Clippers Rumors: Warriors' Mike Brown Made 'Strong Impression' in HC Interview

The Los Angeles Clippers came away from their interview with Mike Brown with a strong impression of the former head coach as they look to replace Doc Rivers, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times.

Stein reports Tyronn Lue, who has long been considered the front-runner in Los Angeles, is scheduled to meet with the Houston Rockets next, though he may have some legitimate competition for the Clippers job with Brown.

The Clippers have the most pressure in the NBA to get their coaching hire right after trading a number of assets to pair Paul George with Kawhi Leonard for at least two years. The duo will become unrestricted free agents in 2022 along with point guard Patrick Beverley.

That's left the club—which parted with five first-round picks to get George—with few opportunities to capitalize on its immediate championship window.

Rivers was let go after failing to advance past the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs this year and quickly landed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

It would make sense for Brown to land in L.A. given his years of experience coaching on the hot seat.

The 2009 NBA Coach of the Year previously helmed the Cleveland Cavaliers during LeBron James' first stint and then took over the Los Angeles Lakers for two years after Phil Jackson retired.

Yet Brown's postseason record has done little to help his case.

His Cleveland teams feel in the conference semifinals on three occasions and lost the 2007 NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs. He took the Lakers to the Western Conference Semifinals in his first season but was fired after a 1-4 start the following year.

The Ohio native has been an assistant on Steve Kerr's Golden State Warriors staff since 2016, helping the club win titles in 2017 and 2018.

Whether that experience is enough to earn him the job with the Clippers remains to be seen.