Miami Heat guard and former Philadelphia 76ers star Jimmy Butler has been vocal about in his criticisms about the team and head coach Brett Brown. But Butler's former Sixers teammate–and current New Orleans Pelicans guard–J.J. Redick defended Brown, saying he would play for his former head coach again while also indicating Brown is not to blame for Philly's struggles this season (via Derek Bodner and Rich Hofmann of The Athletic):
Redick was complimentary of Brown overall as a head coach, something he has voiced numerous times in the past, including during his interview with Butler.
“I would love to play for Brett again,” Redick said on “Sixers Beat.” “It’s always easy to blame certain people. I don’t think Brett is the problem, if there (even) is a problem.
“He is incredibly thorough, incredibly detailed. The thing that I always appreciated, maybe the most, about Brett is how thoughtful he is,” Redick said. “There is a purpose to team meetings. There is a purpose to film sessions. There’s a purpose to practice. There’s a purpose to walk-through. There’s a purpose to your daily schedule. Everything is so thought-out and meticulous. It’s, I think, one of the main reasons that he’s who he is as a coach and has gotten to this level.”
Butler previously questioned Brown's leadership and basketball moves, including Brown's decision to put Butler on the ball during the playoffs instead of Ben Simmons.
But Redick seems to suggest Brown's attention to detail and rigorous preparation are among the qualities that make him an excellent head coach.
Nevertheless, the Sixers have been relatively stagnant since their breakout 2017-18 season.
Though Philly pushed the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year, the Sixers had failed to live up to their preseason billing as title contenders prior to the suspension of play.
Butler seems to have some bitterness about his stint in Philly. But Redick took a different direction, giving Brown a vote of confidence.
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