The Los Angeles Lakers will hire Mike Brown as the team's next head coach, according to CSN Bay Area's Matt Steinmetz. While this news is rather suprising, it does gel with the report earlier Tuesday that owner Jerry Buss said the team was "very close" to naming Phil Jackson's successor.
Brown's only previous head coaching experience came with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he was let go after five seasons so the team could bring Byron Scott aboard, but the 41-year-old is expected to sign a four-year contract worth approximately $18 million contract with the Lakers according to Steinmetz.
A report from NBA.com's David Aldridge Tuesday night noted that Lakers were looking for the coach that accepted their salary demands:
But the Lakers are adamant about maintaining their salary ceiling, and seem to be looking for the candidate that will accept those terms as opposed to picking a candidate and negotiating a deal with him.
Brown was 272-138 in five seasons in Cleveland, reaching the second round of the playoffs each season and earning NBA Coach of the Year honors once while coaching the LeBron James led Cavs.
Stay tuned to SB Nation's Lakers blog Silver Screen and Roll and this Storystream for more news as this develops.