Mike Brown, the former Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers head coach could be headed for a return to the Cavaliers bench next season according to a Yahoo! Sports report.
The report says the Cavaliers are looking for a "respected, defensive minded, hard-working teacher" to be their next coach, which have all been used to describe Brown. He compiled a 272-138 record in five seasons in Cleveland, teaming with LeBron James to reach the postseason in all five years. The Cavaliers advanced past the first round in each of those five postseason trips, and made the NBA Finals in 2007, getting swept by Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.
Brown shares a close relationship with Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant, who has openly stated he wants to hire a coach ''who is strong defensively with proven systems.''
For his part, Brown seems to hold no ill will toward the Cavaliers organization for firing him despite his stellar win-loss record and would consider returning. ''I'm not rushing to get back to (coaching),'' he told The Cleveland Plain Dealer. ''Whether it's the Cavs situation or anybody else, it has to feel right for both sides. If they call, I wouldn't hang up the phone. I'd definitely listen to what anybody has to say. But then you have to decide if it's the right situation for myself, my family and the organization.''
There is also speculation that Brown is planning to move his family back to Cleveland so he can be near his son Elijah, who will be playing basketball for the Butler Bulldogs.
In his second coaching stint, which ended four games into the 2012-2013, Brown led the Lakers to a 42-29 overall record. In his first season in Los Angeles, he navigated the Lakers to a 41-25 record in a lockout-shortened season that ended with a four games to one series loss at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
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