BASKETBALL Brown likely to become Cavaliers' president
Flip Saunders would likely replace Brown in Detroit.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
AUBURN HILLS, N.Y. -- You can probably strike Larry Brown's name from the list of potential New York Knicks coaching candidates and start adding it to the roster of NBA team presidents.
According to several league sources Sunday, Brown has all but agreed to take over as the head of basketball operations for the Cleveland Cavaliers after the Detroit Pistons finish their playoff run. While Brown has not given his official word to the Pistons and still could have second thoughts about jumping to the Cavaliers, he reportedly has started assembling his front office personnel and coaching staff in anticipation of a move.
The Cavs and Brown refused to comment Sunday, but one person close to the 64-year-old Long Beach product said, "He won't be back in Detroit next season." He apparently won't be coaching the Knicks, either, although team president Isiah Thomas has identified him as a candidate. Herb Williams remains the front-runner to come back and coach the team.
With Brown being pursued by David Katzman, one of the Cavaliers' new owners, the Pistons have identified ex-Minnesota coach Flip Saunders as their top choice to succeed him. Saunders has had one conversation with Thomas about the Knicks' vacancy, but like many candidates, he has reservations about the team's roster and long-term salary-cap problems.
Contingency plan
As the New York Daily News reported on April 4, the Pistons first made back-channel contacts with Saunders in late March. He has turned down Portland's coaching position and had also been involved with the Magic about their vacancy before Orlando hired Brian Hill. Sources say Saunders has held off on taking a job because of Brown's expected departure, and that Saunders would welcome the chance to take over a veteran team that is working on its second straight championship.
Detroit president Joe Dumars refused comment on Brown's future, citing the fact that the Pistons are trying to defeat the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. But sources say the Pistons already have told the Cavaliers they will not demand compensation for Brown, who has three years at $18 million left on his contract. Detroit will be off the hook for the rest of his deal if he were to leave.
"Unless Larry reneges, it looks like he's gone," one source said.
Sources told the Daily News that Brown has begun lining up coaches and executives for his Cleveland regime. If Brown takes the job, he has tabbed Pacers associate head coach Mike Brown to be LeBron James' new head coach.
Former Sixers head coach Randy Ayers confirmed Sunday night that Mike Brown had spoken to him about an assistant's job, but Brown is going in a different direction. The Cavaliers' front office would include Washington's personnel director Milt Newton, who played college ball at Kansas for Brown and is considered a rising star among league executives.