Cavs coach Brown fired

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have fired Mike Brown, a source close to the head coach told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.
The Cavaliers had a midnight deadline on Sunday to fire the coach or pay him his full $4.5 million salary for next season.
Cleveland was ousted from the playoffs two weeks ago by the Boston Celtics, who upset the NBA's top regular-season team in six games.

Best Of The Bunch

Coach Mike Brown leaves the Cavaliers with the highest winning percentage in team history. And his five playoff appearances is matched only by Lenny Wilkens in franchise history.
Highest Win Pct, Cavaliers History

		W-L
Mike Brown	.663	272-138
Lenny Wilkens	.551	316-258
Mike Fratello	.539	248-212

Brown, who had one year left on his contract, could be quickly scooped up by one of the five other teams looking for head coaches. Brown has guided the team to the postseason in each of his five seasons. Cleveland's assistants also have one year remaining on their deals.
Brown was the league's coach of the year last season when the Cavs won 66 games. Cleveland lost to Orlando in the conference finals, however, and it was assumed Brown would have to get the team closer to a championship to keep his job.
Instead, the Cavs regressed. They were badly outplayed by the Celtics, who won the last two games played in Cleveland by a combined 50 points. But Cavs owner Dan Gilbert insisted last week that the team didn't quit against Boston.
"It's one of those things that you can't believe it after it's happened," Gilbert said. "I feel bad for the fans more than anybody."
Cleveland's next move will be an interesting one. Because of LeBron James' uncertain future, it's possible the Cavs would want his input into their next coaching hire, assuming the two-time MVP is still considering re-signing with Cleveland when free agency opens in July. The Cavs will have to search for a new coach not knowing if James will be back and would have to go into the draft and free agency without a coach.
James is eligible to opt out of his contract this summer, a move that would make the two-time MVP -- and zero-time NBA champion -- a free agent and set off a scramble for his services from New York to Miami to Los Angeles and, of course, back in Cleveland.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.