National Basketball Association

Report: Lakers make offer to Mike Brown

Published May. 24, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have made an offer to hire ex-Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown as their new coach, according to the Los Angeles Times, which cited an NBA official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

If Brown agrees to the deal, he is expected to sign a multiyear deal worth up to $18 million, according to the report.

The Lakers held informal discussions with several candidates to replace Phil Jackson, including longtime assistant Brian Shaw, who was publicly endorsed by stars Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher.

The Times says Brown, 41, became the front-runner because Jim Buss, the team's executive vice president of player personnel, liked his focus on defense.

Former Houston Rockets coach Rick Adelman also had been mentioned as a possible replacement and will remain a candidate if Brown turns down the deal from the Lakers, according to the newspaper.

Brown also was considered a front-runner for the vacant Golden State Warriors job and a candidate for the Indiana post.

He spent five years with the Cavaliers and took the team to the NBA Finals in 2007, but was fired in 2010.

Brown's deal would be worth between $4 million and $4.5 million per season, according to the Times, citing the NBA official. Under the deal's terms, Brown would sign for three years, with a team option on the fourth season that would give him partial pay if he was not retained, the newspaper reported.

Jackson, who retired after the Lakers were swept by the Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals, earned as much as $12 million in 2009-10 and, after a pay cut, $10 million last season.

The Lakers were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of this year's playoffs.

In an interview Tuesday with Sirius XM Radio, Lakers owner Jerry Buss said the team was "very close" to filling its coaching vacancy.

"We really don't consult the players on these matters," Buss said. "Obviously, we have to select somebody who has a reputation that players would be happy with. But to ask a direct player to select a particular coach, that's general manager territory."