Brett Brown is not looking at the Sixers’ roster through rose-colored glasses.
The new head coach knows he has young players that need to develop. Brown also knows that no player is guaranteed a certain amount of playing time and he will reward guys who compete and play with energy.
“How would you like to be a young guy coming into the Philadelphia 76ers? There really is an abundance of minutes available, there is legitimate court time available,” Brown said. “I mean, I look out there and see only a handful of veterans.”
Brown admitted that Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes will play. He added that it is his job to cultivate Michael Carter-Williams into a valuable NBA point guard.
The rest of the Sixers’ puzzle is a mystery that will begin to unfold when training camp commences Saturday morning at Saint Joseph’s University.
Life as a 76er is new for Carter-Williams, just as things are for Brown in the role of first-time NBA head coach.
However, Young, Turner and Hawes have a combined 15 seasons of NBA experience. Change can be unsettling for veterans, who often don’t enjoy the thought of having to prove themselves all over again.
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Fortunately for the team, Brown’s initial experience with the Sixers’ veteran trio has been nothing but positive.
“The thing that has impressed me the most is how curious they are about what I think about something,” Brown said. “They will say, ‘Tell me about this player or what do you think about how we are going to play offense?’ They are enjoyable to talk to and I have empowered them.
“I do look at them the way we used to look at Timmy (Duncan), Tony (Parker) and Manu (Ginobili). When you go into a room and see veteran players who are healthy, I just wrap my arms around them because I want their opinion on a lot of different things. I know what I want to happen, but they know the lay of the land and they deserve to be heard.”
That certainly has to be music to Turner’s ears. True or not, the swingman seemed to be under the guise that he had to conform to what former head Doug Collins laid out in his first three NBA seasons.
Only time will tell if a new voice makes Turner feel differently about his role on the team. To help with that transformation, Brown has some ideas for the Turner to embrace.
“He has a lot of areas he really can blossom,” Brown said. “I think the weight of the city at times and the expectations, like they would anybody, can drown you if you let them. I think it is important that we don’t pay attention to what you write and I hope he is not caring about what goes on Twitter.”
In other words, the former No. 2 overall pick should tune the outside world out.
“We are going to come into a gym and find some way to find a passion for the game again, enjoy playing the game again,” Brown said. “That comes from putting in the time and people putting you on the right road map and telling you the truth about what is going on. We hope to improve his perimeter game, but most of all we hope he finds a real joy to play again.”