There’s no rush for the Sixers to hire their next HC.
In a report delivered by 94 WIP’s Jon Johnson, it was revealed that the Sixers were “close” to a deal with Tyronn Lue to become their next head coach. While this announcement was somewhat backtracked on, it does seem like this is the route Philadelphia intends to go. Lue has championship experience, has coached LeBron James, and has the big celebrity-esque name that Sixers ownership is likely enamored with.
Despite Lue appearing to be the best candidate available, it would be incredibly foolish to rush to hire him.
For starters, the Philadelphia 76ers have done absolutely nothing in terms of shaking up their front office. It’s long been known that the team has an incredibly dysfunctional power structure when it comes to important decision making (look no further than the Jimmy Butler debacle,) and yet the organization refuses to fire the people responsible.
Alec Rucker and Ned Cohen, two former Colangelo hires, are still in the Sixers front office. Whether Elton Brand is spearheading this head coach hiring process or not, their voice and influence still runs deep throughout the organization. As long as they are there, it’s truly hard to feel confident about any team-oriented decision.
Secondly, the NBA season literally isn’t even complete yet. This has the potential to be the biggest head coaching hire in team history, and the Sixers are borderline giving out a handshake agreement before all the applicants are even officially on the market. The Sixers have no clue who could emerge as an option, and are handcuffing themselves to the idea that Lue is the only viable applicant available at the moment.
Take a look at the Brooklyn Nets for instance, their season has essentially been over since Kevin Durant was ruled out for the year, and they took well over 9 months to settle in on their newest head coach. Their final decision wasn’t even a “big name” like Lue either, it was a rookie HC in Steve Nash who they simply believed in as a smart basketball mind, and as someone who would command the respect of Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Chauncey Billups has recently emerged as a potential new HC, Stan Van Gundy appeared to be publicly lobbying for the gig during his commentator sessions, and someone like Billy Donovan or Scott Brooks could be let go by their respective teams in the near future.
The Sixers would be wise to utilize some patience, and evaluate all of their options, before rushing to hire a coach who is only so respected by his peers.
When the Philadelphia Phillies fired their manager last year, it was genuinely a really easy decision to make. Future Hall of Famer Joe Girardi sat on the open market itching to return to baseball, and all the Phils had to do was ask. When it comes to the Sixers, the decision is far murkier. The current pool of head coaching candidates isn’t great, and there’s a decent chance that whoever they settle in on will have a rough time adjusting to the 76ers broken roster.
With so many moving parts and so many other questions needing answers, Elton Brand and the Sixers need to relax a bit with their pursuit of Lue. The current Clippers assistant could very well be the right man to lead Philly back to the Finals, but as of right now, there should be zero rush to get his signature down on paper.
Mandatory Credit – Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire
