The Cavaliers will have a new coach next season as the team Monday morning officially announced the firing of head coach Mike Brown. There had been speculation since the day after the Cavs fell to Boston that Brown was going to be fired, but it took nearly two weeks for the team to finally make their decision.

“After a long and deep analysis of all of the factors that led to the disappointing early ends to our playoff runs over the past two seasons, we concluded that it was time for the Cavaliers to move in a different direction,” Dan Gilbert put in a press release this morning.

“The expectations of this organization are very high and, although change always carries an element of risk, there are times when that risk must be taken in an attempt to break through to new, higher levels of accomplishment. This is one of those times.”

Brown was the 17th coach in Cavs history, and their winningest coach percentage wise with a record of 272-138. He was the 2009 NBA Coach of the Year, and led Cleveland to the finals in 2007 when they were swept by the San Antoino Spurs.

“I have truly enjoyed working with Mike Brown. Mike has played a huge role in turning around the Cavs organization,” Ferry said. “Over the past five years, Mike established a work ethic, defensive identity and culture of winning that was not here previously.”

In five seasons, Brown was of 272-138 (.663). The reason the firing was done Sunday late was it had to be done before the end of the weekend was there was a clause in Brown’s contract, an extension signed in 2007, that guaranteed him about half of his salary for next season of $4 million if he was let go within 10 days of the end of this season.