Not quite the 70 year old everyone was hoping to see, but a great coach nonetheless and NBA Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan wouldnt mind taking his talents to the city of Angels.
With the news of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash going to the Lakers, Kobe winning the Gold medal and possible retirement in two years, Laker fans and even most analysts felt like this year was the Lakers golden year… until the preseason happened. The Lakers went 0-8 this preseason and started the season 0-3 before finally beating the Detroit Pistons Sunday evening. The only team to go to a championship and win starting the season 0-3 was in 1990-1991 with the Chicago Bulls, *cues Phil Jackson*, who ironically beat the Lakers. The question now lingers can Mike Brown handle his All-star team? Is there panic in LA?
Kobe said “Panic Now”:
“Now,” Kobe Bryant said after the 105-95 loss to the L.A. Clippers. “We’re hitting the panic button now. That’s what we’re supposed to do. We’re not supposed to just coast and assume that things are going to fix themselves. We got to push at it.”
“It’s is particularly hard for me because I’m not the most patient individual in the world, but you have to be,” Bryant said. “You have to be. You have to stay persistent. You have to stay committed to what you’re doing and just keep on trucking.”
But when they won? What did Kobe say?
“I think it’s more of a relief for Mike than it is for anybody else,” Bryant said.
That must be the a**hole in Kobe talking. According to Hoops World, Kobe isnt the only one pushing the panic button, sources around the league are saying Mike Brown’s job is in jeopardy and its sooner than later he’ll be replaced, and I mean soon as in December 1st. Of course its not just any coach, NBA Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan, who NBA Commissioner David Stern said was “one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history” is interested in taking the Lakers back to their days of glory.
“Jerry Sloan to L.A. by December 1,” one league source predicted. “Nash and Howard are the new Stockton and Malone. He wants a ring, not to mention the money. He didn’t seriously consider Orlando, Charlotte or Portland [openings] over the summer because he knew Los Angeles would open up.”
“He knew LA would open up” is a pretty bold statement , that says a lot about the faith people around the league have in Mike Brown and has capabilities to coach an all star team and win a championship, just about as much as they had in Erik Spoelstra and look what happened.