NBA

Brown says yes to rebuilding Knicks, his 'dream job'

By wire services
Published July 28, 2005

NEW YORK - The Knicks' deal with Larry Brown is done.

Brown's agent worked out the final details of contract language with team executives Wednesday, clearing the way for the Knicks to introduce Brown as the 22nd head coach in franchise history.

The team called a noon news conference for today at Madison Square Garden, where the buzz could be coming back after nearly a half-decade of malaise.

Fewer than 10 days after his divorce from the Detroit Pistons was finalized, Brown moved on to a new job where he'll be trading down in talent but up in salary and sentiment.

The Knicks were Brown's favorite team when he was growing up in Brooklyn, and the eighth stop on his NBA coaching carousel will truly be a "dream job" - just what Brown called it earlier this year.

He'll join a long list of distinguished coaches - including Joe Lapchick, Red Holzman, Pat Riley and Lenny Wilkens - who have guided one of the league's charter franchises.

"We have it just about done. There are a couple of things to tidy up," agent Joe Glass said early Wednesday evening.

Within an hour, everything was in place except Brown's signature on the documents. He was expected to take care of that task this morning.

In 22 seasons as a professional coach, Brown has compiled a 987-741 record. The title he won with the Detroit Pistons in 2004 was the only NBA championship of his career.

Glass would not comment on reports that the contract would be for five years and between $50-million to $60-million. He said there were no major issues that needed to be worked out in the final contract negotiations Tuesday and Wednesday.

"I don't think we took an extra long time. Certainly it hasn't gone as quickly as some other teams' negotiations have, but we didn't have a head start," Glass said.

Brown did not immediately return a call seeking comment Wednesday.

NETS: New Jersey moved a step closer to New York when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to enter exclusive negotiations with team owner Bruce Ratner, who wants to build a towering arena complex over an MTA railyard near downtown Brooklyn. The MTA board gave Ratner 45 days to increase his $50-million cash bid for the eight-acre railyard, which the agency has had appraised at $214-million.

SUNS: Phoenix agreed to trade center Jake Voskuhl to Charlotte for a conditional second-round draft pick in an effort to clear salary in a bid to re-sign guard Joe Johnson.

[Last modified July 28, 2005, 01:10:15]