braking news BIA sports ;The Mike Brown reunion in Cleveland is nearly complete. (725 hits)
The Mike Brown reunion in Cleveland is nearly complete.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the Cleveland Cavaliers have an agreement in principle to bring their former coach back nearly three years after he was fired just months before LeBron James left for Miami. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the negotiations.
According to a second person with knowledge of the deal, the deal is expected to be for five years and nearly $25 million. The next question, of course, becomes what that means for the Cavs' eventual hopes of having a reunion with James as well.
The Heat star has the ability to become a free agent in the summer of 2014, and it's widely known that he will consider the notion of returning to his home state to continue his championship pursuits. James' acrimonious departure from Cleveland in the summer of 2010 meant the notion was once thought to be impossible. It remains unclear if James would want to play for Brown again, but it is clear that the Cavaliers are elated to have Brown back regardless. The Cavaliers made contact with Phil Jackson about the job, but the 11-time champion formerly of the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls showed no interest in the position.
Cleveland gave Brown his first head coaching job before the 2005 season and two years later, the Cavs advanced to their first NBA Finals in franchise history. The Cavs lost to the San Antonio Spurs - where Brown got his start as an assistant coach - in four games. In 2010, the Cavaliers were knocked out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in the second round and became the first team in NBA history to win 60 games in back-to-back seasons without making the Finals.
Brown was fired by the Cavaliers after the 2010 season and hired by the Lakers before the 2011 season. He coached one season, and the Lakers went 41-25 and lost in the conference semifinals. He was fired five games into this season but had two years and $11 million left on his contract. The Akron-Beacon Journal was first to report on Brown nearing an agreement with the Cavaliers.
