Brett Brown Deserved Better
Within minutes of the Sixers series-clinching loss to the Boston Celtics, Adrian Wojnarowski was already tweeting about Brett Brown’s job security. Given the timeliness of the tweet, it was clear the decision had already been made. Just over 24 hours later, the Sixers officially announced the firing of Brett Brown.
Brown had coached the Sixers for seven seasons and helped navigate the team through their worst stretch in franchise history. He helped lead the team to consecutive 50-win seasons for the first time in over three decades, but his time with the team was past due. It’s not entirely Brown’s fault that the Sixers aren’t an Eastern Conference threat like they were expecting to be going into the season, but there is plenty else you can pin on Brown.
Brown has dealt with a lot during his time in Philadelphia, most specifically uneven rosters with glaring holes, but some issues have been self afflicted. Not being able to groom a back-up center is on Brett, especially when so many capable bigs have played for this franchise. The lack of development in young players is also on Brett. His over reliance on veteran players, while understandable, doesn’t afford young players the minutes they need to get better. There is also an argument to be made that his handling of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons has caused their skillset to plateau more so than blossom. His offense also lacks any sense of core philosophy, but again, that may have just been the uneven rosters.
Despite any harm Brown may have caused as head coach, he deserved better than the gracious exit the Sixers gifted him. In the wake of Woj’s initial tweet, more information began to leak about Brown and all the damage he had caused the team. Stories about Brown’s relationship with Jimmy Butler, his in ability to get Simmons to shoot, and Brown’s lack of accountability were released in a clear smear campaign to try and pin as much of this season’s shortcomings on him. People within the organization were trying to better their standing with the team by worsening Brown’s. It’s these types of self serving decision made by members of the Sixers organization that have caused the team to plummet to their new depths.
The Sixers front office is truly pathetic for leaking this today. No good coach is going to come here because of shit like this. Same thing happened with the GM search. https://t.co/ei63vp6qy2
— In 4 seasons Wentz has 0 playoff wins 48 regular (@TrillBroDude) August 23, 2020
Brown served as the Sixers’ mouth piece time and time again over the years. Whenever a statement needed to be made in front of a microphone, Brown was the one management sent out to talk to the media. When the team needed someone to serve as interim GM, Brown was selected so the powers that be could stay as such. Any time this team needed someone to stand in front of a bullet, it was always Brett, even on his way out the door.
The time is right to move on from Brown. The relationship has run its course and it is now time to see if someone else can do it better. But in terms of the talent he had to work with and the way the organization handled his dismissal, Brett Brown deserved so much better than what the Sixers had to offer.
