The Lakers and former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown reportedly agreed on a four-season, $18.25 million contract today, an unexpected choice to replace retiring Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson after a relatively quick search.

Brown, 41, coached the LeBron James-led Cavaliers for five seasons, taking the team to the NBA Finals once and the Eastern Conference finals twice. He is known as a defensive-minded coach, which could be what attracted the Lakers to him.

“If you’re building a championship team, the DNA always has to start on the defensive end of the floor. Always,” superstar guard Kobe Bryant said after the Dallas Mavericks ousted the Lakers from the playoffs earlier this month.

“I’m a firm believer in that. I don’t believe in building a championship team on offense. It has to be built on defense and rebounding. Period.”

Brown was the NBA’s coach of the year after leading the Cavaliers to a league-best 66-16 record in 2008-09. He helped to guide Cleveland to a NBA-best 61-21 mark in 2009-10, but was fired after the Cavaliers’ second straight loss in the conference finals.

He spent this season as an analyst for ESPN.

Brown served as an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers for two seasons before the Cavaliers hired him in 2005. He also was an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs for three seasons and the Washington Wizards for two.

After playing for two seasons at the University of San Diego, he began

his career with the Denver Nuggets, first as a video coordinator and later as a scout. He never played in the NBA, but has climbed steadily through the coaching ranks.

Other candidates included more experienced NBA coaches such as Rick Adelman, Mike Dunleavy and Jeff Van Gundy. Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw also was considered and was the pick of several Lakers players, including Bryant.

elliott.teaford@dailybreeze.com