Dear Mike Brown

via Sports Illustrated:

The Los Angeles Lakers have reached an agreement in principle with former Cleveland coach Mike Brown to succeed Phil Jackson, the team said Wednesday.

"We've met with Mike and are very impressed with him,'' said a statement issued by the Lakers. "In addition, we have an outline for an agreement in place and hope to sign a contract within the next few days.''

Brown will get a four-year deal worth roughly $18 million, a person with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the Lakers hadn't yet formally hired Brown.

Coaching changes are always a mixed bag in the NBA. We tend to think that when a coach leaves a team, the coach either has nothing more to work for with that franchise. And we tend to think that when a coach is ousted or gets fired, that the team wants nothing more to do with that coach. In the case of the Los Angeles Lakers, who not only were ousted from the NBA Playoffs in a pathetic fashion, but also let the legendary Phil Jackson leave in a blaze of embarrassment, there is a hailstorm of questions surrounding their situation. Kobe Bryant is a year older, with his 15-year career beginning its twilight. Pau Gasol was exposed for his lack of testicular fortitude against the great Dirk Nowitzki. Ron Artest clearly needed a few more sessions with his psychiatrist. Lamar Odom Kardashian was too busy tweeting and doing reality TV to matter, and Andrew Bynum made more waves with his ridiculous flagrant foul than his play on the court. The Lakers were little more than a talented team with a huge identity crisis and too many conflicting personalities.

That said, with your principal agreement to become the head coach of the Lakers, you, Mike Brown, have become the latest coach associated with a fall from glory to get a crack at an already established team. Such a responsibility should be a difficult one, but with your handling of the Cleveland Cavaliers two years ago, I actually have faith in your abilities. Yes, you still have the offensive capabilities of Shaq from the three-point line. Yes, you still have the LeBron-sized shadow of LeBron's departure from Cleveland. But you did have your bright spots in Cleveland. You made it to the Playoffs every year of your tenure. Defensively, your Cavaliers were one of the best defensive teams I've ever seen. I don't even know how you did it, though. The only two stoppers on those squads were Anderson 'Wacka Floppa Flame' Varajao and LeBron. You had an anemic Zydrunas on the court and Mo Williams is a non-factor at times. Let's call a spade a spade. You squeezed more out of those Cleveland Cavaliers teams than Diddy out of Biggie's legacy. It was like you were cooking an 8-course meal out of a burger patty and a few grains of rice.

With those successes, how are you not considered a good coach? In an NBA (and sports) environment where coaches rotate constantly, you were some form of consistency. You crafted the Cleveland Cavaliers from the basement of the NBA to a constant in the headlines. Most of it was due to LeBron, but how many stars fail to succeed because of the coaching staff around them? My guess is more than we think. Additionally, that you could handle the spotlight of the Chosen One might be the best sign for the star-studded circus that is the Lake Show. At the same time, Kobe might do his best spoiled superstar impression (again) and you might have some problems on your hands. I suppose we won't know until next season, if we have one. Either way, you didn't need an invitation, Mike. If the Lakers call you for a coaching vacancy, only a crazy person would turn it down.


PS: One tip, though: Get rid of Steve Blake and Matt Barnes. Those guys are the latest championship stowaways and it's clear they're deadweight. Get real with those two.

2010-2011 NBA Season Preview: Western Conference

Yes, people. It is my favorite time of the year. Football season is in full swing, baseball season is finally coming to a close and yes, the basketball season is upon us. We're well in store for another season of dunks, jumpers and great NBA action, and Dear Whoever is here to sift through the clutter for you.

Our season preview continues in the Western Conference, where the Lakers have reigned supreme, but new teams are beginning to show their worth. Let's check out the 8 best teams in the West, who's up, who's down and who's got the juice. Hit the jump to see them:

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Until someone knocks them off, this is Kobe and the Lakers' world... We just live in it.

1. Los Angeles Lakers
I said it in the Eastern Conference post, and I'll say it for the West. To be the best, you've got to beat the best. And quite simply put, they ARE the best. The Los Angeles Lakers have two top-10 players on their roster in Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, different scoring options in Artest, Odom, and Bynum, and tremendous depth coming off the bench. They added Matt Barnes, Theo Ratliff and Steve Blake to solidify their rotation, and essentially have 10 players in that rotation who could start anywhere in the NBA. Not to mention, the guru Phil Jackson is back for another threepeat attempt (this will be his 4th if the Lake show wins the ship this year, which is incredible). The Los Angeles Lakers are the team that everyone is aiming at, whether or not they think they have a chance. The rest of the Western Conference is clearly a few steps behind L.A. in terms of talent and a system that wins championships. If they don't end the season at #1 in the West, it will be because the team collapsed, which is highly unlikely with the cast of characters on that sideline...


What does it take for a team to go from Young Guns to Title Contenders? Ask Durant and the Thunder...

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

You might wonder why I'm placing the Oklahoma City Thunder at the #2 position in the West. If you saw the way Kevin Durant and company played the Lakers last year in the first round of the Playoffs, you'd know why. They came within seconds of forcing a Game 7 against the eventual champs, and had a lot of people shocked with their performance. The Thunder have built a roster the old-fashioned way: through the draft. The organization has built around Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook by adding quality pieces around them, and a coaching staff that stresses discipline for the team. James Harden is looking like another steal in the draft. The Thunder also have two underrated big men in Nick Collison and Serge Ibaka. Obviously, the centerpiece of this team is the phenom, Kevin Durant. If he continues to improve, then the Thunder will be head and shoulders above a lot of teams in the Western Conference, simply because of his MVP-caliber talent. The scoring champ has all the tools and complementary players he needs to knock off any of the West's (former) powers, and make the Thunder legitimate contenders.


Old man jokes aside, is there any squad as consistent as the Spurs? Duncan, Manu, Parker and crew are aging like fine wine, and have some new grapes to add to the fermentation.

3. San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs have been the ideal portrait of consistency over the past decade and frequently the recipients of those 'old guy' jokes because they never seem to die. That said, over the latter half of the decade, the Spurs have actually gotten a lot younger. Guys like George Hill, DeJuan Blair, and 2010 draftee James Anderson all look like they'll be able to contribute to the wiley veteran core of the Spurs. The one caveat for the Spurs is whether they'll be able to fight off the injury bug this year. Both Manu and Tony Parker were out for substantial time with those nagging injuries that seem to always take the offseason to heal. From the lack of noise they made in the preseason it would be easy to count the Spurs out, but when have the Spurs every been about the sizzle more than the steak? Gregg Popovich's teams always seem to be prepared when that 1st out of 82 games start, and Tim Duncan is as efficient as ever, with the once-perrenial MVP candidate gearing down his game and getting more fundamental than ever. Are the Spurs as good as the Lakers? Probably not. But we all know San Antonio's only prerogative is the postseason, where they've been for the entire decade. It's for that reason they're at number 3.


The window is closing quickly for Dirk and the Mavs. Can they capitalize on solid veteran role players or will they crumble in the Playoffs again?

4. Dallas Mavericks

Dallas has been my favorite time for a while now, but has always been the butt of the choke jokes. The Mavs have perfected the art of reloading the same roster by trying to plug different players around their MVP candidate Dir Nowitzki. Dirk is the picture of consistency, and Jason Kidd has aged like a fine wine, with improving 3-point range and his cerebral play-making. That said, it's hard to see Dallas beating the three teams above them consistently. They bring back Caron Butler, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion and Brendan Haywood for another crack at the West title. That team would have been amazing... 4 years ago. I think Mark Cuban has gotten a little too content with scouring the free agent wire and trade circuit, rather than building his team the old fashioned way. While the Mavs have considerable talent in rookie Dominique Jones, and their young point guard Roddy Beabois, they don't have the firepower to contend and their championship window is closing faster than Caron's Mountain Dew addiction. It won't be enough to be just good for Dallas. If they want to beat the Lakers and the other titans of the league, it's going to take great defense and mental fortitude, which the Mavs have lacked every year since Dwyane Wade took it to them in 2006.


Blake Griffin is for real. B-Diddy looks like he's 26 again. Can the other L.A. team turn a decade full of frowns upside down?

5. Los Angeles Clippers

This is my surprise pick in the West. I said it. The Los Angeles Clippers will be a PLAYOFF TEAM in 2011. And that's for one reason only: Blake Griffin. The Oklahoma rookie is back from the knee injury that made him miss his true rookie season and has looked dominant in the preseason. Griffin doesn't look like a man who's had knee surgery, catching alley-oops from a rejuvenated Baron Davis. Speaking of B-Diddy, he always seems to have these two year spurts where he looks like an All-Star, and this year seems like the beginning of another of those spurts. When I look at the Clippers though, I see a deep roster, with Chris Kaman (most underrated player in the league), Eric Gordon, Craig Smith, DeAndre Jordan, and Randy Foye all looking to contribute. Add to that, they've got some serious young talent in rookies Al-Farooq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe and Willie Warren. I think if the Clippers can rally around Griffin, they're going to surprise a lot of teams. If they can get consistent production from the wings, then the Clippers will be very hard to defend and even harder to prepare for. Look out, because Blake Griffin will put you favorite player on a poster by the end of the year, while the Clips make it to the postseason as the 5th best in the West.


Chauncey: I know what you did last summer...
Melo: I know what I'm about to do this summer!

6. Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are in a serious state of flux. With all of the speculation around Carmelo Anthony and whether he will even be a Nugget, there's a silent anxiety around this organization. Of course, Chauncey Billups, Nene, JR Smith, Kenyon Martin, Ty Lawson and Chris Andersen will do what they've been doing, but it seems like this team was a chicken with its head cut off without George Karl. If his presence is what's holding them together, then I have little faith that the Nuggets will make it out of the first round. They added Al Harrington, who is a more athletic and streakier Linas Kleiza, as well as a rejuvenated Shelden Williams, but neither of those players are true game-changers for a roster set in its ways. The Nuggets will win and lose as Carmelo's success comes, which isn't the way to go, especially in the West. The bottom teams in this conference are too good to take a night off, which Denver does a LOT. Yes, the Nuggets will make the playoffs, but I feel like they're the West's version of the Atlanta Hawks, a team that didn't do much to improve.


The Jazz now belong to Deron Williams (and his beard)... Can the addition of Al Jefferson make a difference in Salt Lake City?

7. Utah Jazz

I've said this for years now, and will stand by it until someone unequivocally proves me wrong: Deron Williams is the best point guard in the league. Chris Paul only gets the nod from the world because Williams plays in one of the smallest markets in the league. The Utah Jazz are his team, now that Carlos 'undersized center' Boozer has moved on to Chicago. That said, his departure opened up a spot for Al Jefferson to make his mark in Salt Lake City. Jefferson has been waiting to break out, and now that he has a proven point man in Williams to deliver the ball to him, his game should jump to a new level. The Jazz retained the services of Mehmet Okur, whose jump shooting as a big man should open up a lot of space for Williams and Jefferson to work. Add to that a healthy Kirilenko as the defensive glue, and you've got a trademark Jerry Sloan squad. Sloan is synonymous with squeezing the most out of his players through disciplined play and clutch defense, so the lack of 'star' players doesn't bother me as much as the lack of depth. The Jazz, while adding promising rookie Gordon Hayward, and veterans Raja Bell and Earl Watson are an injury away from disaster. Any hits they take will hit their wins and losses right in the stomach.


Yao Ming's foot should be the next body part to get the Twitter treatment.. Doesn't mean he'll be able to be the centerpiece that the Rockets need...

8. Houston Rockets

This last spot was a toss-up for me because the bottom half of the West is that muddled. The Rockets are eighth in the West because they have great depth. Yao Ming is far from a sure thing at center because of his nagging injuries, but they've got a solid backup in Brad Miller. Kevin Martin is the same way, but the Rockets have guys like Chase Budinger, Courtney Lee, and Shane Battier, who can provide the same production. In fact, Aaron Brooks is just about the surest thing on this team. Brooks, last year's Most Improved Player, is a poised offensive threat with a deadly stroke from the three, which makes up for his diminutive size. Behind them, Houston has solid role players like Chuck Hayes, Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry. These parts are all good, but not great, which puts them ahead of teams like Sacramento, Phoenix and Golden State, but way behind the other 7 teams on this list. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't make the playoffs, but they're definitely the last good team left. Whether or not they can make noise in the West is dependent on Yao Ming's foot, and nothing more...

Dear Lakers & Celtics

It's the end of basketball season, and while it's a somber part of the year for basketball junkies such as myself, it's good to see this season coming to a close. I guess it's only right that you two meet in the Finals. David Stern and the NBA wanted it and no other team made their case for the ship, so here we have a rematch of the 2008 Finals. I, for one, would have loved to see ANY other two teams (well, Playoff teams) reach the big dance, because you two have had your fair share of wins already. Quite honestly, I'm getting thoroughly bored of seeing similar teams make it every time. There's yet to be a Playoffs in this new millenia that has featured two underdogs or even one team that didn't have the silver spoon in its mouth at the beginning of the season. That's not to say that you two don't deserve to be in the Finals (if that was the case, you wouldn't be there). It just gets really boring. That said, let's examine both teams and see who's really going to win the 'ship this year...

The guy on the left is the best player in the world. If the other two show up, the Lakers are damn near impossible to beat...

Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe. Kobe. And even more Kobe. That's what the you guys have been sicking on the league all season. What's crazy is that it worked... up until about March. Kobe basically admitted that he didn't have a hand anymore and that his knee was turning into silly putty. And your squad was faced with the fact that Kobe Bryant is, indeed, a mortal like the rest of us (not all; I still consider Bynum an overgrown hobbit). That fact made another title in La-La Land seem a lot harder to grasp. But have no fear, Lakers!! Kobe made it back for the Playoffs and, though you guys struggled at times during the Thunder series, made quick work of the Jazz and Suns. That said, the Celtics will be the toughest team you have faced in a WHILE. Their front line is a bunch of men who look like they eat children and broken dreams, while their backcourt is full of finesse.

For you guys to win, two people other than Kobe have to show up, and in a big way: Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Those two are the only other players who have it in them to be DOMINANT. And I say that cautiously, not only because dominance takes many forms in basketball, but also because both players are known to have soft demeanors. When Lamar Odom Kardashian is dominant, he could be one of the best players in the game, given his skill set. Gasol on the other hand is the unsung hero of sorts. He's been an All-Star forever, though he defers to Kobe more often than he should. I bring these two players up because when your team won last year, it wasn't because Kobe went off for 45 every night. It was because there was a concerted effort for all of your players to put in the extra bit that Kobe can't do when he's off scoring at will and making people look retarded. Don't get me wrong. If Bryant plays badly, you guys lose. Point blank. But if Odom, Gasol and every other role player on that squad fills in the gaps, you guys will be hard as hell to beat...

It's been the Big 4 all season.. Will all 4 come up big again??

Boston Celtics

Now, to you guys... the story of the Playoffs in my opinion. Your team was considered dead in the water at the end of the season, limping into the postseason with some pretty ugly home losses on your record. Look at you now! After rolling over the Miami Wades in the first round, dethroning King James in the second round and turning Superman into Clark Kent in Orlando, you guys look to be on a streak. This playoffs, you more or less took out the teams of the three best players in the Eastern Conference, and did it in grand style. But while the Lakers got there on the shoulders of their lone superstar, you guys did it with good, old-fashioned teamwork. When I look at your stats from the Playoffs, there isn't a player that sticks out to me on paper. In fact, besides Rajon Rondo, none of you have been overly-consistent. But that's the beauty (GAG!!! I'm a Knicks fan) of Celtics basketball. Pierce, Garnett & Allen, et. al. seem to turn up when the game is on the line. Whether it's Pierce or Allen hitting ridiculous shots, KG with his trademark intensity, Sheed exploding out of nowhere, or any of your other role-palyers turning it on, someone always fills in.

Along with that team solidarity, you guys have the best defensive team I've ever seen. During the Orlando series, I've never seen a team so flustered as I did in Games 1&2. It was as if your team was made out of brick and the Magic were water splashing up against you. Howard was nowhere to be found, threes weren't falling and you guys got easy points in transition and through 2nd-chance points. That said, you're facing a well-oiled machine in the Lakers. When the triangle offense is at its best, there is an open shot at the end of every possession. What you guys need to do is focus on keeping everyone but Kobe Bryant under wraps. There's really no point to trying to stop him. But if you can kill everyone else's game, there's no reason why you shouldn't win. Also, make sure to let Rajon Rondo loose on Derek Fisher. I'm tired of seeing teams sleep on Fisher, only to have him making key plays down the stretch. Defense and a heavy dose of tough love are all you need...

The picture says it all.. This is going to be another rough series

Conclusion

Honestly, I don't like either of you. I despise you, the Lakers and Celtics, for reasons I can't even fathom sometimes. It could be the rings; it could be that both cities PALE in comparison to NYC; It could just be something subconscious. Though, if I had to pick one of you based solely on basketball, it would have to be the Celtics. Lakers, you've shown the world the blueprint on how to beat you. Celtics, I'm not so sure that there is a definite way to beat you, other than to grind it out and pray to the basketball gods. Benchwise, Boston, you've got it. There's too many big bodies coming off the pine that can make up for lack of skill. Plus, I think Sheed is going to have one of his rare 'Really, Sheed?' series', where he defies logic and drops 20 a game again. Lakers, you guys dominated the West, but as many forget, the East is no longer a pushover. Celtics in 6, though even that I'm shaky on. Should be a good series.

P.S.: Check the blog tomorrow for the top moments from this year's playoffs!!!

Dear Ron Artest

Wow. Wow is all I can say. Ron, for the longest time, you've been a favorite player of mine simply because you didn't give two sh*ts about anything; you just played ball. And you played ball well. Defensively, you're like a brick wall on the perimeter, and no swingman in the league could deny that. I suppose that's why you thought it would be a great idea to etch 'DEFENSE' in three Hebrew, Japanese & Hindi (do you even speak any of those languages?) in your haircut. Heads have been putting words on their heads since the days of 'Do The Right Things', so it's not that far-fetched. However, when did expressing yourself become more important than doing the thing you're expressing? Ron, last night Vince Carter torched you for 25 (he's been wacker than a lead-filled balloon this year), effectively rendering your follicular experiment a laughable prospect. I guess the hairstyle would also be cooler if you were handling your business, but the Lakers are on their first 3 game losing streak in almost two years. Even Phil Jackson knew what the deal was, essentially calling you a Dennis Rodman wannabe. I suppose it's your hair, but goes without saying that looking like one of these guys doesn't make you any more likely to win a championship...

Dear Laker Fans

A lot worse things could have happened...

I really didn't like the two 'marquee matchups' this Christmas, but was forced to after realizing that every other channel was showing holiday shows (does anyone else get tired of them??). Of the five games, the one was probably hyped the most, and of course, one team dominated. This time it was the Cavs. Along with the L, the Lakers squad had to deal with you guys throwing your foam fingers on the court. What's the problem? One loss (which didn't even shake their hold on the Western standings) and you guys are booing?? I'd hate to see the Staples Center if this happened in the playoffs, or even the Finals. Lakers fans, you don't know how to act. If you win, you riot in the streets and loot sneaker stores. If you lose you're ready to beat your players with foam. Calm down. Be glad you're not Knicks fans, because we've had a team to boo about for years...