Brown, who was given the unenviable task of replacing Jackson as coach of the LA Lakers this season and was subsequently fired after a 1-5 start to the season, previously featured as head coach of the Cavs between 2005 and 2010.

The former Coach of the Year has reportedly signed a 5 year contract with the Ohio organisation.

The Cavaliers have a solid young core of superstar Kyrie Irving and promising youngsters Dion Waiters, Tyler Zeller and Tristan Thompson, along with multiple first round picks in the next two drafts, leading many to believe that this is a team on the rise once more.

Brown, who led the Cavs to the playoffs in all five seasons he coached them from 2005-10, has agreed in principle to a contract to return as their coach for a second time, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Brown hasn’t yet signed his new deal, but has agreed to take the job, according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations were ongoing. Brown’s hiring could be announced as early as Wednesday.

The sides are working through the length of the deal and other matters, but Brown’s back with the team he guided to its greatest successes.

“I’m happy for him,” said Miami’s LeBron James, who played in Cleveland under Brown. “Very happy for him. I think he’s a really good coach, very defensive-minded coach. It’ll be good for those young guys that they have.”

Brown went 272-138 and went to the playoffs every season with the Cavs, teaming with James on a run to the NBA Finals in 2007. He was fired by owner Dan Gilbert after the Cavs lost to Boston in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals, shortly before James decided he was leaving Cleveland as a free agent.

Brown spent one full season with the Lakers, but was fired by Los Angeles five games into this season.

The Cavs have been without a coach since firing Byron Scott last week following his third straight losing season.

One of the main factors in Brown’s decision to come back to Cleveland was that he had already planned to move his family back to the area, long before Scott was fired. Brown is also close friends with Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant.

Brown met with Gilbert and Grant on Sunday in Detroit and negotiations intensified. Gilbert reached out to a few other high-profile coaches, including Phil Jackson. But Jackson had no interest and the search quickly zeroed in on Brown, who was the only candidate to be interviewed.

The Cavs knew they had to act quickly to snare Brown before they were in competition with other teams to sign him. Phoenix reportedly reached out to Brown about their vacancy in recent days, and other teams were expected to contact the 43-year-old.

And now that Brown is back in Cleveland, it remains to be seen what impact that could have on James one day returning to the Cavs. He can opt out of his contract with Miami next summer, and there has long been speculation about him coming back home to play in Northeast Ohio.

Last week, James positively touted Brown’s possible return to Cleveland.

Beyond his stellar record and postseason triumphs, Brown also helped build a winning foundation with the Cavs. It certainly helped that James was around, but Brown instilled a winning attitude and defense-wins belief in his players.

Scott was fired last week after three seasons following a 24-win season and with one year left on his contract. Scott was strapped with a young, inexperienced squad but owner Dan Gilbert didn’t think the Cavs made adequate progress — especially on defense — with him so he’s handed his team back to the same coach he fired three years ago.

Brown’s return to Cleveland isn’t really all that surprising.

The Cavs wanted a successful, defensive-minded coach and they had their greatest success in five seasons under Brown, who was certainly helped by having James on his teams. But he has made the playoffs in all six seasons as an NBA head coach, and shown the ability to develop younger players during his first stint with Cleveland.

The Cavs won at least 45 games each season during Brown’s tenure and went 66-16 in 2008-09 when he was named NBA Coach of the Year.

His teams in Cleveland always played solid defense, ranking among the top in most categories. James has credited Brown with making him a better defensive player and getting him to understand the importance of defending the basket. Brown, though, was criticized for a stagnant offense that too often relied simply on James’ marvelous athletic skills, especially late in games.

Brown was fired by Gilbert after the Cavs were beaten in the 2010 playoffs by Boston. James was accused of quitting on the team during that series and there was tension in the final weeks between the league MVP and his coach.

But Brown’s firing was more about Gilbert trying to make James happy and persuade him to re-sign, a strategy that ultimately didn’t work when the superstar went to Miami.

Brown left Cleveland on good terms, which would take some of the awkwardness out of his return.

Even before Scott’s firing, which seemed inevitable as the Cavs staggered to the end of the season by losing 16 of their last 18, Brown was looking for houses to return to Cleveland. He’ll be closer to his oldest son, who will be a freshman basketball player at Butler next season and his younger son intends to finish high school with friends he made when his dad previously coached the Cavs.

Brown is inheriting a team with a bright future. As long as he can stay healthy, All-Star guard Kyrie Irving will only improve and in Anderson Varejao, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller, the Cavs have a solid nucleus.

Cleveland has two first-round picks in June’s NBA draft, the team has plenty of salary-cap space and Grant said last week that he intends to be aggressive in free agency this summer.

[audio_link url="http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/nyc.podcast.play.it/media/d0/d0/d1/d2/dN/dE/d6/12NE6_3.MP3" artist="Ken Carman" name="Sam Amico Says There Is An Immense Amount Of Pressure On Dan Gilbert" config_file="config.xml"]

Will the Cincinnati Bengals continue their recent draft success in 2013?

Click HERE to listen to James’ Podcast with Artrell Hawkins

After not signing many free agents, the Cincinnati Bengals must use the NFL Draft to upgrade their team. They have ten picks in the seven-round draft.

According to ESPN NFL Draft Expert Todd McShay the Bengals need to look for a safety, running back and offensive tackle. They have yet to re-sign free agent tackle Andre Smith and that could be a primary reason McShay has tackle listed as one of their needs. Head Coach Marvin Lewis told Bengals.com that there’s a chance Smith could be signed before the NFL Draft.

“I’m hopeful we can get a solution prior to [Thursday's] draft. I know Andre would like to get it done,” Lewis told Geoff Hobson from Bengals.com. “I think he’d feel better about things so he doesn’t get lost without a chair.”

Some experts believe the Bengals will draft a tackle with the No. 21 overall pick. However, in McShay’s most recent mock draft he had the Bengals selecting wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson from the University of Tennessee. Wide receiver is not necessarily considered a need for the Bengals according to most NFL analysts, but it gives quarterback Andy Dalton another big target to complement pro bowler A.J. Green.

There are four prospects that former Bengal and current broadcaster Artrell Hawkins believes would fit well in Cincinnati. Hawkins didn’t necessarily address the “needs” most think the Bengals need to address and instead wanted to “add talent to the roster.”

Cordarrelle Patterson

Patterson played one season at Tennessee where he caught 46 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns. He was also a threat on the ground tallying 208 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. Patterson is a physical specimen at 6’2”, 216 pounds and someone the Bengals may not be able pass up.

Is Cordarrelle Patterson the playmaker the Bengals need to complement A.J. Green?

“He is someone that they may have to take if he’s available in the first round,” Hawkins says. “Patterson was projected to go in the top ten just a month ago. It will be interesting to see if he falls to the Bengals.”

McShay calls Patterson “a boom-or-bust type prospect.” Some believe that Patterson’s inexperience will hurt him in the NFL. He only played one year at Tennessee and was a junior college transfer from Hutchinson Community College.

“It may matter some since he only played one season, but you can either play or you can’t,” Hawkins says. “Patterson proved he could play and was one of the most dangerous weapons in the country not only on offense, but as a returner.”

The versatility Patterson brings on special teams may set him apart from other players. He had 25 returns for 671 yards and a touchdown. He set an SEC single-season record with a combined kickoff and punt return average of 27.6 yards, while also setting a school record of 1,858 all-purpose yards.

Tyrann Mathieu (The Honey Badger)

Tyrann Mathieu is a defensive back from LSU. He is projected to go in the third or fourth round according to draft expert Todd McShay. However, Hawkins disagrees with this assessment. He believes the honey badger is a first round talent that people are sleeping on. Hawkins thinks that Mathieu could be selected in the first round, which would shock most of the NFL world.

Mathieu played two seasons at LSU. Hawkins thinks he plays bigger than his 5’9″, 186 pound frame. His footwork is exceptional; which helps him keep up with faster receivers and he can change direction quickly.

Will Mathieu bring his electrifying playmaking ability to the Bengals?

“Mathieu has a nose for the ball and instincts that can’t be taught,” Hawkins says. “He wants to make a play and will do anything to get the football. He forced 11 fumbles in his two seasons at LSU. That’s more than most linebackers and this guy is a corner. He’s a playmaker.”

If Hawkins had it his way, the Bengals would take Mathieu in the first round.

“I think he is a first round player,” Hawkins says. He does everything well and will compete no matter where you put him. I do think he needs to go to a strong locker room.”

Hawkins is referring to off-the-field trouble that Mathieu ran into while at LSU. In the summer of 2012 he was dismissed by head coach Les Miles for failing multiple drug tests. The very public dismissal led to Mathieu nearly joining McNeese State.

Instead, Mathieu opted to take classes at LSU because the same coach that dismissed him from the team wanted what was best for him. “I talked to someone at LSU and Coach Miles didn’t want Mathieu to leave campus,” Hawkins said. “Myles didn’t think going to McNeese State would be good for him. He looked out for Mathieu even though he wouldn’t let him play football.”

Mathieu, whose strength was in question after he only bench pressed 225 pounds, four times at the combine, is plenty strong according to Hawkins.

“He is the strongest 5’8” guy I’ve seen, Hawkins said. He has big hands and is just naturally strong.” The Bengals seem interested in the honey badger. They’ve met with him twice, saw him at the NFL combine and attended his pro day at LSU.

Matt Elam

Will Matt Elam join former Gator Reggie Nelson in the Bengals secondary?

Matt Elam is a safety from the University of Florida. NFL.com says he’s “At his best when asked to make a play, either blitzing or one on one on the edge.” Elam could be the guy who helps fill the Bengals need at safety. McShay believes he will be taken in the first or second round.

Why does Hawkins like him for the Bengals? “Elam has good quickness and is strong,” Hawkins says. “He is a good tackler and could play from day one.”

Elam comes from the Southeastern Conference which most consider to be the toughest conference in all of college football. He finished 2012 with 78 tackles, led the Gators in tackles for loss with 11, and had seven pass breakups. He also had two forced fumbles and intercepted two passes, including one against NFL prospect Tyler Bray.

“He played well in the biggest games and that’s what I want to see in a player,” Hawkins said. “Elam isn’t afraid of the moment. He made big plays against Florida State, Georgia, LSU and Tennessee. Also, on the biggest stage, in the Sugar Bowl, he led his team with 11 tackles and a sack.”

Some teams may not like Elam’s size at 5’10”, 202 pounds. However, he’s a proven playmaker that could potentially start for the Bengals. He proved he was a playmaker totaling six interceptions in his career.

Many experts have linked the Bengals to former Florida International safety Jonathan Cyprien, but Hawkins thinks that Elam is a better fit.

“Cyprien just doesn’t do it for me,” Hawkins says. “It’s not that I don’t like him, but if I’m going to take a player early I want him to stand out. Elam stands out to me.”

Jarvis Jones

The Bengals have had success drafting players from Georgia including A.J. Green, Clint Boling and Orson Charles. Could they look at former Bulldog Jarvis Jones? Hawkins believes Jones is “one of the top playmakers in this draft.”

Jones was projected to go in the top ten of this draft until he ran a 4.9 40-yard dash at the combine. Then, teams began to question his work ethic. He is still the third best outside linebacker in the draft according to WalterFootball.com. However, one thing that is consistent with Jones is his ability to make plays. Every expert including McShay and Hawkins believe that Jones is a top talent.

“Jones is like Mathieu in a way,” Hawkins says. He just makes plays. Playmakers like Jones are hard to find and if he’s there at the No. 21 pick I would imagine the Bengals would have to take him.”

Will Jarvis Jones fall to the Bengals?

On paper Jones put up big numbers at Georgia. In 2012, he led the country in tackles for loss, sacks and forced fumbles. He was always the main focus of the offense, but he was able to make plays anyway. He is a two-time All American who earned the nickname “Dog Bones Jones” because of his ferocious hitting style.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport isn’t sure the Bengals will see Jones available at No. 21.”If I even get to 17, I don’t think I get past the Steelers,” Jones told Rapoport.

Is a trade possible?

The draft is unpredictable and teams never know who will be available until it is their pick. Patterson, Mathieu, Elam and Jones could all be taken by the time the Bengals pick at No. 21 in the first round.

Hawkins believes the Bengals may not even use their No. 21 selection and instead trade back to gain draft picks later in the draft.

“This is the draft where you can trade back,” Hawkins says. “The talent is virtually the same in the second round as it is in the end of the first round. The Bengals could trade back to gain another pick or increase their position in the second round. I think we will see a lot of trades this year with a lot of different teams.”

The Bengals are no stranger to trading back and gaining more picks in the draft. Last season they traded their No. 21 pick to New England for the No. 27 pick and the No. 93 pick. The Bengals drafted guard Kevin Zeitler out of Wisconsin at No. 27 and defensive tackle Brandon Thompson at No. 93 from Clemson.

Regardless of what the Bengals do, the excitement of the NFL Draft is building. The draft is less than 48 hours away and the die-hard Bengals fans will certainly be watching Thursday.

Look, its hard to argue against Mike Brown’s actual record.  His only sub .500 record was his 1-4 start with the Lakers (this year!!!).  The Cavs were perennial contenders under Brown during his first stint, a mere 3 seasons ago.  Mike Brown has always been known as a defensive coach and his Cavs teams were very good on defense.  Plus, by all accounts, Mike Brown is one of the nicest guys in all of basketball.  So there’s that!

Now, why be upset about a nice guy with a .600+ winning percentage?  Because Mike Brown is not a good head coach by any stretch of the imagination.  He just isn’t a good head basketball coach.  He may be a great assistant, a great defensive mind, but we were all witness to the Cavs playoff meltdowns.  His stint in LaLa land ended with a thud when he had no idea how to use Pau Gasol, one of the truly skilled bigs in all of basketball.  So how can a man I wouldn’t want coaching my sons rec league team, except as DC, get a .600 win %?  LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.  James time in Cleveland was still developmental, but LeBron was such a natural phenom that he was able to guide the Cavs to 50-60 wins in the regular season where nothing means as much each year.  Brown goes to LA and Kobe easily carries a team that runs no real offense to speak of to a 3 seed.

Where does it go sour for Brown?  Playoffs! LeBron got the Cavs to the playoffs no problem, but in the playoffs the game slows down and you need some scheme, some plays to try and create baskets.  The Cavs had nothing!  Mike Brown couldn’t just rely on LeBron to pull out 16 wins against superior competition and the Cavs bowed out of the playoffs, usually pretty disgracefully.  And each year it got worse and became more obvious.  As a Laker Kobe carried LaLa to round 2 before being smoked by OKC.  SO this year Brown tries to get rid of Phil Jackson’s triangle offense (of 11…..ELEVEN NBA titles) and replace it with a college popular Princeton offense and he is run out of town after 5 games!

And now, the Cavs are going to bring Mike Brown back to coach a young team with no LBJ or Kobe?  What in Mike Brown’s resume screams great developer of young talent?  There is no phenom, Kyrie is nice, but not LBJ and Brown never developed the talent around James.  So I was left wondering, how the hell does Mike Brown always land on his feet, he’s like Even Steven (Jerry Seinfeld) from the Seinfeld episode “The Opposite”.  First coach gig, land LeBron.  Get fired, no worry get a big deal from LA to coach champions Kobe and Pau.  Oh, that shit didn’t work, well you still got your big Laker contract and just for shits and giggles, here go coach the Cavs again while you’re living in Ohio watching your son play high school bball. Even Steven!  But wait, for Brown to be Even someone close to him needs to be up and someone needs to be down right?  Thats right, James and the Miami Heat are on their way to back-to-back NBA championships and who knows, 5th or 6th league MVP for LBJ (Elaine).  So that leaves George!  Congratulations Cleveland Cavalier fans, we are George Costanza!  Maybe if we did the opposite we could change fate, but no we do the predictable thing for Cleveland sports and out of desperation hire a complete and utter failure of a head coach, who is a really nice dude!  So LBJ is flying high and Mike Brown is Even Steven, leaving the Cavs to suffer!  Great!  And if/when Brown fails, no big whoop, he’ll be fine.  But will the Cavs be alright?

What the fuck?

ps: For the record I would have hired a 1st time head coach.  Forget this retread crap, thats what the Cavs always do! My top 5 choices:

1) Brian Shaw – Phil Jackson protege.  Can’t believe Shaw isn’t coaching Lakers right now.

2) Mark Price – Cavs legend would be very popular amongst fans.  Price has worked on staffs for several years now, mostly as a shooting coach.  If you’re going to take a shot in the dark Price is as respected as any in Cleveland.

3) Mike Malone (former Cavs assistant under Brown) Don’t love he comes from Brown tree, but has helped Warriors have a terrific year this season.  And they run some offense and they have developed young talent!

4) Mike Budneholzer  – A Popovich guy.  Yes, so was Brown, but not everyone is just a nice guy.

5) Brad Stevens – colleges can’t lure him away from Butler, maybe NBA dream could.  I love Stevens, believe he can succeed in NBA.

5a) Sean Miller – another college guy who has progressed through the ranks.  I always liked Miller, think he could be a really good NBA coach teaching young talent (see Cleveland).

Under Byron Scott, Cleveland finished last in the Central Division with a record of 24-58, good for 13th in the Eastern Conference and 42 games back of Milwaukee for the final playoff spot at season’s end. They have not made it back to the playoffs since 2010.

With Mike Brown heading back to Cleveland, many are hoping he can turn around this team who hasn’t had a winning season since the days of LeBron James. With players like Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Anderson Varejao, and Tristan Thompson (good ole’ Canadian boy), all hope is not lost. Varejao is a proven big man who can score. Irving is one of the best point-guards in the game, winning Rookie of the Year in 2012. Dion Waiters was drafted 4th overall in last year’s draft, and had a great rookie season scoring almost 15 ppg with 3 assists per game. Thompson, a native of Brampton, averaged almost a double-double per game, with almost 12 points and 10 rebounds per game. There is talent that Brown has to work with.

The Cavaliers’ most successful years in the NBA happened under the leadership of Mike Brown.

I’ve heard this story every once in a while, saying that LeBron James has stated he would like to come back to Cleveland once his contract expires with Miami. If LeBron were to come back (if Cleveland wanted him back), they would be a true force to be reckoned with. Brown coaching a team of Irving, Waiters, Lebron, Thompson, and Varejao…now that’s a solid starting five. LeBron makes everyone better around him. But we shouldn’t speculate that given the bitterness between him and Cleveland through the way he left.

If it’s someone’s team, it has to be Kyrie’s. He averaged 22.5 ppg, with 5.9 assists-per-game. He has kept Cleveland in games they had no business being in, and like LeBron, makes his team better by finding open lanes for teammates and finding open players for a shot. If Kyrie can make an immediate connection with Brown, we may see some similar magic that made Cleveland a playoff team when LeBron and Brown were there.

Kyrie Irving, 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year, has been the best thing that has happened in Cleveland, post-LeBron Era.

Brown hasn’t signed his deal yet, but has accepted the job in Cleveland. With former coach Byron Scott suffering through the longest losing streak in professional sports history with 26 games, a change in leadership and voice in the locker-room will be a breath of fresh air in a city that hasn’t had a playoff team in three years. He may not have had the best time in Los Angeles, but perhaps a move back to the city where he became one of the most well-known coaches in the league, is what Brown needs, and what Cleveland needs. I’m sure Cavaliers fans will be more than satisfied with Mike Brown coming back. It’s good to see you again Mike, really good to see ya!

http://www.tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=421515

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nba/standings

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/5010

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4884

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/cle/stats

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Cavaliers#2010.E2.80.932011:_Struggles_and_Infamy

Mike Brown went 272-138 in Cleveland and took the Cavs to the NBA Finals in 2007. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The late spring of 2010 was an odd time for the Cavaliers, as a strange playoff exit at the hands of the rival Celtics served as a prelude of sorts for LeBron James’ much-anticipated free agency. Cleveland’s efforts to woo James would begin in earnest a few months later, but in the interim the Cavs could only position themselves as best as possible for that courtship. To that end, Cleveland parted ways with head coach Mike Brown — who at the time had one year remaining on his contract — not long after their postseason elimination, and later agreed to hire Byron Scott in his stead.

Neither coach has had all that much luck since (Scott went 64-166 in Cleveland; Brown went 42-29 as coach of the Lakers), but the entire arrangement came full circle this week. Cleveland fired Scott, who also had a year remaining on his contract, on April 18 and will reportedly look to Brown — who was fired by the Lakers earlier this season — to replace him.

Much of the initial reaction to this news, as was the case at the time of Brown’s Cleveland firing, has centered around James. An early termination option  could make James a free agent as soon as 2014, thus linking Brown’s signing to Cleveland’s interest in its wayward son. James expressed dismay when Brown was fired by the Lakers after a 1-4 start earlier this season (“I just don’t think he got a fair shake, honestly”), but CBS Sports’ Ken Berger reports that LeBron isn’t in a rush to reunite with his former coach. “LeBron isn’t a huge fan,” an executive tells Berger.

In the season ahead, Brown will be tasked with cultivating a roster that was beyond Scott’s reach. What the Cavs players themselves thought of Scott seems to differ from person to person (and report to report), but the more telling assessment of his Cleveland tenure is that the team never once rose out of the bottom-five in defensive efficiency during his three years at the helm. There are some talented young players on the Cavs roster, but few — if any — among them have made strides in terms of their ability to operate in conjunction with one another on a cohesive set of defensive principles. No one expected Scott to turn this in-over-its-head group into a stifling defensive front. But some measure of developmental progress is required of a coach placed in charge of a patient rebuild, and Scott ultimately failed to meet that demand. Now Brown — a defense-first coach to a fault — will have a shot at that same goal.

Brown was out of his depth in Los Angeles this season, but his scheming and guidance elevated some short-handed Cavs teams into top-10 defensive form. It was under his watch that LeBron James turned the corner from offensive superstar to all-around dynamo, and though he shouldn’t be given too much credit for that evolution, one can hope he’s capable of nurturing the same defensive focus in Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving. As it stands, Irving is already one of the best young players in the NBA — an outstanding scorer in any context and a growing playmaker. But he’s just a wreck defensively, so raw on that end that he can often undo an unfortunate amount of his sterling offensive work. That could be remedied with the right coach in charge, and Brown, despite his limitations as a leader of top-tier teams, may well fill that prescription.

Coaching, after all, can’t be evaluated in some blanket capacity. Though Brown may have come up short in orchestrating the 2010 Cavs and these more recent Lakers teams, I’d suspect an opportunity like this one might fit him perfectly — the stakes are low, the personalities involved seem agreeable and there’s room for Brown to bring along a team that could well use his defensive guidance. He may not serve out the full term of his reported five-year deal (the final year of which may not be guaranteed), but I’m curious to see if can make the most of a second chance in Cleveland to usher another up-and-coming Cavs team to more legitimate standing.

Mike Brown has a “handshake agreement” to return as head coach to the Cavaliers. Brown was fired by the Cavs in 2010 after failing to win a championship with a team that was centered around Lebron James.

Brown has recorded a 314-167 record in his time with the cavs over 481 games. Brown won the NBA’s Coach of the Year award with the Cavs after posting a 66-16 record in 2009.

The re-signing of Brown only creates more attention to the 2014 NBA Free Agency market as Lebron James has constantly been rumored to return to Cleveland. He has also supported a possible reunion with Brown and the Cavs.

He’s back: Cavaliers set to hire Mike Brown as coach: Mike Brown and the Cavaliers have reached a handshake ag… bit.ly/11LkGta

— Jason Lloyd (@JasonLloydABJ) April 23, 2013

Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about.
Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they’re turned around.
Who’d have thought they’d lead ya (Who’d have thought they’d lead ya)
Here where we need ya (Here where we need ya) …

The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly planning to re-hire Mike Brown as coach, three years after they fired him.

Brown and the Cavs have reached a “handshake agreement” according to The Beacon Journal and the hiring could become official as early as Wednesday.

We certainly didn’t see that one coming.

In his first stint with the Cavs, Brown put up some impressive numbers, as he:

• Won the third-most games in team history with 272 wins;
• Won the most postseason games in team history with 42 wins;
• Coached the team to the playoffs five straight years;
• Coached the team past the first round of the playoffs every year;
• Posted at least 45 wins five straight years, the first time in team history;
• Posted back-to-back 60-win seasons;

Of course, he also did that with LeBron James on the roster and James won’t be rejoining Brown in Cleveland (at least not right away).

Brown comes back to a Cavs team with plenty of new faces – only Anderson Varajeo remains from the roster of Brown’s last team in 2009-10. The Cavs are also a more-balanced team and still have a superstar in Kyrie Irving – the first real point guard that Brown will have coached in Wine and Gold.

When the Cavs fired Byron Scott last week general manager Chris Grant said he wanted a coach who emphasized defense and Brown certainly does that. He is also reportedly the only coach the Cavs formally spoke to, although ESPN reported that the team “reached out” to Phil Jackson, but Jackson was not interested.

According to a story on NBA.com, the Cavs and Brown are still working out the details of his contract, with Brown reportedly wanting five years but the Cavs offering just four. Brown also reportedly needs to work the offset he has with the Los Angeles Lakers, who still owe Brown $10 million after firing him just five games into this past season.

There’s no way of knowing how this is all going to work out. Brown certainly had his problems as coach the first time he was in Cleveland, but the Cavs are not hiring that same coach and this is not the same Cavs team. They have a different set of priorities and are building the team in a different way. (The hiring also means that Brown has a chance to improve his ranking on the all-time Cavs coaching list.)

There are certainly going to be Cavs fans who will not like the move because they blame Brown for everything that went wrong with the Cavs – especially in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009 and the second-round of the playoffs in 2010. But that overlooks the fact that the Magic hit some ridiculous shots (and were hopped up on performance-enhancing drugs) in 2009 and that James flat out quit in 2010.

And with Jackson not coming to town, there are not a lot of coaches with a winning resume out there for the Cavs to hire (unless you thing Doug Collins or a college coach are the answer; just ask Charlotte how well the college route worked for them).

As we discussed with Sean McLaughlin on Twitter today, it doesn’t matter if the Brown hiring doesn’t create buzz. We’re tired of buzz; we’re getting old and all we want to do is see a Cleveland team win.

We won’t know for a while if the Cavs finally have the right mix of coach and players, but hiring Brown doesn’t preclude the Cavs from winning.

And if nothing else, this move certainly has people talking about the team and that’s an impressive feat just two days before the NFL Draft.

(Photo by The Associated Press)

Written by Chris Campanelli

The 2012-2013 season has come and gone for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it was a season of ups and downs, but mostly downs with only 24 wins and 58 losses on the season.

Cleveland came into the year as one of the NBA’s youngest teams and it was a young nucleus that Cavaliers fans could be excited for. Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson were coming back for their second season and they both would prove just why the Cavs selected them in the top five picks of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Incoming rookies Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller excited the fan base heading into the year and a good young nucleus was starting to be visible in Cleveland.

There were a few positives on the season for Cleveland.

Kyrie Irving looked like a top-five point guard in the entire league for most of the early going in the season. That great level of play landed Kyrie in the All-Star game playing with and against the best players in the world of basketball. Irving came up big leading the Cavs with 22.5 points per game on the campaign. Irving looked like a budding superstar for the majority of the season. Game winners and unbelievable shots were a regularity for Kyrie.

Tristan Thompson’s development was absolutely incredible this season. Tristan showed that he wasn’t going to be a bust after a rough season for the most part in 2011-2012. Cavs fans questioned if Thompson would ever prove his worth as the number four overall pick and he took a big jump by putting up 11.7 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game. Thompson showed that his offense is evolving and he will be one of the top emerging young talents in the league if he keeps working hard.

Dion Waiters came in with doubts after being selected fourth overall by Cleveland in 2012, but he proved that he can be a star with brilliant flashes and a solid 14.7 points per game. Waiters could have made a run for Rookie of The Year if he could have stayed healthy and Damian Lillard didn’t have such a phenomenal campaign in 2012-2013.

There were some good wins for the Cavs at times. Cleveland pushed a few of the NBA’s best teams and even pulled off a couple of good wins, but it was a troublesome season for the most part in Cleveland.

The Cavaliers were hit by the injury bug and they seemed to be hurt more than they were healthy. Anderson Varejao started out on fire in the early goings of the season but he was soon lost for the season after surgery on a split quad muscle and then blood clots after the surgery.

That would only be the start of the nasty injury trend for Cleveland.

Kyrie Irving played all of 59 games for the Cavaliers with multiple injuries. Dion Waiters played only 61 games in his rookie season, and the nagging injuries went on and on for the Cavs and just about every player on the team.

Cleveland had more masked players this season than just about any team in the history of basketball with multiple broken noses and cheekbones. It was that type of year for the Cavs with injuries all over the team and that was a recipe for disaster when mixed with a lack of talent on the roster.

Cleveland’s defense was one of the worst in the entire NBA allowing the highest opponent field-goal percentage in 2012-2013. Byron Scott took the fall for the lack of defense with the Cavs but it was easy to see the players on the floor lacked defensive knowledge and effort.

A young and largely untalented roster got the Cavaliers only 24 wins all season long. It’s clear that the talent on the roster in Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Dion Waiters, and Tyler Zeller are just too young to win. This season proved it.

Cleveland experienced a lot of injuries coming after the All-Star break and the season took some nasty turns and losing streaks ultimately costing Byron Scott his job with the Cavaliers.

Kyrie Irving experienced a pretty large drop-off in production following his injuries. It was a rough Cavs team to watch down the stretch as they blew multiple 20 point or more leads. The Cavs found themselves right back in the same spot they have the past three seasons.

They will be picking high in the draft lottery and no further back than sixth overall. The lottery is a place that the Cavs have become all too familiar with since Lebron James left in 2010.

58 losses and countless injuries kept the Cavaliers in the dumps in 2012-2013. A franchise searching for direction now with a promising young nucleus. The Cavaliers have young players that will be emerging as star players in the future but they are still very young and inexperienced.

It’s hard to win with limited veteran leadership and youth. The Cavaliers figured that out first hand in 2012-2013.

The pressure will be on GM Chris Grant and Owner Dan Gilbert after another losing season. Losing was expected by most with this year’s Cavaliers, but they will be expected to turn the ship around after three years of high draft picks.

Kyrie Irving is a budding superstar and might be getting impatient with the losing ways. The Cavs might have to be around .500 or contending for the playoffs in the spring of 2014 for this rebuild to be considered successful because to this point it isn’t producing in the win column.

Cleveland will begin to look for their newest addition to the young nucleus by drafting in this 2013 NBA Draft. We will have full Cavs draft coverage all offseason long, but first the Cavs have to find a head coach to lead the team.

As usual there are plenty of headlines surrounding the Cavaliers. There are positives to build from in Cleveland with young stars and a flexible financial situation coupled with multiple draft picks. There are also a lot of question marks to be answered before the Cavs can get back to contention and become the winning team we all expect them to be.

After being fired from the role in 2010, following the Cleveland Cavaliers loss in the Eastern Conference semi finals, Mike Brown has been tentatively reinstated as head coach of the team following the firing of Byron Scott late last week. Lasting only 5 games with the Lakers in 2012/13, going 1-4, Brown was let go by the team leaving him open to further coaching opportunities. His record with the Cavaliers was very impressive taking the team to a 272-138 record in his first five seasons in the hot seat and this no doubt played into his hands as Cavs owner Dan Gilbert again exercised his intentions to re-hire Brown. It is unclear of what the impending deal’s parameters are in terms of longevity and payment, but we do know Brown will be charged with the task of leading this under-performing, yet talent-filled team back to relevancy. Brown was fired by the Lakers while still being owed in excess of $6 million, and has been on their payroll ever since. Many are speculating that this signing of Brown by another club will help the Lakers offset the money still owed to him and allow them a considerable amount of financial leg room when it comes to paying their coaches. Current coach Mike D’Antoni is owed a touch over $12 million by the Lakers, and should they decide to part ways with him (something the Lakers have stated would not happen), they would have more money to spend elsewhere. Only time will tell when it comes to the Lakers intentions, but for now it seems as though Mike Brown will attempt to pick up where he left off with his Cavaliers.

Nick C.

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The framework of a deal that would reunite the Cleveland Cavaliers and their former coach, Mike Brown, is in place, according to league sources, though the two sides do not yet have a contract in place and there are several remaining issues that have to be resolved.

The Cavaliers have moved quickly after firing Byron Scott, who replaced Brown in Cleveland in 2010, last week. Owner Dan Gilbert met with Brown on Sunday for dinner and discussions have quickly picked up steam.

The two sides are still working out the structure of the contract. Brown is looking for a five-year deal; the team is currently offering four years. A fifth-year club option might be a potential compromise. Brown would also have to work out the offset he has with the Lakers, who still owe him $10 million after firing him five games into his second season as coach there.

Brown posted a 272-138 record in five seasons in Cleveland, building a team around LeBron James that got to the NBA Finals in 2007 and won 50 games or more four times. He was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 2009. Criticized early in his tenure there for an unimaginative offense, Brown changed much of his offense, giving assistant coach John Kuester broad authority, and the Cavaliers became one of the NBA’s better offenses in Brown’s last two seasons there.

But the Cavaliers failed to reach The Finals in Brown’s last three years, including the 2008-09 season, when Cleveland went 66-16 in the regular season. The following year, the Cavaliers lost in especially ignominious fashion to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Soon afterward, Gilbert decided not to pick up Brown’s option, in what many believed was a desperate attempt to keep James from leaving via free agency. James, of course, did leave, for Miami.

The Akron Beacon-Journal first reported that a deal between the sides were close.

Cleveland’s current management team pushed to go after Brown after Scott’s outster. The Cavaliers were impressed with Brown’s ability to create a defensive structure while evolving on offense, and winning 127 regular season games his last two seasons in Cleveland — a mark that is just as good as James has had in Miami — without the presence of Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh.

The Cavs may also be moving quickly to keep Brown from the open market.

The Philadelphia 76ers are believed to have an interest in speaking with Brown about their coaching vacancy after Doug Collins announced he would not return as coach next season. The Detroit Pistons need a coach after firing Lawrence Frank last week, as do the Charlotte Bobcats, who fired Mike Dunlap on Tuesday after one season. There may also be openings soon in Brooklyn (P.J. Carlesimo), Milwaukee (Jim Boylan) and Sacramento (Keith Smart).

And speculation has run rampant throughout the league for months that the Atlanta Hawks — whose general manager, Danny Ferry, hired Brown in Cleveland in 2005 — would reach out to Brown at the end of their season. The Hawks’ current coach, Larry Drew, is in the final year of his contract, and the team opted to wait until after the season to decide what to do about his future status.

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CLEVELAND (AP) — A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that Mike Brown has agreed in principle to a contract with the Cavaliers to return as their coach for a second time.

Brown has not yet signed his new deal, but has agreed to take the job, according to the person who spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity because negotiations were ongoing. The person said Brown’s hiring could be announced Wednesday.

Brown went 272-138 and went to the playoffs all five season with the Cavs, teaming with LeBron James on a run to the NBA Finals in 2007. He was fired after the Cavs lost to Boston in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals. He spent one full season with the Lakers and was fired by Los Angeles five games into this season.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert hired Byron Scott to replace Brown. Scott was fired last week after three seasons following a 24-win season and with one year left on his contract. Scott was strapped with a young, inexperienced squad but Gilbert didn’t think the Cavs made adequate progress with him so he’s on the verge of handing his team back over to the same coach he fired three years ago.

Brown’s return to Cleveland wouldn’t really be all that surprising.

The Cavs wanted a successful, defensive-minded coach and they had their greatest success in five seasons under Brown, who was certainly helped by having LeBron James on his teams. But he has made the playoffs in all six seasons as an NBA head coach, and shown the ability to develop younger players during his first stint with Cleveland.

Brown helped the Cavs make the NBA finals in 2007 and they were in the playoffs in all five seasons with the 43-year-old, who was an assistant with Indiana before Gilbert hired him in 2005. The Cavs won at least 45 games each season during Brown’s tenure and went 66-16 in 2008-09 when he was named NBA Coach of the Year.

His teams in Cleveland always played solid defense, ranking among the top in most categories. James has credited Brown with making him a better defensive player and getting him to understand the importance of defending the basket. Brown, though, was criticized for a stagnant offense that too often relied simply on James’ marvelous athletic skills, especially late in games.

Brown was fired by Gilbert after the Cavs were beaten in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals by Boston. James was accused of quitting on the team during that series and there was tension in the final weeks between the league MVP and his coach.

But Brown’s firing was more about Gilbert trying to make James happy and persuade him to re-sign, a strategy that ultimately didn’t work when the superstar left Cleveland as a free agent for Miami.

Brown left Cleveland on good terms, which would take some of the awkwardness out of his return. He has been close friends with general manager Chris Grant since college and he and Gilbert were mostly in sync.

Even before Scott’s firing, which seemed inevitable as the Cavs staggered to the end of the season by losing 16 of their last 18, Brown planned to move his family back to the Cleveland area. He’ll be closer to his oldest son, who will be a freshman basketball player at Butler next season and his younger son intends to finish high school with friends he made when his dad previously coached the Cavs.

Brown would inherit a team with a bright future. As long as he can stay healthy, All-Star guard Kyrie Irving will only improve and in Anderson Varejao, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller, the Cavs have a solid nucleus.

Cleveland has two first-round picks in June’s NBA draft, the team has plenty of salary-cap space and Grant said last week that he intends to be aggressive in free agency this summer.

—(equals)

AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this report red reported from Minneapolis.

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Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Nearly three years after he was fired as coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and after a ballyhooed blowout as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers that ended earlier this season, Mike Brown is close to a return to the shores of Lake Erie.

Per TNT analyst David Aldridge:

Framework 4 deal that would reunite Cavs and Mike Brown in place, per source. Several issues remain. Yahoo! first to report deal was near.—
David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) April 23, 2013

Brown, the most successful coach in the history of the Cavs, was fired in May of 2010 after failing to win a championship in five years with superstar LeBron James. In his last two seasons in Cleveland, Brown coaxed the Cavs to the best record in the NBA.

The regular-season winning, though, didn’t translate to the playoffs, where the Cavs flamed out spectacularly in 2009 and 2010. Cleveland had a 2-1 lead over the Celtics in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals before losing three straight, including the final two at home by a combined 50 points. Free-agent James left for Miami that summer.

Brown was hired to take over for Phil Jackson with the Lakers in 2011-12 and led L.A. to 41 wins in a lockout-shortened 66-game season. The Lakers were swamped by the Oklahoma City Thunder, though, in the Western Conference semifinals.

The Lakers dumped Brown, long known as a defense-first coach, after a 1-4 start this season, opting to go with the up-tempo stylings of coach Mike D’Antoni. Brown reportedly has some $6 million left on his contract with the Lakers. Early reports have him negotiating a five-year deal with Cleveland for somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 million.

He would become the 19th coach in team history. He was also the 17th coach in team history.

The man who led the team to its only appearance in the NBA finals has been out of the NBA since being fired by the Los Angeles Lakers only 5 games into this past season.

The Cavaliers considered Brown the man for the job from the beginning. He had a dinner meeting in Detroit on Sunday, according to various media reports, with Chris Grant and owner Dan Gilbert.

Brown texted FOX 8 as recent as Thursday night, that the team had not yet reached out to him. Earlier last Thursday the Cavs fired Byron Scott. Brown was however receptive to a return to the league. He was also starting the process of moving back to the Cleveland area so his youngest son could attend high school here and also to be close to Butler University where his oldest son, Elijah had signed to play college basketball.

Brown coached one full season in Los Angeles, before his very short stint this season.