The Los Angeles Lakers have fired head coach Mike Brown after five games, USA Today's Sam Amick reports.
It's a shocker.
ESPN reported earlier that Brown had two weeks to save his job, but ultimately he was canned before the six-game homestand began.
LA's 1-4 start was disappointing, but NO ONE thought Brown would be fired 10 days into the season.
He had a lot going against him: Steven Nash is hurt, Dwight Howard is still working himself into game shape, and five guys that never played together are trying to learn a brand new offense on the fly.
So why was Brown fired?
The rational answer is defense. Brown is supposed to be a defensive wizard, but his team is ranked 25th in defensive efficiency through five games. Still though, it's five games.
Brown gets $11 million from the buy out. Current assistant Chuck Person will take over as interim coach.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! is reporting that Mike D'Antoni — who was fired as Knicks coach last year — has emerged as a possible replacement. He coached Nash in Phoenix:
As Lakers ownership has been considering firing of Brown, Mike D'Antoni has been a prominent name discussed as replacement, sources tell Y!
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) November 9, 2012
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