( CNN ) -- The Los Angeles Lakers ' 0-8 preseason and 1-4 start to the regular season was too much for the front office to take . The NBA team on Friday fired second-year head coach Mike Brown , whose efforts to implement a new offense and mesh free-agent signings with stars who won a title two years ago did n't turn into wins . `` Really , it came down to ownership and management looking at the record , looking at the improvement level , and wondering a month or two or three down the road , will we be in the same spot , '' General Manager Mitch Kupchak told reporters . Assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff will be interim head coach for Friday night 's game against the Golden State Warriors , the Lakers said . The Lakers , just two years removed from an NBA championship , are loaded with high-profile talent with the likes of all-stars Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol , and they added former league MVP Steve Nash and former Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard in the off-season . But Nash has missed most of the season 's early games with an injury , and the Lakers struggled with a complex new offense Brown was implementing . `` I never thought we got to the point where the offense was flowing , '' Kupchak said . `` You could see flashes of it , but we never got to a point ( where it was consistent through a game ) . '' A reporter asked Kupchak whether a desire to make Howard 's first year a smooth one was a factor in the decision . The star center would be a free agent at season 's end if he does n't sign an extension . `` Obviously , we know he is a free agent this summer , and you want to make the experience for him as good as possible , but we have a lot of other people we need to ( please ) as well , '' Kupchak said . Kupchak said the team 's management decided Thursday night to make the move , a day after the Lakers lost a 95-86 game at Utah . Brown released a statement saying he had great respect for the family of Lakers owner Jerry Buss `` and the Lakers ' storied tradition , and I thank them for the opportunity they afforded me . '' `` I have a deep appreciation for the coaches and players that I worked with this past year and I wish the organization nothing but success as they move forward , '' Brown said . Before taking the Lakers job in May 2011 , Brown , 42 , compiled a 272-138 regular-season record in five seasons as head coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers . CNN 's Joseph S. Miller contributed to this report .
Lakers coach Mike Brown sacked after team 's poor start to the new NBA season . Comment: Team 's management decided to make the move Thursday following loss to Utah .