Prior to Sunday’s Game Seven, a report indicated that Brett Brown could be in danger of losing his job if he couldn’t lead his Sixers past the Raptors (and perhaps the Bucks too). Now that the 76ers have been eliminated, we’re still waiting for official word on where Brown stands, but many of his players would like to see him back on the sidelines next season, as Keith Pompey of Philly.com writes.
“I would say this in general. For any NBA team, when you think about a coach, and potentially replacing that coach, you have to consider what coaches are available,” J.J. Redick said. “You know what I mean? That’s just in general. I don’t feel it necessary to defend Brett to anyone. I think his work speaks for itself.”
Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid also offered up praise for Brown, with Butler stating, “I think he’s going to be here for a long time.” Embiid called rumors about Brown’s hot seat “bulls—,” adding, “I don’t think he should have anything to worry about.”
The unity displayed by many of the Sixers’ key players on Brown may reflect a deeper sense of family and culture that has developed in Philadelphia this year, as Jake Fischer of SI.com tweets. According to Fischer, multiple people close to the team have credited Embiid and Ben Simmons for helping cultivate that culture by embracing one another as franchise partners.
As we wait to learn Brown’s fate, let’s round up several more items on the Sixers:
- Embiid would like to see both of Philadelphia’s top free agents – Butler and Tobias Harris – return next season, calling them “great guys on and off the court,” tweets Pompey. Here’s what Butler said about his upcoming free agency, per Derek Bodner of The Athletic (Twitter link): “I haven’t thought about (free agency) too much…You always want to be able to win. I think that’s key for sure. You’re looking at coaches. You’re looking at the city. There’s a lot that goes in to it.”
- They won’t be paid like Butler and Harris, but Redick and Mike Scott both expressed interest in returning to the Sixers as free agents too (Twitter links via Pompey and Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice). Redick said he’d like to finish his career in Philadelphia, while Scott said he has spoken to both GM Elton Brand and head coach Brett Brown, telling them he’d like to play under Brown next season.
- In an Insider-only piece, ESPN’s Bobby Marks previews the Sixers’ offseason, writing that failing to re-sign at least one of Butler or Harris would be a “disaster” for the franchise. In his own look at the Sixers’ summer, Sean Deveney of Sporting News suggests Harris is more likely to return than Butler, but he expects the team to do all it can to bring back both forwards.
- The safe bet heading into the offseason is that the Sixers bring back a relatively similar roster and count on increased familiarity with one another to lead to continued improvement. However, as Tom Haberstroh of NBC Sports writes, some executives around the NBA wouldn’t be shocked to see wholesale changes in Philadelphia this summer.
If Harris and Butler leave the proceess has been shattered
Not really shattered just harder to process. They have 43.2M in guaranteed salary + like 10 or 12 in roster spot cap holds if they lose both and renounce the rest. 53-54M in cap space at that point. And they could free up 3M more dealing J Simmons and Ennis instead of cutting J Simmons.
Whether they could actually upgrade over Butler, Harris, JJ, Scott is questionable though. They won’t get an RFA like DLo or Unicorn. Unlikely to land KD, Kawhi, Kyrie, Klay, and Kemba will probably stay in Charlotte basically anyone with a K in their name is a FA.
Middleton is in the same category as Harris. But do you really offer him a max contract?
Vucevic is not a fit.
So do you go after Boogie, Randle, Brogdon, Mirotic, Portis, Rose and role players like Beverley.
I mean you can only stretch 53-54m so far. Not shattered but not as bright without the 5 headed monster.
Embiid owns that phrase now, so it’s already gone.
Brown is like Harris coaching the pre-championship Lakers. He’s done a good job but this is as far as he can take them. 76ers now need someone like Phil Jackson to take over & guide them along the path that leads to an NBA title.
Not too many guys like Phil Jackson out there. Guys that’ll get you over the hump.
Who are you suggesting?
Anyone can point out the problem, what’s the answer? Who’s your replacement coach?
I’d say Eric Spo or Doc Rivers or Mike Brown or even coach K of Duke or Jerry Sloan…but I’m not sure how they can make that happen.
May 14, 2019
I’d say Eric Spo or Doc Rivers or Mike Brown or even coach K of Duke or Jerry Sloan…but I’m not sure how they can make that happen. I’ll add Scott Brooks & Byron Scott to the list.
Let’s not forget that Phil Jackson left the Knicks as an even bigger mess than they were when he arrived and no one thought that was even possible.
I think it’s referring to Phil Jackson the hall of fame coach, not Phil Jackson the hall of shame executive
EXACTLY
I was talking about Phil Jackson THE COACH, not the exec who messed things up for the Knicks.
Someone else here said Butler embodies Philly and I think that’s 100% true. I hope he stays there and I’m not even a Philly fan. They have a good core. They just need some continuity.
Theres no rule that they have to give them the max. I mean 5 years 173.5M (avg of 7yr max). Helps the tax situation. Starting salary of 29.975M brings them to around 103.45M not accounting for capholds.
They need Fultz! Oh, Fultz and Archie Clark,
Fultz will ball out until Nov 1st, day after options either are picked up or declined for the following season. He will then have an injury and shut it down for the rest of the season. Steal like 40 some mil from the league.
Let me correct myself & take Jerry Sloan off my list (retired & too old for the stress of NBA coaching). I’d say Eric Spo or Doc Rivers or Mike Brown or even coach K of Duke or SCOTT BROOKS or BYRON SCOTT or Maurice Cheeks or Brian Shaw or Hubert Davis (longtime asst of Roy Williams in UNC)…but I’m not sure how they can make that happen.