Confusion About Larry Brown's Choice

We remarked in this space at the time that it seemed odd for Larry Brown to choose to go to Charlotte to work under the eye of Michael Jordan with a young team that has so far to go before it can reach the land of contenders -- even in the East.

That confusion has only been augmented by the latest comments from Mark Cuban out of Dallas.

As reported by Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News:

Had he not already been employed, the 67-year-old Brown "probably" would have been a candidate to replace Avery Johnson, says Cuban, who adds, "There would not have been a reason not to include him."

Sherrington's take on that: "My feelings exactly."

Mine: Amen.

(More after the jump) 

We're talking about a team that is a perennial 50-game winner but has yet to get over that final championship hump and is clearly about to be on the downside of its title window.  This is also a team that slowed down its pace in recent years and became a better defensive team albeit one that still has plenty of room to improve (the Mavs were ninth in defensive efficiency this year).  Lots of scoring firepower, lots of players who generally seem willing enough to listen to their coach.

Further, it's worth remembering that this team is going to be very hard to overhaul given the exorbitant payroll.  Part of the reason Avery Johnson ultimately had to go was because the players really couldn't if this team was going to stay in contention.  That being the case, it certainly seems like Brown would have been a great fit in one more effort to get this team over the top.

Too bad Dallas couldn't get to him soon enough.