NBA: 5 player/coach reunions with their former teams in 2013-14 season

Mike Brown to the Cavs

Mike Brown returns to the Cavaliers for a second stint as Head Coach

Mike Brown is back in Cleveland as Head Coach three seasons after he was fired at the end of the 2009-2010 season. Brown was fired by then GM Danny Ferry after the Cavaliers lost 2-4 to the Boston Celtics in the semi-finals of the 2009-10 Playoffs.

The move was meant to appease Lebron James and stop him from leaving Cleveland, but it was to prove futile, as ‘The Decision’ was to follow culminating in the departure of James to the Miami Heat. Brown was then appointed head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2011-12 season succeeding Phil Jackson. His tenure there lasted just the one term after he was fired 5 games into the next season.

On April 24, 2013 Brown returned to the Cavs more confident, surer of who he is and what he wants and this time will be handed the task of managing one of the best young guards in the league in Kyrie Irving and an injury prone Centre who is menacing when fully fit, in Andrew Bynum.

Flip Saunders to the T’Wolves

Flip Saunders takes over as new President of Basketball Operations at Minnesota

Eight years ago, Saunders was fired as Head Coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has managed to ‘flip’ it around and has returned to Minnesota as the new President of Basketball Operations.

The franchise enjoyed one of its most successful spells when Saunders was coach with players like Kevin Garnett and Wally Szczerbiak in the team. Since his departure, the T’Wolves have fallen on hard times and the return of Saunders is expected to arrest that slide.

Saunders managed to maintain a close relationship with the franchise’s owner Glen Taylor even after the firing which played its part in Taylor choosing to recall him.

Chauncey Billups to the Pistons

Billups returns to the team with which he won his lone NBA Championship

The Detroit Pistons have brought back 36-year-old guard Chauncey Billups on a 2-year deal worth $2.5 million a year. Billups has played with the Denver Nuggets, the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers since he moved from Detroit in the summer of 2008.

Billups was part of the NBA title winning Pistons team of 2003-04 and also the Finals MVP in that series where his team beat the famed Lakers 4-3.

Jason Kidd to the Nets

Kidd in discussion with assistant Lawrence Frank during pre-season

Ten days after retiring as a player, having spent his last season with the New York Knicks, Jason Kidd was appointed Head Coach of the Brooklyn Nets on a 3-year deal. Kidd, now 40, is amongst the premier point guards to have ever played in the NBA and also one of the best leaders on the court and in the locker room.

He will be using all that wisdom and experience in this new journey as a coach.

The Nets have shifted base from New Jersey to Brooklyn, but Kidd is still revered as a franchise legend by Nets fans. Franchise owner Mikhail Prokhorov in a statement after Kidd’s hiring said: “Jason Kidd has a long and legendary history with the Nets and with the city of New York. He has the fire in the belly we need.”

No kidding that!

Jordan Farmar to the Lakers

Jordan Farmar scrapping for the ball with Boston’s Rajon Rondo during the 2009-10 NBA finals

He was playing in Turkey last year and is now a veteran, but guard Jordan Farmar has agreed to take a pay cut to return to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Farmar is from L.A. and played his first 4 professional seasons with the Lakers. He was a key reserve in the franchise’s twin championship runs in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons.

“I’ve been a Laker since I was born, I grew up a Laker fan, so regardless of where I am or who I’m playing for, or what I’m doing in life, I’m always going to stay connected to what’s going on here.”, said Farmar.

With Steve Nash in the twilight of his career and Kobe Bryant expected to miss some part of the season, Farmar’s addition gives L.A. some depth in the backcourt.