Brett Brown is not down on the 76ers’ roster

The new Philadelphia 76ers coach believes there’s talent to unlock on a leveled roster.

Aug 16, 2013, 5:44 PM UTC

USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia 76ers are the early favorites to win the 2014 NBA Draft lottery, but newly-installed head coach Brett Brown isn't complaining about his team's situation.

Rumor had it during the Sixers’ hiring process that those close to Brown wanted him to turn down the job because losing so much in his first season could potentially be career suicide. The new head coach told the Philadelphia Inquirer, however, that he sees potential with the players remaining on a team just beginning a ground-up rebuild.

"I've always been a fan of Thaddeus (Young)," Brown said. "I see in Evan (Turner) just that potential. You see the versatility in Spencer (Hawes). You pay attention to Michael Carter-Williams and what he did in college. . . . I think about with a healthy fit, Lavoy (Allen), what he can bring to the table.

"The pieces are there where we can build around them."

Take that for what it’s worth, but there’s reason to believe Brown sees that potential -- otherwise he might have listened to those more cautious voices. Tapping into that talent pool may take a few years, but Brown has that with a guaranteed four-year contract.

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That time will give Carter-Williams the opportunity to work through mistakes and grow into his 184-pound frame. Nerlens Noel will need a while just to see the court because of his ACL tear during his one season at Kentucky. Even the relative veterans of the roster like Young, Hawes and Turner have shown flashes, but it'll be up to Brown to flesh out their talent.

Perhaps Brown had it easy in the past considering he joined the San Antonio Spurs bench for the 2006-07 season and worked under Gregg Popovich and with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili -- three players that didn't need to be taught preparation.

Life is hardly ever that easy in the coaching world, however, and Brown seems to be okay with that.