Brown, who coached the Cavs to the playoffs in each of the five seasons he coached them, from 2005 to 2010, has agreed to a five-year, $20 million deal, sources told ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst and ESPN The Magazine’s Chris Broussard on Tuesday. The Cavs have a team option for the fifth year, which is partially guaranteed for Brown.
With a handful of promising young players, plus a lottery pick and cap space, the Cavs are a reasonably attractive job. And Mike Brown had eyes only for Cleveland, Brian Windhorst writes. Brown’s hiring could be announced as early as Wednesday.
Brown will return to the job the Cavs fired him from in 2010 despite back-to-back 60-win seasons. He was the Cavs’ top choice for the job and the only person they interviewed, though they did reach out to former Lakers and Bulls coach Phil Jackson to gauge if he had any interest.
Brown met with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and general manager Chris Grant this past weekend in Detroit. A major factor in Brown’s decision to accept the job is his family, which had planned to move back to Cleveland this summer after he was fired as coach of the Lakers early this season. Brown also has a strong and longstanding relationship with Grant.
The Cavs wanted to move fast to secure Brown. Sources told ESPN.com that Brown already had turned down the Phoenix Suns‘ coaching position and could have become a candidate for other jobs in the coming days.
Sources say Brown views the Cavs’ position as one of the top jobs available because of the presence of All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving and the club’s substantial amount of salary-cap space. The Cavaliers have reached a deal to bring back Mike Brown as head coach. Will LeBron James follow him back to Cleveland?
Brown went 272-138 overall with the Cavs, teaming with LeBron James on a run to the NBA Finals in 2007. He was fired after the Cavs lost to Boston in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals, shortly before James decided to leave Cleveland as a free agent.
“I’m happy for him, very happy for him,” James said Tuesday before Game 2 of the Heat’s first-round series against Milwaukee. “I think he’s a really good coach, very defensive-minded coach. It’ll be good for the young guys that they have.”
James said he has not reached out to Brown. James said he has shut down his phone for the playoffs, just as he did last season. “I don’t have a phone right now,” James said.
Brown spent one full season with the Lakers, but was fired five games into this season. The Cavs have been without a coach since dismissing Byron Scott last week following his third straight losing season.
Via ESPN
