Sixers rumors: Brett Brown has no momentum to return as coach

The Sixers will likely have a new head coach next season.

Brett Brown is unlikely to return as the Philadelphia 76ers’ head coach next season. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the 59-year-old is “without internal momentum” to coach his eighth season with the Sixers. The official news of Brown’s departure could come soon.

This comes as no surprise to anyone. The Sixers are fresh off the most disappointing season in recent franchise history. Once billed a championship contenders, the Sixers struggled to find a rhythm all season. Poor spacing killed the offense, and the defense never lived up to the reputation of its individual components.

Brown deserves criticism for his rigid system and his lack of adaptability. The Sixers struggled to take advantage of individual mismatches, and adjustments were seldom made despite a constant stream of shortcomings. While Brown has proven his tactical chops in the past, his coaching proclivities simply did not translate to Elton Brand’s vision of smash-mouth bully ball.

Of course, Brown is not the only person to blame for Philadelphia’s dreadful season. In fact, I’m not even sure he’s one of the main people to blame. Firing him does make sense — a new voice and new ideas could do this team good — but it’s important to note that Brown’s departure does not in and of itself leave Philadelphia in a better place.

The front office should also endure significant ridicule and criticism this fall. If the Sixers are quick to pull the trigger on Brown’s dismissal, changes to the front office — from Elton Brand, all the way down through the “collaborative” — should come with equal swiftness. You cannot install a new head coach, keep the same people in charge, and expect the changes required to steer Philadelphia in a positive direction.

Changes should come fast and furious all summer. On the surface, Brown’s inevitable firing is a good thing. But it cannot be the only move. The only change. This should be the first of many dominos to fall, not an isolated attempt to pin a organization’s worth of issues on one individual.

Philadelphia should have a new GM, a new coach, and a new power structure when the 2020-21 season kicks off. Trades should be made, roles should be tweaked, and expectations should be adjusted. If the Sixers look the same when next season starts — if the only change is Stan Van Gundy stepping in for Brett Brown, or something to that effect — you can expect another first-round exit.