76ers Rumors: NBA Exec Believes it's Conference Finals or Bust for Brett Brown

Next month, the NBA season will resume after a multi-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic in America. Although an 82-game season is out of the picture, 22 teams will travel to Orlando, Florida, to wrap up the regular season with eight more games before beginning a standard 16-team playoff format.

For the third season in a row, the Philadelphia 76ers will enter the postseason. Despite being playoff contenders over the last few years, the Sixers could look to make significant changes for next year if the team fails to impress in this year's postseason.

Sixers head coach Brett Brown understands his job is on the line. Last month, when Brown held a virtual press conference with the media, he made it clear that he acknowledges the circumstances. 

Knowing he's gotten a lot of slack over the years from the team's front office as he coached through some of the worst times for the Sixers, Brown recognizes he has to turn the Sixers into a championship contender before the organization brings somebody else in to do it.

What will it take for Brown to keep his job beyond this season? Apparently, an Eastern Conference Finals appearance could save him. "It depends on the playoffs," an Eastern Conference NBA Executive told ESPN's, Tim Bontemps. "[Losing in the] first round, Brett is gone for sure. Conference finals? He may get to stay."

After failing to advance past the second round of the playoffs over the last two seasons, Brett Brown entered the 2019-2020 season, knowing he had to go further than he has before. Now that we know the NBA will surely be back in action this summer to conclude the season, Brown will have a final opportunity to prove that he's worthy of remaining the head coach for the Sixers. If he can't, then the Sixers head coach is likely due for a change.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_