Phil Jackson, Cavaliers talk about head coaching job, according to report

Phil Jackson and the Cavaliers have talked about the team's vacant head-coaching position. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Phil Jackson and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been in touch about the team's vacant head-coaching position, ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst and Marc Stein reported Sunday night.

ESPN reported that Jackson is "increasingly interested" in a return to the NBA — though he prefers a situation similar to Miami Heat president Pat Riley, who oversees personnel moves while acting as a "mentor" to head coach Erik Spoelstra.

According to the report, the Cavs have also reached out to former head coach Mike Brown about returning to the team. Brown coached the Cavaliers from 2005-10, when he was fired after the team's second straight disappointing early exit in the NBA Playoffs. He won at least 50 games in four of his five seasons in Cleveland.

Right now, Brown might be the more realistic option for Cleveland, which fired Byron Scott last Thursday. Jackson has other potential options with the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings, and he is expected to be more intrigued by those possibilities.