Mike Brown NBA: Former Lakers coach is drivers seat for Indiana Pacers head coach job

Former Lakers and Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown has been revealed as one of the leading contenders for the newly available head coaching gig with the Pacers.

Former Pacers coach Nate McMillan was sacked after the Indiana Pacers were swept in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season.

This was despite him dealing with extended injury absences of Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, their All Stars. The Pacers have been stuck in the purgatory of low playoff seeds for 6 seasons now, after the Paul George injury.

Mike Brown interviewed for Indiana Pacers head coaching role

After 3 head coaching stints (twice with the Cavs), Mike Brown was recruited as an associated head coach with the Warriors in 2016. This was done presumably so that Brown could give them inside insight on how to stop LeBron and Kyrie in the Finals.

If that was indeed the purpose, the Warriors were successful as they won 2 straight titles with Kevin Durant. This forced LeBron to join the Lakers.

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Another candidate interviewing for the Indiana Pacers coaching job, sources tell ESPN: Golden State assistant Mike Brown.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 19, 2020

Brown has often been regarded as a defensive minded coach. This makes him a successor in the line of Nate McMillan, who was known for the same strengths.

The Pacers have tons of good defensive personnel already. Perhaps Brown can make them a defensive juggernaut in the manner they were during 2012-2014 under Frank Vogel.

Many head coaching roles have become available in the NBA recently. The Pacers have also been linked to the likes of Mike D’Antoni and Billy Donovan, who’ve both finished their tenures with other NBA teams of late.