To the relief of Sixers fans everywhere, the Front Office made a critical decision this week, following the investigation of Bryan Colangelo and his suspicious burner accounts. Despite reported threats of interference from his Father, the Sixers made a call that would ultimately save the offseason from total disarray.
The reputation of the Sixers has been dented, there’s no denying that. LeBron James, who notably goes ‘silent’ on social media throughout the playoffs even took shots at the putrid decision-making exuded by Colangelo and if that’s coming from the most prized Free Agent on the planet, one can only imagine what damage this will have done to potential relationships with the rest of the crop.
Josh Harris stated that it would be Brett Brown who will fill in as the interim General Manager until a suitable candidate presents themselves and there is bound to be plenty of them. To become the GM of a team that has two stars, a flurry of youth talent, a deep barrel of cap space and a tremendous upside in a huge media market, makes this one of the most attractive openings available…and it’s for that reason why the Sixers should be patient.
There’s a list of candidates as long as the wingspan of Joel Embiid, but rushing to sign any of them would be a mistake, regardless of who it may be.
Not only do the Sixers have two first-round draft picks and a slew of cap space, but they have a very strong direction. Giving the reins to Brett Brown ensures the team stay right on course and that the vision won’t get blurred. The last thing this franchise needs is for a power-hungry GM to step into the fold and begin implementing his own plan for success.
The Sixers have trusted the process. They’ve waded through the waters of passing on Jayson Tatum and having to deconstruct and rebuild the shot of Markelle Fultz and now they lie in one of the most enviable positions imaginable. The world is their Oyster.
With six draft picks and two in the first round, the team have the ability to manipulate the game to their advantage. Will they decide to double-dip with rookies? Trade up? Acquire another a star in a trade? The truth is, nobody knows and that’s the beauty of it. But as Uncle Ben once said…
“With great power, comes great responsibility.”
This offseason could break this franchise just as easy as it could create a dynasty and that has to be something that the front office is aware of. Rushing into a signing that could compromise the team’s current vision would be a huge mistake and an inevitable power struggle that would follow could wreak havoc with the dynamics inside the locker room.
Brett Brown has been with the team through it all. The emotional low’s, the euphoric high’s and the downright bizarre. He’s created a culture of gritty Basketball that has his players all-in on his coaching and on one another. All it would take is one freak trade or a negotiation breakdown with a pending free agent such as JJ Redick, with a GM who wants to do things differently, to turn a promising future into a very uncertain one.
Patience is a virtue and sometimes the best way to be heard is to say nothing at all. Brown knows the type of team he’s trying to build and the character of the players he’s worked with day in and day out since his hiring back in 2013. If the Sixers are planning on hiring an external replacement for Colangelo, waiting until the meat of the offseason has been bitten off by a front office who will unify in the wake of the carnage left by Colangelo, to build a brighter and more stable future, is easily the right path to take.
Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
