The worst news for the Los Angeles Lakers today should have been that Devin Ebanks was arrested on suspicion of a DUI this morning. And then maybe that whole 1-4 start while Kobe Bryant evolves into a new breed of evil and Dwight Howard continues to pretend that everything works out in the end. Instead, it’s f*cking DEFCON 2 in L.A. this afternoon, as Lakers coach Mike Brown has been fired already, according to USA Today’s Sam Amick.
Mike Brown has been fired by the Los Angeles Lakers, according to his agent Warren Legarie.
The Lakers are off to a 1-4 start and will play Golden State tonight at the Staples Center.
Simple. Subtle. And not really unexpected, most notably because of this GIF of the Year candidate:
But it’s still shocking, as Lakers owner Jim Buss had made it clear that he had full trust in Brown and that he was sticking with him as a hard working, knowledgeable coach. Then again, this is the NBA and trust only means something when it’s written in the win column. So who then will replace Brown and fix this 1-4 funk that the sloppy, injured Lakers have already fallen into?
The Internet and Lakers fans are going to suggest Phil Jackson, because that’s easy. To wake up a stagnant offense, basketball brains are going to suggest Mike D’Antoni, especially since his best days were with Steve Nash, and Kobe Bryant also likes and respects him. That very well could happen.
But I’m going to predict the guy who has deserved a head coach job, according to every basketball writer on the planet, for the past two years and is still just an associate head coach – Brian Shaw. I doubt that would happen, but it’s a match made in heaven and Shaquille O’Neal agrees with me. Until a decision is made, though, there are fans of 29 teams that are going to have a lot of fun pointing and laughing.
And here’s a much better Kobe Bryant death stare via @PJHoody:
