It’s been a long and difficult road, but “The Process” has finally started to pay dividends in Philly. It turns out that if your commitment to losing is as fierce as it is patient, there’s no limit to what you can’t accomplish. Yet in the morally problematic infrastructure of the NBA lottery system, failure is its own reward.
The Philadelphia 76ers have been failing upward and failing more effectively than any other organization in the league for the better part of the last decade, and their reward has been a processional of high-profile lottery picks (some of which have worked out better than others) and a current roster whose future is very bright indeed.
Despite getting summarily dispatched by the Celtics in the conference semifinals earlier in the week, the Sixers are equipped to contend in the East for the foreseeable future. And the man who presided over those dark days in Philadelphia is getting some well-deserved recognition – unlike certain of his peers around the league. According to a new report, head coach Brett Brown is discussing a contract extension with the team.
Via Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia:
“I’ve spoken with Brett on a couple of occasions this year just to let him know that it’s my intention to sit down with him and discuss a contract extension for him,” president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said Friday. “I don’t think it’s the healthiest of situations for coaches to go into a season with one year remaining on their contracts. It impacts so many aspects of what you’re doing.”
It bears mentioning that nothing has been finalized yet, but it’s a clear indication that Brown has the front office’s full support going forward, despite the team’s struggles against the Celtics in the postseason.
The Boston series was a reminder of the inevitable growing pains every team has to withstand as they make the jump to elite status, but it also underscored the fact that the Sixers are still a bit top-heavy, talent-wise. Brown admitted as much during his exit interview, pointing out that his team is still at least one high-level player away from legitimately being able to compete for a title.
The organization can now shift its focus to that very task as they face their first offseason in many years that won’t begin with a top pick to help spur things along.
