Philadelphia 76ers: Brett Brown Shouldn’t Be Going Anywhere

Brett Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers, although highly criticized, should not be fired by the team.

I don’t even know where to start this piece. I couldn’t believe my eyes scrolling through Twitter seeing so many people saying that Brett Brown needs to be fired from the Philadelphia 76ers. How can anyone say that with a straight face? I understand that Philadelphia is a nightmare right now. The Phillies future is uncertain, the Flyers are rebuilding, and the Eagles are a train wreck. Everyone in Philly is calling for change, but stay away from Brett Brown.

Not everyone is calling for Brown’s head. In fact  ESPN reports that several fans on Reddit are pulling their money together to buy Brown a relaxation package that includes chocolates, herbs, a massage, and potentially a puppy… yes a puppy. (Maybe Spike Eskin will help get Brown an adopted stray dog from Aruba) .

There are someasking for Brown to get fired for the tough losses at the end of the past few games, questioning plays he ran at the end of recent game. Others are blaming Brown for not being able to “control” his team referring to the Jahlil Okafor scandal (if you can even call it that).

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What do you want Brown to do? He has had to coach the youngest team in the NBA each of the last three seasons, and in the 2013-2014 season coached the youngest team in NBA History. The 2013-2014 team played without anyone over the age of 25 ever stepping on the court for over half the season. Not only has Brown coached the youngest team in the league every season of his head coaching career, he has coached approximately 42 different players since 2013. How does one expect Brown to run a basketball team when players are coming and going like a carousel at an amusement park?

I tend to believe that Brown is doing the best job that he can with the tools he’s been given. I don’t care what coach you give the Sixers whether it’s Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, Mike Krzyzewski, or Doc Rivers, not one of them would be capable of winning a significant amount more games than Brown with the rosters he’s been given. Brown has been a flexible coach who hasn’t stuck to one scheme to the detriment of his team. Brown has devised plans for each roster he has had.

One season Brown had to work on getting Michael Carter-Williams to the basket and working around his shooting deficiencies. Now he has his guards out of the paint and is working on running the offense through Jahlil Okafor. Brown just flat out hasn’t had enough talent on his rosters to be able to put a quality product on the court. I find it amazing with the team we currently have that Brown continues to stay in games while starting two undrafted players, and a second round pick. You can only play so well with a team made up of guys who were in the D-League or should be in the D-League.

One of the most impressive qualities that Brown has are his energy and his ability to get the most out of his players. You cannot knock the Sixers for the effort they give every night, and their ability to continue to work hard while constantly over matched. Brown continues to fight through the ropes that bind him and put a competitive team on the court night in and night out.

As for the individuals who say that Brown has no control over his team. What would you like him to do? Brown cannot follow his players around and make sure they don’t punch people, speed, and produce fake ID’s (although the team agreeing to have a body guard with him is a step in that direction). He can guide players, set up rules for his team, but ultimately the players have to make their own life decisions. If there is anyone to blame about the recent troubles of Jahlil Okafor, it is Jahlil Okafor. I don’t care that he is a teenager, he is a grown adult that must learn to carry himself as such.

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Brett Brown has done a fantastic job as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, and everyone should realize that. I fear that Brown will endure the bad years only to be fired right before the team develops like Mark Jackson was fired right before Steve Kerr took the Warriors on their championship run this past season.

Give Brown at least the 2016-2017 season to see how he develops. If the the lottery balls fall they way all Sixers fans hope they do and we land the number one pick (Ben Simmons from LSU), we have a legitimate chance at being a playoff team in the next two years, possibly next year. If the team improves the roster significantly next year and our record does not change, then you can talk about Brown’s dismissal. Until then give the guy a break, watch the games for what we can be not what we are, and pray for the number one pick.