Thursday 28th March 2024,
The Hoop Doctors

Does Mike Brown Feel Like Sloppy Seconds to Lakers Fans?

One thing is certain: Mike Brown has a lot to prove as the new coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Some of the reasons are more obvious and understandable than others. For Starters, he is taking the place of the most successful coach in NBA history. A coach who led the franchise to five NBA championships. That would be a daunting task for any coach.

Also, people have their doubts of an outsider being able to mesh with the team’s superstar. Granted, Kobe Bryant is a much more mature player than he once was, but it was even a fragile process for Phil Jackson earning the full respect of Bryant. Add in the fact that the Lakers are a team that fans expect to be in title contention every year, and it would be an understatement to say Brown has a lot of pressure on his shoulders.

On the other hand, there is a more subtle, underlying reason why Mike Brown may not be a good fit for the Lakers.

Mike Brown is the coach the Cleveland Cavaliers fired after their playoff debacle against the Celtics last spring. Brown was the scapegoat, in an effort to lure LeBron James to resign with Cleveland. Long before the decision, South Beach and people burning James’ jersey in front of Quicken Loans Arena, Brown was public enemy number one in Ohio.

Based on past history, I can’t say that Brown is a bad basketball coach. Brown led Cleveland to the 2007 NBA Finals, and he was named coach of the year in 2009. On the other hand, I just can’t help but wonder if Lakers fans don’t feel as though they are getting sloppy seconds with him as their new coach.

They might be wondering: Why is a guy who wasn’t good enough for King James good for our team? When one considers all of the comparisons between Kobe and LeBron, the fact that Brown will have coached both players gives way for a whole slew of new Kobe and LeBron discussions. All of the yammering will only make the new job that much more stressful.

There is no doubt that Rick Adelman, Jeff Van Gundy or Brian Shaw would feel similar pressure if they had been hired as coach of the Lakers. However, none of those guys were ever exiled in favor of a king.

Joshua Sexton is a lifelong basketball fanatic, who watches as many games as possible. In addition, He has played and coached the game at the high school level. He has recently started writing about the game of basketball.

Like this Article? Share it!