Kyle Terada – USA Today Sports
The long, strange adventure is finally over as multiple reports have surfaced that former San Antonio Spurs assistant Brett Brown has accepted the head coaching position for the Philadelphia 76ers. Brown will get a four year contract and will be on board with a long rebuilding process to hopefully bring this team back to relevancy.
The whirlwind adventure of hiring a head coach has been ongoing since Doug Collins resigned before the end of the season. There was a report on Draft night that the Sixers hired Brown as their head coach, but that proved to be untrue. Now, almost six weeks later, the Sixers got the guy they were after all along.
The fact of the matter is the Sixers are very lucky that they were able to get Brown to leave San Antonio to come to Philly.
Brown, a long time assistant, was obviously itching at the opportunity to get his first head coaching gig. But this was probably the least attractive job of any that were available. Brown could have easily waited another year to see if a better job became available. They also somehow got away with an unnecessarily long interview process and were still able to get Brown after going through double digit candidates.
For Brown to take this job, you would have to think he was assured of job security through the first couple years that will certainly be tough. This team could easily lose 60+ games next year and that might be a lot for a first year coach to endure.
General manager Sam Hinkie must have sold Brown on the big picture — the fact that they have the potential to completely rebuild a roster together through the draft and free agency because of no long term contracts on the books.
Brown will bring a winning pedigree over from working under Greg Popovich, and that is exactly what this city needs. It might take a couple of years for the effects to take form, but the Sixers got extremely lucky that someone of the caliber of Brett Brown was willing to come to town. Now I just hope he gets the opportunity to prove it over the next five to seven years.
Zach Slotter is a contributor for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @zslot6, Like his Facebook page and add him on Google.
