The Philadelphia 76ers might make some noise this summer.
It’s been a wild week in sports for Philadelphia, even with three of the city’s four main teams stuck in the midst of the offseason. At the center of all of that controversy was the Philadelphia 76ers, Bryan Colangelo, and his affinity for burner accounts.
Now that the Colangelo era has officially come to an end, it’s time to look forward to the future in Philly. As ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski mentioned, the Sixers’ open GM slot is the “gold standard” of job openings in the NBA right now.
Woj on SportsCenter: "#Sixers GM spot is 'Gold Standard' of job openings."
— Jake Hyman (@JakeHymanTTP) June 7, 2018
How could it not be? Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are generational players. The bench is stacked with young talent. Brett Brown is budding into a top-tier head coach. And the Sixers have ANOTHER top-10 pick in the draft this year.
There’s a lot to like about this team, and all of that value is certainly going to catch the eyes of top free agents like LeBron James and Paul George this offseason. Now that the Colangelo situation is behind us, the Sixers are in the perfect spot to land one of these guys, or perhaps make another big move to acquire a star player.
With Colangelo gone, the team will turn to Brett Brown to lead their free agency charge this summer; and while that may sound like a lot to handle for a head coach, it’s actually what will give the Sixers a leg up on the competition.
On a positive note, there is no better face to represent Sixers organization in the biggest off-season in decades, then Brett Brown.
— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) June 7, 2018
Universally liked by players, and has built a desirable culture.
Brett Brown has always been known as a players’ coach, and the incredible level of trust that he has forged with his team is all that a free agent like LeBron or PG13 needs to see to understand what they’re getting themselves into. Brown always has his team’s back, and that kind of team culture can go a long way in making a decision.
Must Read: 5 reasons Sixers should sign Paul George
To make the situation even better, Brown won’t be the only one pitching the team. During his first press conference since assuming more responsibility with the team, he mentioned that Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will be joining him on the recruitment trail.
Brett Brown on whether he’ll have to put out fires with prospective free agents next month: "I feel most strongly that when we go into a place with my coaches, and we bring Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in with me, that will be sufficient."
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) June 7, 2018
So not only will free agents get to meet with Brett Brown and get a good understand of his system and the team’s culture, they’ll also get to sit down with the Sixers top two players and see exactly who they’ll be playing with. And knowing how likable those two are, it’ll make it that much harder to turn down.
While some may believe that the Sixers need a GM to attract a big fish, the absence of a longterm solution in the front office may be another enticing factor, as a superstar would likely have say in who the team hires as their President and General Manager.
If anyone is upset that the Sixers may not have a GM before free agency, don't be. Selling a potential FA on the possibility of them having a say in who their GM could be is truly a unique advantage that Philly should use as leverage.
— Brian Jacobs (@BrianMikeJacobs) June 7, 2018
Next: 5 options for the 26th overall pick
Add all of that together and the Sixers are in the perfect spot to land their missing piece this summer. With Brett Brown leading the way and Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons ready to take things to the next level, Philly is primed and ready to make a big jump.