The Sixers are once again expected to finish near the bottom of the NBA’s Eastern Conference in what is another year on the quest to land a top draft pick. Brett Brown is the team’s head coach and he’s in an unenviable position to say the least, one Gregg Popovich wouldn’t last long in.
Popovich is, of course, the man at the helm of one of the model organizations in all of sports, the Spurs. Popovich also knows Brown from his time as an assistant coach for the Spurs. The five-time NBA champion as head coach admires what Brown is doing from afar, because he certainly doesn’t feel like he couldn’t do it.
“I’d last about a month,” Popovich said via Philly.com. “And he, honest to God, loves coaching that team.”
Brown’s record as Sixers coach is 37-136, a far cry from his time in San Antonio, where he was apart of four championship Spurs teams.
Sam Hinkie is in the midst of a plan to seemingly acquire every draft pick possible to give the Sixers numerous opportunities to convert the picks into promising young talent. Nerlens Noel was the sixth pick of the 2013 draft and looks to be a piece the Sixers can build around. Michael Carter-Williams was the No. 11 pick that same year and went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award. He was traded to the Bucks last year. Joel Embiid was selected No. 3 overall in 2014, but has yet to play an NBA game due to injuries. The year’s draft saw the team take Jahlil Okafor, with his offensive game being as advertised thus far.
Philadelphia also has a slew of draft picks with which to work with next year. They currently own four first round selections and one in the second round. Eventually, the Sixers have to hit on enough of these choices that they can begin the journey from doormat to respectability. Until then, it will likely continue to be a situation many coaches won’t want any parts of, like Gregg Popovich.
