The Philadelphia 76ers are looking for a new head coach for the first time in seven seasons after firing Brett Brown on Monday following an extremely disappointing finish to a season where there were so many expectations.
The search is now on and the Sixers will be looking for a lot of different qualities in the new coach. There needs to be accountability within the organization–something Josh Richardson touched on after the sweep–and there needs to be a way to maximize the talent on this roster, specifically the Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid pairing.
“For the new coach, somebody that’s going to lead to the next level,” explained general manager Elton Brand. “All options are on the table. We’re going to figure out their temperament, how they plan to use Joel and Ben, their philosophies. So I’m looking forward to a thorough interview process with some great candidates that are out there an could be out there.”
What exactly does that entail? Does that mean being a disciplinarian? Does it mean getting into Embiid and Simmons and demanding more?
“I’m looking for a coach that’s going to maximize the talent,” Brand expanded. “Being heavy-handed, that could be the case. We look at recent coaches that won the championship, it varies, but the right coach for this group is what I’m going to look for once I start this interview process, I assume that would be clear. We’ll find out who’s right for this group.”
In terms of accountability, that is a culture thing for any team. When Richardson made those comments on Sunday, it comes from his time with the Miami Heat where the organization preaches hard work and the ability to hold themselves accountable as players and perform. If not, then coach Erik Spoelstra and president Pat Riley will make sure issues get ironed out.
“I think accountability starts at the top of the organization,” Brand added. “It starts with me. I have to hold myself accountable on how to push these guys, how to push this group, the new coach also, they’re going to have to find that balance in how to push these All-Star players to that next stage. It’s not a collegiate level where you pull a guy, curse him out, but maybe it is and that’s what we have to figure out.
It’s on the general manager to lead from the top down, for the coach to pull it out of the players, and the players to hold themselves accountable.”
Philadelphia is a team that has a lot of talent so there will be candidates lining up for the job, but it is a challenging one. Brand and his staff will have to do a thorough search to make sure they hire the right person for the job. [lawrence-related id=37191,37187,37183]