Even the harshest critics of Philadelphia’s extended dance mix version of “being bad to get good” will admit this: The team played hard for Brett Brown. The 1-22 record is the result of a lot of factors, but the coaching is not one of them. In addition to having them play hard and decent defense last season, he’s had to be the guy on the front lines answering media criticism of the plan (talking to the media is not Sam Hinkie’s thing).
Whatever path is next under Jerry Colangelo’s guidance, Brown will be the coach. As had been expected, Brown and the Sixers have reached terms on a contract extension, reports Adrian Wojnarowski at Yahoo Sports and confirmed by CSNPhilly.com’s John Finger then ultimately the Sixers themselves.
From Woj:Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown has agreed to a two-year contract extension that runs through the end of the 2018-19 season, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
The extension is expected to be announced at a news conference Friday before the Sixers-Detroit Pistons game in Philadelphia.
“Brett has been everything we anticipated – and more – both as a basketball coach and a partner in building this program,” Sixers GM Sam Hinkie said in a released statement. “His tireless work ethic, his daily desire to consistently improve, and his resiliency line up with our core values as an organization. It was not difficult to come to the decision to formally say we want to work with Brett Brown even longer.
Brett Brown is going to have more talent to work with in the next few years. First, the Sixers likely will have three, maybe four (depending on where the Lakers’ pick lands) first round picks next season. Whether they draft rookies with those picks or package them for more established young players, there will be talent coming. There is also Dario Saric who will come over from Europe in the next couple years (he keeps saying next summer, we’ll see) and maybe Joel Embiid can get on the court. With Colangelo, you can expect a couple more reliable veteran players to be added, plus the Sixers may start spending their cap space to poach young restricted free agents with potential from other teams (so what if you overpay a little, you need to spend the money anyway).
All of that is to say, just getting the guys to play hard will not be enough soon. But so far, that’s all you could ask of Brown.