Brett Brown: 'Surprised' If We Start Season With Current Crop Of Bigs
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Would you be surprised if the Sixers traded one of their big men before the season started?
Head coach Brett Brown wouldn't be.
"I would be surprised, [if we started the season with our current crop of big men]" Brown told Michael Barkann and Ike Reese Tuesday on the 94WIP Mike & Ike Show. "I would be surprised. I talk freely always with my players. This is something that in a different world maybe it's awkward. It isn't because it's true, it's real, it's part of pro sport. Sometimes for the players too, like they have to understand that maybe it's best for them too. And so, all over the place --- instead of sort of hiding from this kind of what could be the elephant in the room or an awkward moment -- I don't like doing that. I speak freely with my guys about it.
Listen: Brett Brown on the 94WIP Mike & Ike Show
"It's just we understand the positional balance of our roster needs to rule the day. We have to find a balanced team."
With the selection of first-overall pick Ben Simmons (6'10"), the debut of injury-plagued 2014 third-overall pick Joel Embiid (7'0"), and the hopeful addition of Turkish forward Dario Saric (6'10") joining Nerlens Noel (6'11") and Jahlil Okafor (6'11"), the Sixers' front-court is loaded.
The Sixers were reportedly trying to move both Okafor or Noel during Thursday's NBA draft to potentially draft a guard, but to no avail.
New general manager Bryan Colangelo will have to get creative this offseason in trying to piece together a viable back-court.
"That is the question of the day," Brown said, when asked how the team will put together a back-court. "It's a good question. It's the most real one that is just staring right at us. And on the time when the draft finished and even on the night -- because you know, there are eminent type of trade speculation. Some are true, some are not entirely accurate. We get it. We got a glut of bigs. We're trying to figure out how that all plays out as it relates to the point-guard and to the two-guard. And how do you get these guys that haven't played a second of NBA basketball a little bit more comfortable to some back-court guidance?
Related: 7 Point-Guard Options For The 76ers
"We all have to reminded that Embiid hasn't played a second of basketball. Ben hasn't either," Brown continued. "And I hope to get Dario here and he wouldn't have played a second either. Those are all sort of front-court players. As you said, we need back-court experience. We need to identify starting NBA point guard and I think really focus on like our one's and two's with veteran NBA players."
