Many within NBA circles believe it’s only a matter of time before Brown is fired. Jerry Sloan and Mike D’Antoni are two names that have surfaced as possible replacements for Brown.
“Jerry Sloan to L.A. by December 1,” one league source predicted. “Nash and Howard are the new Stockton and Malone. He wants a ring, not to mention the money. He didn’t seriously consider Orlando, Charlotte or Portland [openings] over the summer because he knew Los Angeles would open up.”
Mike Brown has a very tough job. He’s dealing with four future Hall-of-Famers and they had just installed a new offense. However, the start has been less than desirable as they lost their first three games before they obliterated the Detroit Pistons last Sunday night, 108-79.
But Brown has made some questionable decisions. He can never seem to settle on a rotation, something that’s been a problem ever since he started coaching the Lakers. The Princeton may benefit guys like Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant but it’s not a great fit for Steve Nash, who is basically his own system, as well as Dwight Howard. They’re not running pick-and-rolls to tailor to the strengths of Nash and Howard. The starters are playing too many minutes (Bryant quipped that their first win relieved Mike Brown more than anyone else) and were even brought back in the fourth quarter even though the Lakers were still up by more than 20 points.
While Kobe seems to endorse Brown in the media, it makes people wonder if that’s the case inside the locker room. The rumors that are fueled right now are certainly not helping. And a lot of fans have been calling for Brown’s head seemingly from the minute he got to Los Angeles.
A string of victories can put these rumors to rest. They can start by beating the Utah Jazz tomorrow night.
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Practice Footage: Check out Mike Brown explaining his thought process for putting Kobe Bryant in at the end of the Detroit Pistons game
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