Photo: Associated Press

"It's not fair, but it's necessary."

That pretty much explains my thoughts about Mike Brown's termination late last night. Brown, the Cavaliers' all-time winningest coach by percentage in franchise history with 272 regular season wins (third overall in team history) and a 42-29 postseason record (franchise best), was let go before his contract structure guaranteed him more money toward next season. With just ten days to determine his fate after their season ended surprisingly premature, the Cavs didn't really have a choice.

The fans have been calling for Mike Brown's head, and I cannot blame them. After having the best regular-season team for two straight seasons, the team failed to even make it to the NBA Finals in either season. In the first three seasons, Brown's team were gutsy, defensive-heavy, and they overachieved into Game 7 of the second round against the Pistons, the NBA Finals against San Antonio, and took the champion Celtics to Game 7 of the second round respectively.

But, in the last two seasons, when the team's talent was far superior, they underachieved. Some will argue that Brown was outcoached in the fateful series by Stan Van Gundy last season and Doc Rivers this season. I support that notion, but not wholly, because there were matchup disadvantages that Brown could not erase with any amount of time, strategy, and adjustments. Last year, it was Hedo Turkoglu, Dwight Howard, and Rashard Lewis, the formidable frontcourt of the Orlando Magic. This year, one word, RONDO! There's no doubt, however, that small adjustments could have been made to swing in a game the other way last season and this season. For instance, Rashard Lewis hit a game-winning shot with Ben Wallace trying to cover him last season. This year, we can look to the fact that J.J. Hickson and a banged up Anderson Varejao did not get as much time as the Shaq-Jamison frontcourt which never truly bonded together.

When I look around the current coaching landscape with 24 current head coaches (including the newly-hired Doug Collins in Philadelphia), I can honestly say that I would only rather have six, maybe eight, head coaches over Brown. They are, in no particular order, Doc Rivers (BOS), Phil Jackson (LAL), Gregg Popovich (SA), Larry Brown (CHA), Jerry Sloan (UTAH), George Karl (DEN), and possibly Stan Van Gundy (ORL) and Scott Skiles (MIL). That's it. So, in my eyes, Brown was one of the top ten coaches in the game. That opinion doesn't change the fact that MB's firing is more about the franchise's landscape than his coaching abilities.

It's no secret that LeBron's decision is going to catapult this franchise forward or send it spiraling into oblivion. That's why you have to at least leave the door open for a BIG head coaching candidate to take the job and make it so that LeBron has another reason to stay. I do truly believe LeBron did not call for Mike Brown's job, but there was no doubt some tension and disagreements on strategy between the two. That's why the Cavaliers need to bring in somebody that LeBron will have no choice but to undoubtedly respect. I don't always think that was the case with Mike Brown.

The Cavs need someone who will MAKE LeBron run the offense. No more dribbling out top for 18-20 seconds to start the possession. That was one of Mike Brown's fatal flaws, especially after losing John Kuester this past season. No one in that huddle had the force of authority to make the wine and gold run offensive plays that they didn't want to run. It needs to be someone with a bit of an ego, someone who is not afraid to rattle a player's cage a little bit more than Brown was willing to.

So, who fits that framework? All too few candidates unfortunately. My biggest beef about firing Brown was, "Okay, fire him, that's fine, but you BETTER have someone realistic that is an upgrade in mind." Otherwise, the Cavs, LeBron or not, will likely end up downgrading in coaching talent or making a horizontal move in the best case.

I think the first name on the list has to undoubtedly be Phil Jackson. I know, I know, it's utterly unrealistic, but if they can land the biggest fish in the history of the game, it would be an unbelievable shot in the arm. Ten (perhaps eleven by season's end?) rings don't lie, and Phil has coached the likes of Jordan, Pippen, Bryant, and O'Neal. He knows what it takes, and he's got a bit of an ego to challenge that of the players. If the Lakers want to nickel and dime fill at season's end, that's where Dan Gilbert needs to throw his weight around and offer Jackson an astronomical deal... 12, 14, 16 million, whatever the hell it takes. My fear, however, is that it's more likely that Phil would return to Chicago, a place he won six titles, instead of a place he has openly said is not a destination. That's where the power of LeBron and Gilbert would have to combine and do their magic.

If/when that doesn't happen, I think you have to go to the college ranks. The two names that have been identified by Brian Windhorst are Mike Krzyzewski and Tom Izzo, two of the highest-profile and most successful coaches in the college games over the last two decades. Coach K's got ties with LeBron from the Olympics and Danny Ferry from Duke, but is that enough to lure him away from likely the best job in college basketball? It's almost happened before, and perhaps this time is the situation that gets it done. Izzo's well respected and has done more with less at several times in East Lansing. Don't get me wrong, he's had some nice talent, but he has done some of his best work with some of his less talented teams. (See: the last two years). Can he make the jump to the next level though?

Then, there's the "hitch your wagon to John Calipari to keep LeBron" school of thought. That one truly terrifies me because I think Calipari is nothing but a cheater. He's not a true winner, considering the talent he's had, he should have won at least one title. He only gets high-profile talent by swindling his way around NCAA rules. He didn't last three full years in New Jersey and had just one playoff appearance back in the '90s. With all that negativity, he would bring a unique offensive perspective and if that is what it takes to keep LeBron, I would undoubtedly do it.

Out of the long list of other possibilities, I would identify Tom Thibodeau, Bill Laimbeer, and Byron Scott as names that intrigue me. Thibodeau has shown his defensive capabilities under Rivers in Boston, and he is being considered for other NBA jobs as well. Laimbeer has no head coaching experience in the NBA, but did lead the Shock to the WNBA crown and is on the T-Wolves coaching staff currently under Kurt Rambis. Scott took the Nets to the Finals twice and made the playoffs in New Orleans. Some retreads, like Jeff Van Gundy, Lawrence Frank, Mike Woodson, Mike Fratello, and Avery Johnson don't really interest me.

A possible dark horse given his age is 72-year-old Lenny Wilkens. He coached the blue and orange of Price, Daugherty, and Nance from 1986-1993 and is the winningest coach in franchise history with 316 total wins. He last coached in New York in 2005, but he has reportedly said he would return to the right situation. Maybe that situation is a return to C-town to take care of some unfinished business.

Here is my list of candidates as of right now...

1. Phil Jackson
2. Mike Krzyzewski
3. Lenny Wilkens
4. Tom Izzo
5. Byron Scott
6. John Calipari
7. Tom Thibodeau
8. Bill Laimbeer
9. Mike Budenholzer, head SA assistant under Pop for last three years 
10. Mike Malone

My final takeaway point is to cover give some of the quotes from today by Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Mo Williams. They pretty much understand the situation in my opinion, and they know it wasn't all Mike Brown's fault.

Z said, "I was asked all the time this year, 'Is this the best team you've been on?' I'd say, 'Yes, if we win a championship.' But so far the best team I've been on is the team that went to The Finals. You can knock those guys who were on the team but we defended. We were the No. 1 team in defense in field-goal percentage and points throughtout the playoffs." I couldn't agree more.

As for Mo Gotti, he replied to the firing with, "Do I think he deserved it? No. My question is: Who's out there that's better? He's not a bad coach. To fire him, that's making a big statement. After him, you have to get a Hall of Fame coach." Like many of his three balls the last two season, Mo Gotti was on target with that one.

Best of luck to Coach Brown and I hope the Cavaliers do indeed upgrade this offseason at the head coaching position. Otherwise, this move will have proven to be a poor one, LeBron or not.

All for one. One for all.

Kirk

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