Two teams side by side in the Eastern Conference standings have similarly different problems at this point in the season revolving around their coaches.
For the Philadelphia 76ers, the question has to do with coach Brett Brown’s relationship with star guard Ben Simmons. Brown recently admitted he nearly benched Simmons earlier this season because he wasn’t taking enough jump shots and threes.
On Tuesday’s episode of The Jump, Paul Pierce said he thinks benching Simmons would’ve been an unwise decision for Brown and the Sixers, one that could have divided the team.
“Players of his caliber only come around so often. He’s already a legitimate All-Star in this league and he’s getting better. Some way, somehow, you’re going to have to push his buttons into shooting because I know he can knock down these shots…but I don’t think that’s the way you go about it. They just have to have a man-to-man, heart-to-heart and just ask “Why?”
Richard Jefferson had a different opinion.
Elsewhere in the East, the Brooklyn Nets are still in the market for a coach and rumor has it 2016 NBA Champion Coach Tyronn Lue has an interest in reuniting with his point guard on that team, Kyrie Irving, in Brooklyn. The Truth, who had Lue as an assistant coach in Boston, believes it would be an excellent fit.
“Ty Lue is an absolute great fit for anybody in the league,” Paul said. “You talk about a coach who has won as a player and a coach, a guy who is well-liked and well-loved around the league, a guy who is a players coach and I’d like to see more of that across the board in the league.”
Watch Paul, Richard Jefferson and Rachel Nichols break it down below.
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