Lakers fire Mike Brown

[LongTimeListener]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/lakers/2012/11/09/mike-brown-fired-by-lakers/1694785/

Deserves its own thread, not NBA Running Thread.

I've never seen anyone literally win a staredown so decisively.

 

[Matt1735]

Didn't the owner come out and say Mike had nothing to worry about... Appears the pat on the back also included a knife!

 

[Jake_Taylor]

So who does Kobe hire next?

 

[Mark2010]

Sounds like Magic Johnson and Paul Westhead in 1981.

Part of the problem in the NBA is that a small group of star players have too much power. This is just the latest example.

That being said, I never understood why Brown was hired by the Lakers to start with. Never liked him when he was in Cleveland. Maybe they should go get Larry Brown, if he would tolerate the star show the NBA has become nowadays.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

What a colossal mistake by Byron Scott to take the Cavs job a couple years ago rather than just wait til Phil retired and take over last season.

 

[RubberSoul1979]

Not the shortest tenure ever, say Mike Price and George O'Leary.

 

[BTExpress]

Sounds like Magic Johnson and Paul Westhead in 1981.

Except that management had decided to fire Westhead days before Magic's outburst. Once they had decided to dump Westhead, Sharman asked Buss to wait a week or so to pull the trigger so he could see who was out there as a possible replacement.

Then Magic has his outburst, and Buss is flummoxed.

"NOW what do I do?" he asked Sharman and West. "If I fire Westhead, people will think it was because of Magic. And if I don't fire him, it WILL be because of Magic."

So they went ahead and stuck with the original plan, knowing Magic would be taking the heat for it.

"Magic fired Westhead" is just another one of those myths that will not die.

 

[21]

The players were already miserable during training camp...long practices with too much standing around, too much talking. None of the stars are 100%, the bench sucks, Brown was already on thin ice after season's early exit. If you're going to make the change eventually, make it now. But not going to be an easy fix for the next guy.

 

[Small Town Guy]

Sounds like Magic Johnson and Paul Westhead in 1981.

Part of the problem in the NBA is that a small group of star players have too much power. This is just the latest example.

That being said, I never understood why Brown was hired by the Lakers to start with. Never liked him when he was in Cleveland. Maybe they should go get Larry Brown, if he would tolerate the star show the NBA has become nowadays.

Who are you blaming this on? Kobe? Okay.

Not Brown for mismanaging rotations, minutes, offense, defense. Kobe fired him. Got it.

 

[dreunc1542]

Go easy on Mark. It's confusing for him to choose which person to pin the blame on as both of them are black.

 

[Chef2]

Wow.

5 games in. 77 games left.

Jumping the gun maybe?

 

[JackReacher]

Who's up now?

Back to Phil?
D'Antoni?
Kiss and make-up with Shaw?
Stick with Person?
Let Kobe be player/coach?

 

[qtlaw]

Kupchak has a little blame since that bench is dreadful; Princeton offense? He knew that when he hired Brown. Still, never thought it was a good match from start. Sloan? Would be fantastic simply because he's a tremendous coach with respect and deserves a shot with great talent (even if aging). D'Antoni would be awesome to watch but team's too slow for his offense although Nash/Howard in his system would be sweet (what would Kobe do though?).

 

[LongTimeListener]

Person could still physically beat the crap out of any current Laker. I'd go with him.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

It seemed strange when they hired the guy in the first place... I wonder if they can convince Phil to come back. Kobe does love D'Antoni.

 

[MileHigh]

As a Lakers fan -- thank goodness.

Should have never been hired in the first place. This is all Jim Buss, too, not Mitch. Jimmy wanted all vestiges of the Zen Era gone, so Shaw had no chance to get hired. And Kobe was never consulted on the hire.

You could see this coming in the preseason when they went 0-8.

Make the phone call to the 406 area code -- stat.

 

[vicd]

Who's up now?

Back to Phil?
D'Antoni?
Kiss and make-up with Shaw?
Stick with Person?
Let Kobe be player/coach?

Stan Van Gundy!!!!!

 

[Small Town Guy]

Chef, I agree with 21. This dates back to last season as far as some of the issues that affected Brown and the Lakers. Obviously with the two new guys you'd think he'd have more of a grace period, but I'd prefer it now compared to when they're 25-17 but still looking confused. Was baffled when they hired him so quickly (like many Lakers fans, I wanted Adelman, although I love that the Wolves got him.).

Woj tweeted that D'Antoni had knee replacement and isn't on his feet yet, if that matters.

Stan Van Gundy for comedic purposes. Or Jeff for witty ones.

I figure Phil, D'Antoni or Sloan.

The two times the Lakers have replaced Phil, the replacement hasn't lasted 82 regular season games. Rudy T. and Brown. Not that he's a tough act to follow or anything.

I disagree with some folks -- Adande tweeted this -- who mentioned this is un-Laker like under Buss. They've had some in-season debacles plenty of times. Westhead, followed by the bizarre scene of Jerry West and Pat Riley being hired as co-coaches originally. Randy Pfund replaced by...Magic. Del Harris dumped early; Rodman brought in. No, they aren't Jerry Jones' Cowboys or Steinbrenner's Yankees. They're also not the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

[Chef2]

It seemed strange when they hired the guy in the first place... I wonder if they can convince Phil to come back. Kobe does love D'Antoni.

Yes, but his " first open look" philosophy won't work with an old point guard, an old shooting guard, an old forward, an old power forward and a center who is in traction.

 

[MileHigh]

L.A. Times: Assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff will coach tonight's game against Golden State but the Lakers will conduct a national search for a long term replacement. Candidates could include Mike D'Antoni, Jerry Sloan, Nate McMillan and Phil Jackson.