Image via WikipediaSo much for fixing the Los Angeles Lakers.
The team announced that the new coach will be Mike Brown, the former Cleveland Cavaliers coach who (mis)handled LeBron James in five seasons.
I thought Brian Shaw would have been a better hire, to ensure continuity from the Phil Jackson era. The Lakers' management seems to like to go to a completely new direction. Jim Buss (son of team owner Dr. Jerry Buss) made the decision to hire and I think he's crafting the team the way he sees it.
The initial negative fan reaction from the Mike Brown hire and the spite sent towards Jim Buss is understandable-- Mike Brown, with all due respect, is a far cry from Phil Jackson. Jim Buss, for his part, is doing his darned best not to look like Don Sterling 2.0.
What do I think of the hiring?
It's clearly all about the immediate future for the Lakers. Brown's contract coincides with the expiration of the contracts of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. (I think Andrew Bynum will get an extension and Lamar Odom will be dealt in the next few years.) Brown is meant to extract the best defensive effort from that bunch while the window for championships are still open.
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