Sixers Host Zoom Conference Call With Brett Brown

10 days ago, the Sixers held a conference call with Elton Brand and area reporters. Today, it was head coach Brett Brown’s turn to keep us apprised of team happenings during the COVID-19-forced league suspension. Like seemingly 90 percent of people’s social interactions these days, the hour-long session took place over Zoom. Here are some of the more pertinent/interesting takeaways:

First, Brown made it clear that the organization still views the championship as its goal, and can’t use this layoff as an excuse. For all the roster’s struggles in terms of fit, the idea still floats out there that it was built for the postseason, a notion Brett came back to.

On the topic of Ben Simmons, Brett called the layoff providing Ben time to heal from his back injury a “silver lining” to the season’s suspension.

The last time we saw Simmons on the court was February 22 against the Bucks. He played just five minutes before exiting the game. Based on Brett’s comments today, you have to wonder again why the medical staff gave him the go-ahead to play, important game or not.

Brett also reiterated that we will continue to see Ben play both on and off the ball, whenever the team resumes play. Someone like Shake Milton stepping up and the arrival of Alec Burks via Golden State certainly helped the team distribute ball-handling duties elsewhere.

Joel Embiid also came up briefly, as his conditioning is generally a topic of discussion among Philadelphia fans. Brown was confident in Joel’s ability to retake the floor at a high level, and said both Joel and Ben are in a good place right now.

He also mentioned he would ideally like Joel to play 38 minutes per game during the playoffs. You may recall when having Greg Monroe as the backup center did not allow for that reality, and how well that worked out.

On the topic of his future with the team, Brown mentioned he views things as incomplete. Regardless of whether or not you believe Brett should be the man at the helm moving forward, I’m sure we’re all hoping a postseason will actually occur where he can make his case.

On a lighter note, even NBA coaches are in the same quarantine boat as the rest of us. Are you the cook-er or the clean-er in your household?

Finally, I’ll just leave this here. Stay safe and have a great weekend, everyone.