Mike Brown will soon reunite with the Cleveland Cavaliers. A five-year, $20 million deal with the Cavs is being finalized to bring Brown back as the head coach, according to a source reported by Yahoo! Sports.
The hiring comes on the heels of Cleveland firing coach Byron Scott on April 18. Scott, who ironically replaced Brown as head coach in 2010, oversaw a sputtering franchise that went 66-166 during his three seasons as coach.
Brown enjoyed five successful seasons in Cleveland, where he coached All-Star LeBron James and took the team to the 2007 NBA Finals. The Cavs were 272-138 under Brown, including two consecutive 60-plus win seasons.
In a last ditch effort to keep James from leaving in free agency, Cavs owner Danny Gilbert fired Brown in the summer of 2010. The Los Angeles Lakers hired Brown in the summer of 2011 as Phil Jackson's replacement, only to fire him five games into the 2012-13 season.
The Cavaliers ranked last in opponent field goal percentage in the 2012-13 season. Brown's arrival should tighten up one of the league's worst defenses. While his offensive tact has been questioned in the past, Brown is widely regarded as a great defensive coach.
"I'm happy for him, very happy for him," James said before the Miami Heat's game on Tuesday. "I think he's a really good coach, very defensive-minded coach. It'll be good for the young guys that they have."
The "young guys", of course, are budding stars Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters. While Brown inherits a team that has suffered three straight losing seasons, he does takes over a roster with pieces to build upon, much like he did with a young James.
James, who played for Brown for five years, can become a free agent in 2014.