Filling the vacuum of general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers requires a special person. Would the Sixers be better off in the hands of Danny Ferry?
Shocked.
On a quiet afternoon/evening following the Philadelphia 76ers tenth win of the season, the news of president and general manager Sam Hinkie stepping down had pierced the silence with deafening noise. Unanswered questions. Fears of returning to anonymity. And in the wake of the emotions, eventually we all landed on the logic of the reality. The Philadelphia 76ers had to find their new general manager.
Rumors were rapid to form regarding his replacement:
Sources: Sixers have been discussing two possible candidates to share "partnership" with Hinkie: Bryan Colangelo and Danny Ferry.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 7, 2016
The initial “rumor” was that it came down to Danny Ferry, or to executive Jerry Colangelo’s son Bryan Colangelo. Before we discuss the strengths and attributes of Ferry, let’s explore the reasons why the team failed at avoiding the pitfalls of hiring Bryan Colangelo.
Despite the chiding and beratement of the NBA behind closed doors, and the voices of Colin Cowherd, Stephen A. Smith, and any host of hot take videos which focused on the three year run of Sam Hinkie, the Philadelphia 76ers fan base knew the 2016 off-season was the definitive turning point. With a franchise rebuild hinging upon the repaired right foot of center Joel Embiid, and with that repair extending over a two year time span, there was little else for this NBA franchise to do except mark time. In the meantime, the team skewed towards an inexpensive, youth-filled roster which has become the epitome of “blank slates” for the team to push forward. With an NBA draft that could result in one of the most lopsided hauls for any one team in its history, paired with two former first round draft choices debuting for the Sixers, the upcoming year has a tsunami of reasons why the team is poised to improve.
Next: Nepotism Now? Seriously?