Sixers: Brett Brown more than a stepping stool coach
The Sixers are moving towards a new state of basketball culture, but Brett Brown will remain a constant.
Brett Brown might be the Sixers’ most valuable asset. His value was finally put into the spotlight with the signing of J.J. Redick. Philly.com’s Keith Pompey reported that Brown was the “biggest factor” in Redick’s decision.
Put that into perspective. Redick, who spent the past few seasons under the guidance of Doc Rivers, was swooned towards Philadelphia because of Brett Brown. The same Brett Brown that has tallied the worst coaching record for four-year coach, winning just 22.9% of games.
Brown has been the rock of this insanely publicized Sixers tank job, and sacrificed his coaching record for hopeful future gains. Brown’s skill as a developmental coach is more than proven. Even with the Sixers’ key pieces yet to prove their talent, his hands-on training is evident.
More from Philadelphia 76ers
- 3 Reasons the 76ers Should Poach Blake Griffin From the Celtics
- 3 Most Overpaid 76ers Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Ranking Daryl Morey’s 3 Biggest Mistakes with 76ers
- 3 Teams Crazy Enough to Trade for James Harden
- James Harden Putting Career in Jeopardy With Holdout Threat
Joel Embiid has become a consistent three-point shooter in his two seasons of absentee. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot quickly went from raw prospect to an effective off-ball wing player in the matter of one season. Brown knows how to slowly bring on rookies, and this year it’ll be his time to prove he’s more than just a stepping stool in the Sixers’ success.
He’ll try to avoid the fate of Mark Jackson, who developed the core of Golden State before being replaced by championship winning Steve Kerr. And this year is his time to prove it. It’s not like Brown is on any kind of hot seat. This will be hist first season with actual NBA talent littered all throughout the roster.
Last season, Brown coached the Sixers to a year that saw an incredible 18-game improvement. Philadelphia won 28 games with a lesser roster, and now have hopes of playoffs. With the East weakening, the Sixers are seeing an upward trend at the right time.
Even if Philadelphia fails to make the playoffs this year, that shouldn’t impact the future of Brown. There are a lot of questions up and down the roster, and two of team’s most important pieces are heading into their debut seasons.
Next: Sixers drop summer league against Celtics
Brown will have to show he’s both a developmental coach and a winning coach. This is the first year of him trying to find that balance. He’s solidified himself as a coach for the long-run due to his ability to develop and attract players to the organization. The last piece of his puzzle comes with winning, even if it doesn’t start this upcoming season.