Was it a surprise that Mike Brown was fired so early into the season after only 5 regular season games? Not so much. As we have learned in class sports is a business and they have to make business decisions. The Laker’s have the league’s largest payroll at the moment and they acquired big players like Nash and Howard, so they expect results. Mike Brown as head coach of the Lakers was not producing the results that Kupchak and the Lakers organization expected and although a NBA Championship is never guaranteed, they are expected to be in the hunt.
There may be numerous other reasons why Mike Brown was fired, but the facts are that the Laker’s had one of the worst preseason and regular season starts with a very talented roster. Obviously Mike Brown’s Princeton offense is not the best way to utilize the immense talent that the Laker’s current roster has.
Who will take Mike Brown’s place as head coach of the Lakers is a more pertinent question. In my opinion Phil Jackson’s rumored coming back seems unlikely, however the more time that passes it seems like Phil’s return to the Lakers is a definite possibility. There are coaches like Mike D’Antoni or Mike Dunleavy also in the mix, but no matter who is chosen the Lakers are going to make the best decision possible, obviously money is no obstacle, to ensure that the Lakers have a successful season.
Aiyana W.
KIN 577
It wasn't a surprise that Mike Brown was fired. He had proven that he wasn't an NBA caliber coach as was evident when he got fired by the Cavaliers and blown away by the Thunder. I'm not saying that he did a horrible job as a head coach but he didn't do the job that he was paid to do. Organizations pay coaches millions of dollars to add value to their team. Coaches need to find talent, produce talent, and improve talent to ensure longevity in their careers. Even with that coaches may still get fired, as in the case with Jerry Sloan. But a coach that does that will always have an opportunity to coach in the NBA, provided that he continues to do those things.
ReplyDeletePhil Jackson is the likely replacement for the Lakers. He has proven to be the best coach in the NBA, and the Lakers have shown over the years that they want him as their coach.
Terrance G
KIN 577
I was personally surprised. I believe Mike Brown is definitely an NBA head coach; I don't think you can argue with his track record in Cleveland. Yes, he had Lebron, but winning 60+ games twice and taking the Cavs to the Finals in 2007 is no small feat. not to mention, yes the Lakers lost to the Thunder in the 2nd round last year, but people are quick to forget the Lakers were swept and embarrassed the year before under Phil Jackson. I think Brown is better served as a defensive assistant than a head coach, but he can certainly coach in the NBA. Having said all that, Mike Brown needed to be replaced. It was clear the team was not making any progress (due to him completely overhauling his assistant coaching staff and offensive system) and generally, the team just didn't look well organized. As had been witnessed the past few games without Mike Brown, this team is talented enough to take the court and win games, and it's obvious Brown was inhibiting players from going out and playing. Overall, the team just didn't appear to have much respect for his authority.
ReplyDeleteThis morning Mike D'Antoni was announced as the new head coach of Lakers, shocking everyone as they passed on Phil Jackson. Reportdely Jackson had requested limited travel to road games, input on basketball decisions, and a stake in ownership. I can't help but go back to the biggest issue for the Lakers going forward: Jim Buss. Dr. Jerry Buss is one of the greatest owners of all time, and is preparing to hand the franchise over to his son Jim, who has limited basketball knowledge, and is being given the reigns due to being a Buss, rather than on merit (Dr. Buss' daughtr Jeanie for example, is much more qualified than Jim). Jim wants to create his own legacy, which has so far included hiring two coaches (Rudy T., who lasted half a season and Mike Brown). Jim buss seems more concerned with creating his own legacy (by ridding the franchise of Phil's influence) than the success of the team.
Zach Stiffel
KIN 577
Much like Zach, I too was surprised that they fired Mike Brown after only 5 games. I thought they would give him some more time to figure things out. But apparently their patience just wore too thin and ultimately they didn't believe Brown was the long-term answer. I think the 0-8 preseason clearly played a role as the team just wasn't improving from game to game. The team just wasn't grasping Brown's new offense and a change had to be made.
ReplyDeleteAs to the matter of Jim Buss, I agree with Zach's comments that Jim Buss is trying to create his own legacy. Growing up as the son of the one of the greatest owners of all time surely has had an effect on Buss. He wanted to put his stamp on the team, yet again, by hiring his own guy and not hiring Phil Jackson. I believe that all along he never really wanted to bring Jackson back but rather just did it as a courtesy to the fans. Who knows what Phil demanded? We can never be sure. I believe Buss hired D'Antoni out of pure hubris. He wants to make his mark on the organization. Only time will tell if he made the right choice or not.
Michael Zweig
KIN 577
I am not surprised at all at Mike Brown being fired from the Lakers so early. In the professional sports world the little time that is given to figure things out is in practice, not on court during game time. Players and coaches are expected to have it all put together once they step on the court. Now, is some of the failure of the team due to the players on the team, of course! They are the ones actually on the court but they are getting direction form Mike Brown. Do you blame soldiers for losing battles or do you blame the commanding officer sending them in? The Commander. My coach at Long Beach State always said, "Let me be wrong. Do what I ask and if it doesn't work then it is my fault, not yours." I believe that is the case with the Lakers; those players are good enough to do exactly what their coach asked of them. The system simply wasn't working.
ReplyDelete