Could Danny Ferry Have Been The Better Candidate For The Philadelphia 76ers?

Ferry Was A Better Option

Even without the nepotism issue, Danny Ferry would have been a wiser choice for the team.  Ferry was the chief architect of the most successful season in franchise history as Atlanta won a team-record 60 games before being swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2015.   Even after a controversial recording of Danny Ferry forced his to take a leave of absence from the Hawks, ownership continued to support him without hesitation:

"Danny Ferry is a tremendous GM. Danny was the principal architect of the Hawks’ success in Atlanta. From the hiring of Coach Bud to reinventing the roster, Danny’s vision has put us in the tremendous place we are today. Danny acted with integrity and professionalism as he guided the organization through important changes over the last few years.” – Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin"

The results of an NBA investigation cleared Ferry’s name, but the damage was done and the Hawks and Ferry parted ways after the 2014-2015 season.   But the absence of Ferry did not prevent his mastery of building an NBA roster into a competitive team.  That fact was emphasized by head coach Mike Budenholzer:

"Anyone who has followed the Hawks for the last two or three years knows that Danny Ferry is the executive who is most responsible for the makeup of our team. Danny is responsible for me being here. Our team is in a good place. I’m very grateful to work with such good players and with such a great staff.”"

Ferry knew when to hold them.

In 2013, the Hawks matched a four-year, $32 million deal for Jeff Teague, keeping him with the team after drafting him 19th in 2009. Teague went on to post 16 points and seven assists per game on 46% shooting on what now looks like a very team-friendly contract. That same summer the Hawks also re-signed Kyle Korver, who exploded from a three-point shooter into a historically great three-point shooter. They also nabbed DeMarre Carroll for just two years, $5 million, turning him into one of the NBA’s best “3-and-D” players in the process. But one of Ferry’s best moves was signing power forward Paul Millsap for two years, $20 million. Millsap is one of the NBA’s most versatile big men and leads the Hawks in scoring this season.

Ferry also drafted well. Despite not drafting big man Al Horford, he has kept Horford around in spite of injury concerns. In return, Horford has become an integral part of the Hawks’ core. Ferry also made a smart choice in drafting backup point guard Dennis Schroeder, who has backed up Teague while maintaining the Hawks’ efficiency on both ends of the floor. Ferry did not build a “superstar” lineup, instead focusing on a two-way, well rounded roster that competes on both the offensive and defensive side of the court.

Next: Sixers Trying To Move On From Sam Hinkie Era

Someone who would be an incredible leader of this Sixers franchise seeking to round out their own roster into a two-way competitive squad.  If both candidates for general manager were on equal footing, the responsible choice would have been to nod in the direction of Ferry purely from the objectivity issue.  But which Bryan Colangelo ends up in Philadelphia?  The successful Suns GM who made fortuitous moves, or the Toronto Raptor GM, whose rush to deal diluted that team rather rapidly?  Had the team pursued Ferry, I believe the outcome would prove to be a much smoother transition going forward.

The current path leaves questions about the future of the team, the commitment to head coach Brett Brown, and the commitment to winning a championship.  Right now, it seems as though the ultimate goal was simply to reunite the gang from the Colangelo Phoenix Suns era, a team that never won a championship.