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UPDATE: Aug. 24, 5:00 p.m. — The Sixers have fired Brown, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Philadelphia 76ers fired coach Brett Brown, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 24, 2020
Apparently the Sixers will also re-evaluated the entire front office after the season.
The franchise's plan is that Brand will continue to oversee basketball operations, sources said, but the personnel and structure in the front office is undergoing significant evaluation and change is looming.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 24, 2020
Brown spent 7 seasons with the Sixers, finishing with a 221-344 record overall. After four miserable seasons, the team showed signs of life in 2017-18, making the playoffs and advancing to the second round. The Sixers made three straight playoff appearances before Brown was fired. Here’s the official statement.
NEWS
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) August 24, 2020
Brett Brown has been relieved of his head coaching duties.
: https://t.co/bNKQXcQxXn
The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to part ways with head coach Brett Brown, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported early Monday morning. The Sixers are going to be looking for a new head coach after failing to put up any fight against the Boston Celtics in the first round, getting swept in four games. Philly will begin its search for a new head coach soon, bringing in somebody who can either make Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons work or lead the team into a new era.
Prior to their early exit from the playoffs and the season-ending knee injury to Simmons, the Sixers had been underachieving anyway. They went into the seeding round hovering around the 4-5 seed in the East before dropping down to No. 6. Had they performed better in the seeding round, claiming the 4 or 5 seed would have gone a long way in making things easier against either the Indiana Pacers or Miami Heat.
Now, onto GM Elton Brand. The team exercised the option for Brand for next season, so he appears to be staying at least for one more year. Per Shams, he has maintained a healthy relationship with ownership and should be staying put. The team also believes in the core of Embiid and Simmons, and could move forward with both players on the roster. That is still to be seen.
As for early candidates for the Sixers job, Shams reports that assistant coach Ime Udoka, Clippers assistant Ty Lue, Villanova coach Jay Wright and former Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger are on the short list.
One surprise name coming up who could become a candidate for some teams is former NBA big Juwan Howard, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
ESPN Sources: A possible NBA coaching candidate whose name is gaining traction within front offices: Michigan coach Juwan Howard. Howard has an obviously strong resume as a player and later an assistant under Erik Spoelstra. He interviewed for Lakers, Cavs before taking UM job.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 24, 2020