The Los Angeles Lakers have a great opportunity to sign a previous Coach of the Year who is on the verge of leaving his present team.
This summer, the Los Angeles Lakers have one priority: retaining LeBron James. Is there a better way to ensure his retention than to hire his old coach, who guided him to his first NBA Finals appearance?
The Lakers now have the chance to do just that. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, head coach Mike Brown and the Sacramento Kings have agreed to table contract extension talks. This means Brown is entering the final year of his contract, making him a prime candidate for the Lakers to pursue.
The Lakers should try to poach head coach Mike Brown.
ESPN Sources: The Sacramento Kings and coach Mike Brown have agreed to put contract extension talks on hold. Brown, who has one guaranteed season left on his contract, nevertheless faces a significant gap in terms of future deals.
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 25, 2024
Mike Brown has had a fairly successful run in Sacramento thus far. In 2023, he led the squad to its first playoff appearance since 2006, becoming the first unanimous Coach of the Year winner. He concluded last season with a 46-36 record but failed to make the playoffs in the crowded Western Conference.
There is little doubt that he earned himself a contract extension, but there is reportedly a “gulf” between the two parties. The Sacramento Kings’ leadership has made questionable judgments in the past, and owner Vivek Ranadive is renowned for being impulsive at times. If he believes the Kings underperformed last season and Brown does not deserve an eight-figure annual pay like some of his teammates, he could be available to the Lakers.
To poach Brown, the Lakers would surely have to give up assets. There is precedent for coach trades in the NBA. Doc Rivers was previously traded to the Clippers by the Celtics for a first-round draft selection. Stan Van Gundy and Jason Kidd have also earned draft picks for their moves to the Magic and Bucks, respectively.
Brown is not only familiar with LeBron James, having coached him for five years in Cleveland, but he also knows the Lakers organization. In 2011, he was hired to succeed Phil Jackson as the Lakers’ head coach. After a second-round departure in his first season and a slow start in his second, despite the acquisitions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, he was fired five games into the season.
However, he is a lot better coach now. He is well-respected throughout the league, has a great rapport with his players, and continuously motivates his squad to play with effort and discipline. That’s the kind of coach the Lakers need.
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