CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers are bringing back the most successful coach they've ever had.
Cleveland officially re-hired Mike Brown on Wednesday, bringing back a coach who guided them to five straight playoff appearances and their only trip to the NBA Finals before he was fired following the 2010 season.
Brown agreed in principle to the contract on Tuesday. The sides finalized a deal which brings in the 43-year-old to coach a young team with an All-Star player and plenty of room for improvement — a similar situation to the one Brown inherited in 2005.
Brown is again working for owner Dan Gilbert, who fired him following the 2010 playoffs mostly to try and please LeBron James and keep him from leaving Cleveland as a free agent. James ended up bolting for Miami anyway, foiling Gilbert's plan and leaving them without a coach whose .652 winning percentage is the sixth highest in history among coaches with at least 400 games.
Brown's return has prompted a mixed reaction from Cleveland fans, some wondering why Gilbert would bring back a coach who couldn't win it all with James.
Shortly after Brown's reunion with the Cavs was made official, Gilbert went on Twitter to defend his decision. He pointed out that Brown and Phil Jackson are the only coaches with more than five years of experience to never miss the playoffs in their careers. Gilbert also noted that at 43, Brown "is not even near his peak as an NBA coach."