Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has emerged as the favorite to succeed Phil Jackson as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, according to sources.
Brown and the Lakers have already exchanged contract figures, with a deal potentially being struck as early as Wednesday, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard.
But the sources also said a deal between the Lakers and Brown, an ESPN analyst and the 2008-09 NBA coach of the year, could collapse if Brown does not get enough security -- in terms of years and money -- to sufficiently empower him as coach.
Media reports on the length and value of the contract vary. The Los Angeles Times reported the deal on the table was for three years, with a team option for a fourth, and would pay Brown between $4 million and $4.5 million yearly. CSNBayArea reported that Brown is expected to receive a four-year deal from the Lakers worth about $18 million.
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