"When then-Charlotte Bobcats part-owner Michael Jordan said in May 2008 that newly-hired Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown had signed a four-year contract with his team, many NBA observers wondered if Brown would actually last that long. If recent developments are any indication, it took less than two years for Brown to grow restless. Now, as Brown continues conducting pre-draft workouts, it appears he will return – perhaps grudgingly – for a third year. That prospect hardly bodes well for a franchise entering its seventh season – and after making its first playoff appearance. What has Brown so unhappy? While Brown talked at season's end about how much he missed his family that has remained in Philadelphia (and apparently will remain in Philadelphia) it appears his angst is borne of something far easier to understand: Money. Certainly, Brown's coaching acumen and success are unrivaled. After all, he's one of only four current NBA coaches to have won a league championship – a number that won't change this week when either Boston's Doc Rivers or the Los Angeles Lakers' Phil Jackson add to their title numbers. But it appears Brown thinks his expertise should come with a high price tag. After talking to the media about his future following one pre-draft workout last week, he has declined questions about the topic ever since. Maybe Brown has a point. His salary in Charlotte has never been reported, but many figure it to be at least $4 million per season, a figure that likely places him near the middle of the league's average coaching salaries. Whether Brown thinks ownership should've given him a raise or if he simply wants Jordan to cut him in on the new ownership group is unclear. Whatever the case, insiders say Jordan's top brass is puzzled by Brown's inability to commit to the team. At best, the failure to do so has them mystified. At worst, it's causing a distance between coach and ownership that isn't healthy for a franchise that made strides to reclaim the region's NBA fanbase last season. In some ways, Brown's actions are typical of the gypsy-like movement that has marked his incredibly successful coaching career. While Brown has family in Charlotte – and had his first coaching job here in 1972 – he's never stayed anywhere longer than six seasons in a career in which there have 11 job changes and 10 addresses (including Charlotte and Los Angeles twice apiece). Plus, it's possible Brown thinks he's done as much as he can with the franchise. That point may have been driven home shortly after Jordan became majority owner and he made it emphatically clear his tight financial budget would leave the team little flexibility to change its current roster." http://www.gastongazette.com/sports/font-48245-size-courier.html
