The NBA is a very big business and a very small world. On the eve of the Cavs third consecutive trip to the NBA finals, our sports commentator Terry Pluto talks about Mike Brown 鈥� the assistant coach for Golden State who is filling in for ailing head coach Steve Kerr 鈥� and whose basketball career has included not one 鈥� but two 鈥� stints in Cleveland.
Everyone expected a rematch between the Cavs and the Warriors. But not everything has gone as expected, Pluto says.
鈥淭hat they would meet up in the finals for a third time, yes. But that Mike Brown would be coaching Golden State, no.鈥�
Pluto knew that Mike Brown was likely to join Steve Kerr as a top assistant at Golden State. They鈥檇 known each other for years. And he brought with him a resume that included head coach of Cleveland beginning at the young age of 35.
鈥淎nd the reason that happened (in 2005) was because Danny Ferry, who played with the Cavaliers, and Steve Kerr, who played with the Cavaliers, became very close friends.鈥�
After leaving the Cavs, they both also rode the bench in San Antonio, 鈥渨here there was a young assistant named Mike Brown,鈥� whose job was to work with the bench players.
After that, Ferry was considered the hot young managerial candidate and came to Cleveland, where he gave new owner Dan Gilbert a list of top coaching prospects. Mike Brown was high on that list, though he had no head coaching experience.
鈥淕ilbert said he wanted somebody new, somebody fresh,鈥� and told Pluto 鈥渆xperience is neutral; experience doing what? Experience being mediocre?鈥�
Once they got to Cleveland, Brown and Ferry had one mission.
鈥淭hey had to make the playoffs because LeBron James is approaching his first contract extension. And his first two years with the Cavs, LeBron鈥檚 team did not make the playoffs. He was getting frustrated.鈥�
So the team brought in some veteran-player support and made it to the second round of the playoffs. The next year, the Cavs surprised everyone by getting to the finals. And that heightened Gilbert鈥檚 expectations for a championship.
Instead, Pluto says, 鈥渁fter 2010 they all got fired, and LeBron left. Other than that it was a great year for a Cavs fan.鈥�
A few years later, Gilbert decided experience has its value. He took the advice of his new GM (who went to college with Mike Brown) and brought Mike Brown back.
鈥淪o here you go: 2005 head coach, 2010 fired. Then spends one year and four games with the Lakers as a head coach; he鈥檚 fired. Now, 2013, they bring Mike Brown back, but that year they miss the playoffs. Chris Grant gets fired; Mike Brown gets fired.鈥�
Showing the money
For Brown, though, it proved lucrative.
鈥淚 figured it out:
鈥淲henever he gets fired, he takes a year or two off. One of the years, his son was playing freshman football at St. Edwards, so he was like the assistant coach and manager on the freshman football team.鈥�
But the Cleveland experience has likely proved valuable to Brown in another way.鈥淚 figured it out: Mike Brown鈥檚 been paid over $20 million between the Cavaliers and Lakers not to coach.
鈥淲henever he gets fired, he takes a year or two off. One of the years, his son was playing freshman football at St. Edwards, so he was like the assistant coach and manager on the freshman football team.鈥�
But the Cleveland experience has likely proved valuable to Brown in another way. He鈥檚 used to the media scrutiny.
鈥淗aving coached LeBron James, you鈥檙e always in the swirl. 鈥� Then he went to the Lakers and he had Kobie Bryant, and that鈥檚 a big media thing, too. So the fact that he鈥檚 in the middle of this media stuff doesn鈥檛 phase him.
鈥淗is weaknesses as a coach are some of his strengths. Preparation. 鈥� But he鈥檚 not particularly creative once the game starts. But the main thing is, Mike Brown鈥檚 sitting there with a wildly talented team, and you have an idea too, he probably would really like to beat the Cavaliers. I mean he鈥檚 been fired by them twice.鈥�
The Indians honored Frank Robinson, the first black manager in Major League Baseball by unveiling a statue at Progressive Field this weekend. Here's Terry Pluto's thoughts on the player and the manger:
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