Mike Brown fired as Cavaliers head coach
The Cleveland Cavaliers have this morning announced they fired head coach Mike Brown.
Brown was fired on Sunday night before the 12am deadline which would have forced the Cavaliers to pay Brown his full $4.5 million salary for next season.
After losing to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semi-finals this year and to the Orlando Magic in the conference finals the year before, the Cavaliers front office decided it was time for a change and probably their best bet of keeping LeBron James.
"After a long and deep analysis of all of the factors that led to the disappointing early ends to our playoff runs over the past two seasons, we concluded that it was time for the Cavaliers to move in a different direction," Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said Monday in a statement released by the team.
"The expectations of this organisation are very high and, although change always carries an element of risk, there are times when that risk must be taken in an attempt to break through to new, higher levels of accomplishment. This is one of those times."
Brown had one year left on his contract and leaves the franchise with the highest win percentage in team history of .663 and leaves with a record of 272-138.
Cleveland general manager Danny Ferry expressed his gratitude for everything Brown had done for the franchise.
“I have truly enjoyed working with Mike Brown, Mike has played a huge role in turning around the Cavs organisation. Over the past five years, Mike established a work ethic, defensive identity and culture of winning that was not here previously,” Ferry said.
Brown was never the most popular coach in Cleveland and this post-season he was comprehensively out-coached by the Celtics’ Doc Rivers and in the past Brown has received criticism from James who wanted the team to play a more up-tempo running game.
Brown should be able to find work in the NBA despite the criticisms, given that there are five NBA teams looking for coaches. But considering that the Cavs have had the best record in the league the last two years and failed to make the NBA finals, whilst having the best player in the NBA, Brown might not be the top coach on any of those five teams’ lists.
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