The Philadelphia 76ers might wait until 2019 to shake up their front office.
Brett Brown spent the draft and all of free agency in the driver’s seat following Bryan Colangelo’s departure — and that won’t end soon. The Philadelphia 76ers recently announced several promotions in their front office, coinciding with some news about their ongoing GM search.
In a recent interview, Josh Harris highlighted their desire for an “elite” talent at the helm. He also said the Sixers are unwilling to compromise, meaning they might retain Brett Brown and the interim structure for the foreseeable future.
That will naturally draw the ire of many fans. Coaches who also hold the GM role traditionally perform poorly, with Tom Thibodeau and Stan Van Gundy being the most recent examples. Some are worried that doing so would essentially make the 2018-19 season a throwaway.
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That, quite frankly, is foolish. The Sixers are well-positioned for success this season, regardless of who’s in the front office. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will continue their upward trajectory, while Markelle Fultz is due for a breakout campaign.
Brett Brown also handled this offseason well in the interim role. Unlike most coach-GMs, he took the longest view in the room on draft night, trading an NBA-ready talent in Mikal Bridges. In return, he got the upside-laden Zhaire Smith and an unprotected 2021 first-round pick, which could be valuable in future trade negotiations.
Not many coaches, who are concerned with the on-court product, would be willing to make that trade. It had very real shades of Sam Hinkie, the very man who hired Brown years ago.
On top of the Smith trade, the Sixers’ front office managed to retain financial flexibility after the big names went elsewhere. LeBron James and Paul George never seriously considered the Sixers, but that didn’t stop the front office from adding useful players without taking on long-term money.
Wilson Chandler is on the last year of his contract and will play important minutes off the bench. Mike Muscala will take Ersan Ilyasova‘s minutes and might sap some of Amir Johnson‘s playing time at the five.
There is no indication that Brown and company will haphazardly pull the trigger on short-term gambles, nor will they shell out money for players who are undeserving. The Sixers are pushing all their eggs into the 2019 basket — their last summer with max cap space.
Waiting on someone like R.C. Buford, Mike Zarren or Daryl Morey is the wise move. There’s no need to interrupt the culture and rush in an average GM for the sake of having a GM. Brown has proven trustworthy enough to handle the lead role in a committee for one more season.