Revelations from Brett Brown

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

Training camp for the Sixers begins next week, but we’ve already received some answers to our roster construction questions, as Brett Brown held a media luncheon in the city Thursday afternoon. Unlike GM Sam Hinkie, who, by the very nature of his job, has to be more guarded with plans for the future, Brown has always been refreshingly candid with the media and Thursday was no exception. In addition to once again reiterating it’s a 3-to-5 year process, the organization is preaching patience, and success won’t be measured in wins and losses (luckily for him!), Brown filled Sixers nation in on how the lineup will likely shake out heading into the season.

The most concerning revelation regarded the health of Michael Carter-Williams. Despite being back to shooting for some time now following his shoulder surgery after the season, it appears the Sixers point guard will not be available in camp, and is even a question mark to begin the season.

.@TWroten_LOE will be the starting PG at the start of camp. @NerlensNoel3 and Henry Sims will start in the post. Others undecided. #Sixers

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) September 25, 2014

#Sixers Brown will have Wroten as starting point guard in preseason with MCW not ready. Doesn’t know about regular season.

— Tom Moore (@tmoore76ers) September 25, 2014

As we’ve discussed before, despite winning Rookie of the Year in a down year, Carter-Williams is far from a finished product, and has many areas of he game he needs to refine. The offseason is when he needs to work on his game, especially at his young age when he’s at a critical point of his development cycle. The last thing anyone wants is for another season’s worth of play to ingrain him with bad habits. The fact that he might not even be ready for the start of the regular season further exacerbates this issue.

Secondly, do not expect Tony Wroten to be starting alongside Michael Carter-Williams regularly this season. Whether starting in place of him while injured or backing him up, Brown clearly see Wroten as a point guard. Most would agree that the only real way Wroten will have a viable NBA career is to improve his decision-making and serve as a back-up point. The other thing we know about the shooting guard position is it won’t be Hollis Thompson with another big wing at small forward, as Brown seems to view Thompson as a three himself.

#Sixers Brown intends to have Wroten be backup point guard.

— Tom Moore (@tmoore76ers) September 25, 2014

Brett Brown says he sees 2’s and 3’s as the same thing. Where it differentiates us who you can defend. Likes Hollis defending 3’s.

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) September 25, 2014

Next, we alluded to it in a tweet above, but it appears Henry Sims will be the starting center with Noel as the power forward. If the team intends for Noel and Embiid to form the cornerstone of the team going forward as a twin towers situation, it’s for the best that Noel plays alongside another big man as much as possible. Also, Sims did a nice job for the team as a starter last season and certainly earned the nod will Embiid is out.

Brett Brown says if season started today, would be Henry Sims starting next to Noel in anticipation of when Embiid plays.

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) September 25, 2014

Finally, in some areas though, Brown appears to be as much in the dark as the rest of us. I guess when you’re deciding between the likes of Alexey Shved, K.J. McDaniels, or an aging, possibly still injured, Jason Richardson as your starting shooting guard, you just see how things shake out. Even a great cook needs someone to bring him good groceries.

#Sixers Brown has ‘no idea’ who starters will be.

— Tom Moore (@tmoore76ers) September 25, 2014