Skip to content
Sixers
Link copied to clipboard

Sixers’ Brett Brown, Jimmy Butler keeping open line of communication

“It’s part of my enjoyment of coaching him,” Brown said of their discussion after practice.

Sixers Head Coach Brett Brown smiles listening to guard Jimmy Butler.
Sixers Head Coach Brett Brown smiles listening to guard Jimmy Butler.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer / YONG KIM / Staff Photographer

LOS ANGELES -- The biggest thing that stood out Monday at the conclusion of 76ers practice at UCLA was Jimmy Butler and Brett Brown conversing on the far court.

Some of Butler’s 76ers teammates were getting medical treatment, packing up their belongings or speaking to the media. But the swingman and his coach acted out a few on-court scenarios and appeared to have a good dialogue for an extended time. The two concluded the discussion with a handshake.

“It’s part of my enjoyment of coaching him,” Brown said of the discussion.

This exchange was nothing like when Butler reportedly chose to “aggressively” challenge Brown about his role before the Dec. 30 game at Portland against the Trail Blazers.

Brown said the two talk often whether it’s FaceTime, on the court or wherever.

“This one happened to be about the spacing, where we want to put Ben [Simmons] when we are doing something with him with the ball,” the coach said. “You know, stuff that you listen to when players have an opinion. That all is was.”

The coach said the conversation was also about Butler still getting up to speed with the team’s terminology on certain plays. The Sixers acquired him a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves in November.

It’s no secret that the Sixers will benefit from putting Butler in the right spots. They might have to depend on him along with Joel Embiid heavily in the postseason.

Butler became a four-time All-Star by thriving in pick-and-rolls and isolation plays, along with his lock-down defense. Yet, he joined a Sixers squad that liked to run things through the high post instead of pick-and-rolls.

The swingman returned to action Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center after missing three games with a sprained right wrist. But before he missed those games, the Sixers began pairing him and Embiid together.

“I’m constantly in his ear,” Butler said of Brown. “He’s constantly in mine, trying to figure out everything. It’s a long season. We’ve got 32 [games] left. So we’ve got a little bit more time to figure this thing out before it gets real.”

Butler was scheduled to see some action at point guard Tuesday against the Lakers.

Rising star

Before the game, it was announced that Simmons will play in the Rising Stars Challenge that will kick off NBA All-Star Weekend at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

He is among the headliners for the Feb. 15 game for first- and second-year NBA players that pits the United States against an international squad.

Simmons (Australia) will play for the World Team for the second straight year. Last season, the 2018 rookie of the year was joined by Joel Embiid (Cameroon) and former teammate Dario Saric (Croatia).

There’s also a chance Simmons will be named an Eastern Conference reserve for the Feb. 17 All-Star Game. The reserves will be announced at 7 p.m. Thursday on TNT.