at the Bobcats and Cavs in his latest column. We'll pass along the highlights here, along with news from other NBA scribes:

The Grizzlies are more likely than not to retain Lionel Hollins, though that could change if the Clippers sweep them in the first round.
Hawks GM Danny Ferry may turn to Quin Snyder if he decides to let go of Larry Drew, now that Brown, his preferred target, is no longer available.
Alex Jensen, this season's D-League Coach of the Year, could be on an NBA bench as soon as next season, and earns consistent mention among defensively minded coaches on the rise.
The final season of Brown's five-year deal with the Cavs is partially guaranteed, as Charley Rosen notes for HoopsHype. Brown can take the Cavs to "the outer fringes of respectability" at best, Rosen opines.
Alvin Gentry, who was let go by the Suns earlier this season, has the resume, the presence, and the local ties necessary to make him a candidate for the Bobcats' coaching opening, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
Bobcats assistant coach Stephen Silas has shown a knack for player development and, despite his team's struggles, is considered a strong candidate for head coaching jobs, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link).
Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio has the latest on Brown's effort to build his staff with the Cavs, reporting that former Pistons head coach John Kuester is expected to join Brown in Cleveland.
Brown isn't short on coaching acumen, but his success with the Cavs will ultimately come down to whether the team can give him a roster that's talented enough to win, Pat McManamon of Fox Sports Ohio believes.

Pacific Rumors: Brown, D’Antoni, Kings, Warriors

April 24th, 2013 at 5:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Lakers are the only team that's yet to win a game among the three Pacific Division clubs in the playoffs, but they have a chance to do so tonight against the Spurs. As always, the on-court action is just one of many stories making headlines in Lakerland, and we've got the rest of the news here, along with dispatches from around the division:

The Cavaliers' decision to hire Mike Brown as their new head coach could grease the financial skids for the Lakers to fire Mike D'Antoni if they so choose, as Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld examines. Kennedy tabs the amount still left on Brown's contract with the Lakers at $11MM, while Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times says it's closer to $8MM, with around $6MM-$7MM guaranteed. The Lakers will be spared from shelling out a portion of that guaranteed money — perhaps as much as half, according to Pincus —now that Brown is with the Cavs (Twitter links).
Still, that $3MM-$4MM would amount to nothing more than "a grain of sand on the beach" when it comes to the Lakers' books, a source tells Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The precise amount won't be known until the league approves the contract, which could take a month, McMenamin hears. A more significant effect that Brown's new job could have on the Lakers might involve the desire of Brown's former assistant coaches, some of whom remain with L.A., to follow him to Cleveland.
The fate of the Kings will have a significant impact on David Stern's legacy as NBA commissioner, writes Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. One league executive told Voisin that Stern has been "anguishing" over the process that has Seattle and Sacramento groups competing for the franchise.
Seattle's effort to build a new arena has cleared a major permitting hurdle, and Chris Daniels of KING-TV in Seattle has the details.
Warriors front office adviser Jerry West gives his thoughts to Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group about the team's sharpshooting backcourt duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Michael Malone, Brian Shaw Top Sixers’ List

April 24th, 2013 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 2:05pm: Having been hired by the Cavaliers, Brown is no longer in the mix for the Sixers' job. However, another name has joined Shaw as a top candidate for Philadelphia, according to Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com. Lynam reports that Warriors assistant Michael Malone is "high on the Sixers' list" for the head coach opening.

TUESDAY, 9:46am: The Sixers are still in the early stages of their search to replace former head coach Doug Collins, but according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), two names have risen to the top of the team's list: Mike Brown and Brian Shaw.

Brown appears to be a popular target these days, as the Cavaliers have reportedly made the former Lakers coach their top priority early in the offseason. Shaw, meanwhile, has received plenty of head coaching buzz before, and it seems to be only a matter of time before the current Pacers assistant gets his shot.

Sixers assistant Michael Curry, who has the support of many Philadelphia players as well as Collins, is expected to interview for the club's head coaching position.

Central Notes: Brown, Cavs, Bucks, Shaw

April 24th, 2013 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks lost again in Miami last night, falling behind 2-0 to the Heat in their first round series, but the Central's other two playoff teams are still in decent shape. The Bulls are heading to Chicago having split two games with the Nets in Brooklyn, while the Pacers will look to take a 2-0 series lead on the Hawks tonight. As we look forward to that game, let's check in on a few more Central Division items….

According to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link), had the Cavaliers' position not been available, Mike Brown likely wouldn't have pursued another coaching job for next season, even though he would have drawn interest and perhaps received offers.
The Cavs can't worry about what effect hiring Brown will have on their potential down-the-road pursuit of LeBron James, since Brown is the right fit for the current team, says Sam Amick of USA Today. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports had some thoughts earlier today on the Cavs' future, which he doesn't believe will include a reunion with LeBron.
Tom Ziller of SBNation.com wonders what the Bucks were thinking when they gave up a young asset in Tobias Harris to acquire a rental (J.J. Redick) that interim coach Jim Boylan is barely playing in the postseason. I think Ziller undersells the likelihood of Milwaukee re-signing Redick using his Bird rights, which the team also acquired in the deal. But Redick's lack of playing time so far against the Heat has indeed been surprising.
No teams have contacted the Pacers yet to ask permission to interview assistant Brian Shaw for a head coaching opening, tweets Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star. It's possible that clubs are simply waiting until after Indiana is out of the postseason, which is Donnie Walsh's preference.

Cavaliers Name Mike Brown Head Coach

April 24th, 2013 at 8:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have officially announced that Mike Brown will return as the team's head coach, confirming the news in a press release. Reports yesterday indicated that the two sides had reached an agreement in principle, and were working to finalize the details of a five-year contract worth between $20-25MM.

"I am more than excited about Mike Brown’s return to the Cleveland Cavaliers," owner Dan Gilbert said in a statement. "Mike has done nothing but win in this league since he was a first-year assistant many years ago. He is going to instill a much-needed defensive-first philosophy in our young and talented team that is going to serve as our foundation and identity as we continue down the path of building the kind of franchise that competes at a championship level for many years to come."

For Brown, it will be his second stint as the Cavs' head coach. In his first five seasons with the club, during LeBron James' time in Cleveland, Brown led the Cavs to a 272-138 record. Brown's time with the Cavs coincided with the team's only five playoff berths since the 1997/98 season, including one appearance in the Finals.

Because he was let go by the Lakers with nearly three years remaining on his contract, Brown was still owed a reported $10MM+ by Los Angeles. The Lakers figure to receive some relief now that Brown will be receiving a salary from the Cavs, though it's not exactly clear yet how much money the Lakers will save as a result of offset.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link), the Cavs will introduce Brown to the media at a 2:30 press conference today.

Mike Brown, Cavs Finalizing Five-Year Deal

April 23rd, 2013 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

4:03pm: Brown and the Cavs have an agreement in principle for a five-year deal worth a little south of $25MM, according to Sam Amick of USA Today.

3:44pm: An official announcement on Brown could come as soon as today, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.

2:51pm: The five-year deal for Brown will be worth more than $20MM, according to Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

2:38pm: Brown and the Cavs are working toward finalizing a five-year contract, says Wojnarowski, adding that the final year would include a buyout provision (Twitter link).

2:31pm: The Cavs and Brown "still have some issues to resolve," a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). However, Wojnarowski confirms that a deal could be announced tomorrow. It sounds as if the two sides are simply sorting through some details at this point. One of those details is the offset on the salary still owed to Brown by the Lakers, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).

2:09pm: The Cavs and Brown have reached a "handshake agreement" on a deal, reports Lloyd (via Twitter). An official announcement is expected tomorrow, according to Lloyd.

2:00pm: Since parting ways with Byron Scott last week, the Cavaliers have seemingly been focusing on former head coach Mike Brown. Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal confirms (via Twitter) that Brown has emerged as the frontrunner for the team's open coaching position, and adds that a deal between the two sides could be announced as soon as tomorrow.

Brown, who was let go by the Lakers five games into the 2012/13 season, has been a popular target this offseason for teams seeking a new coach. One report indicated that Brown had turned down multiple offers from the Suns, while another report suggested that his name was at or near the top of the Sixers' wish list. ESPN.com's Marc Stein also tweeted today that the Hawks are expected to target Brown if and when they part ways with current head coach Larry Drew. By moving quickly on Brown, the Cavs could prevent current playoff teams like the Hawks from having a chance at him.

Brown is still believed to be owed about $8MM in salary by the Lakers, so he's under no real pressure to find a new job. There's certainly some appeal to the Cavs' position though, as Brown was already planning to be based in the Cleveland area. Additionally, the team is stocked with draft picks, cap space, and a young superstar in Kyrie Irving.

Coaching Rumors: Snyder, Bobcats, Hawks, Suns

April 23rd, 2013 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

It's already been a busy day on the NBA's coaching carousel, as Mike Dunlap was let go by the Bobcats, while Mike Brown is close to officially becoming the Cavs' head coach for a second time. Even after the Cavs fill their coaching vacancy, plenty of other NBA teams are either in the market for a new coach or could be soon. Here are the latest coaching-related rumblings around the league:

We heard that Brown could also potentially draw offers – or at least interest – from the Suns, Hawks, and Sixers among others. However, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com tweets that a major factor in Brown's decision was his family wanting to live in Cleveland.
Quin Snyder, who worked for CSKA Moscow in 2012/13, drew strong interest from the Bobcats last summer, and could emerge again as a candidate in Charlotte, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter). Stein notes that Snyder could also be at or near the top of the Hawks' wish list if Danny Ferry decides to part ways with Larry Drew (Twitter link).
Given the team's cap situation and the presence of another top-five pick, the Bobcats' opening is more appealing now than it was a year ago, and is drawing more interest this time around, says Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Suns president Lon Babby intends to hire a new general manager and then work with that GM to make a decision on the team's coach, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Babby isn't inclined to hire one person for both jobs, Coro adds.
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes that none of the Raptors' assistant coaches are under guaranteed contracts for next season. As Smith points out, if Toronto drags its feet on finalizing decisions on Bryan Colangelo and Dwane Casey, the pool of potential assistants could be depleted by the time the team gets around to it.

Latest On Cavs’ Coaching Search

April 23rd, 2013 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

While the Cavaliers' coaching search involved reaching out to Phil Jackson, it appears unlikely that the 11-time champion will be interested in Cleveland's rebuilding project, as Bob Finnan of the News-Herald writes. Finnan has plenty of other details on the team's search to replace Byron Scott on the bench though, so let's dive in and check out the highlights….

One prominent agent told Finnan that the Cavs have a "fixation" on Mike Brown. According to Finnan, Danny Ferry and the Hawks could have interest in Brown if they let go of Larry Drew, so Cleveland is hoping to move quickly on the former Lakers coach.
In addition to contacting Jackson, the Cavs may have also reached out to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who isn't interested, says Finnan.
Nate McMillan, who is rumored to be in the mix for the Pistons' opening, doesn't appear to be high on the Cavs' list. Finnan notes that it may be because McMillan is too similar to Scott.
The Cavs haven't inquired on Flip Saunders, who is open to a return to the NBA.

Mike Brown Twice Turned Down Suns Job

April 22nd, 2013 at 5:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Suns attempted to bring Mike Brown aboard as coach at midseason, when they let go of Alvin Gentry, and again this month, but Brown rebuffed the team both times, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Stein says Brown passed this time around to focus on the Cavs, where he remains the leading candidate, according to the Associated Press, and other openings (Twitter links). It's further indication interim coach Lindsey Hunter could be on his way out, following the departure of GM Lance Blanks within the hour, as the ESPN.com scribe surmises.

Brown and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert met yesterday and could meet again as soon as today. There's pressure on Cleveland to move quickly, since Brown would reportedly be the top choice of Hawks GM Danny Ferry if he decides to let go of Larry Drew after the team finishes its postseason run.

The Sixers and the Pistons are the only two teams other than the Cavs to have coaching vacancies at the moment, but Brown does not appear to be a candidate for either job. Nonetheless, it appears the former Lakers coach has landed on his feet after his ouster in L.A. just five games into the 2012/13 season.

Eastern Notes: Cavs, Nets, Pistons, Knicks

April 22nd, 2013 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After a dominant performance in Game One of their series against the Bulls, the Nets are in action again tonight as they try to take a 2-0 lead before the series heads to Chicago. As we look forward to that game, let's check in on a number of Monday items out of the Eastern Conference….

As the Cavaliers search for a new head coach, owner Dan Gilbert had dinner with Mike Brown last night, as first reported by Cleveland's WKYC. According to ESPN.com's Chris Broussard, the meeting was a positive one, though Brown hasn't been offered the job. The two sides agreed to deliberate and talk again later this week, perhaps as soon as today, reports Broussard.
While the Cavs also reached out to Phil Jackson, that's viewed merely as due diligence, according to Broussard, who says Jackson is more interested in a front office role. Steve Kerr says the some thing of Jackson, telling Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he's not sure whether the Zen Master is physically up to the challenge of diving back into coaching.
While Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov would like to see his team add another star, Brooklyn's current cap situation won't make it easy to do so, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.
In a pair of tweets, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press hints that Detroit isn't exactly a prime destination for free agents, and that the Pistons are more likely to try to use their cap space on trades this summer.
In a column for the Detroit News, Terry Foster expands on the same point Ellis is making, pointing out that even though owner Tom Gores may be ready to spend, that doesn't mean free agents will begin flocking to the Pistons.
Head coach Mike Woodson is happy that the Knicks' roster-building approach last offseason involved bringing aboard a handful of aging, but productive, veterans, as he tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. "We were able to do all these things thanks to ownership allowing us and field these guys who would be serious about winning a title," Woodson said. "I’m happy with the guys we chose, absolutely."