With a reloaded roster that features some of the most talented players in the entire NBA, the Lakers are primed and ready for another championship run this season after two rather disappointing years. At the head of the team is second-year coach Mike Brown, who led the team to a rather uninspiring second round exit from the post-season a year ago.
Brown is already earning criticism from Laker fans and NBA pundits who question his ability to corral the gaggle of superstars on his roster and make them work together in a manner that will result in a championship.
During a recent roundtable discussion on SI.com, Sports Illustrated’s Sam Amick stated that he believes Brown is the coach facing the most pressure entering the 2012-13 season.
“He has two guaranteed seasons left on the $18 million deal he signed in 2011 (and a fourth-year team option), and I’d be surprised if he’s back for 2013-14 if these Lakers don’t win it all.”
That’s a tall order for Brown – championship or unemployment. While that’s not necessarily the Lakers’ line of thinking, and I don’t exactly agree completely with Amick’s take, he’s not the only one who thinks Brown needs to bring home the Larry O’Brien trophy or face an off-season of questions about his job security.
Chris Mannix, another SI.com writer, agreed with Amick that Brown is the coach facing the most pressure this season.
“The Lakers’ coach was handed a former two-time MVP point guard (Steve Nash) and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year (Howard) and brought on board an offensive guru (Jordan) to blend them together. It’s championship or bust in Tinseltown, and Brown will be shown the door if he comes up short.”
Another title-or-bust opinion on Brown and the Lakers, which seems to be the common sentiment from many media members. While I personally believe if Brown leads the team to the Finals but doesn’t win he could still be back next season, anything short of a Finals appearance (or at the very least a 7-game loss in the Western Conference Finals), and Brown will most likely find himself unemployed in July.
If that does happen, people are already compiling lists of potential replacements for Brown.
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