Philadelphia 76ers will give second interviews to internal GM candidates

The Philadelphia 76ers are doing their due diligence as their search for a new GM continues.

By most accounts, the Philadelphia 76ers’ GM search has taken too long. With one of the most talented cores in the NBA and several desirable assets, many fans felt as though the Sixers wasted a valuable opportunity to get better this offseason.

On the other hand, the Sixers’ current front office structure has fared well under Brett Brown’s guidance. The Zhaire Smith trade was brilliant, while Wilson Chandler and Mike Muscala are solid contributors on one-year deals.

Things are set up for the Sixers to make another run at star-caliber pieces in 2019, when Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard all hit the open market. Khris Middleton and Tobias Harris are some second-tier options if the big names head elsewhere.

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Under their current regime, Brett Brown, Marc Eversley, Alex Rucker, Elton Brand and Ned Cohen all play roles in the Sixers’ decision making. That could change if an outside candidate in hired, but the general feeling is that ownership wants to maintain a collaborative approach.

Their emphasis on a collaborative approach could push the Sixers toward hiring an internal candidate. Gersson Rosas (Rockets) and Justin Zanik (Jazz) will both receive second interviews this week, but so will all four internal candidates, according to Keith Pompey.

As I’ve stated in the past, fresh blood is generally a positive in the ever-changing NBA. Both Rosas and Zanik are A-list candidates coming from high-level executive trees, so either one would be a great hire. In Rosas’ case, remember the last time Philly hired a Houston exec?

With their internal candidates, though, the Sixers’ can promote the current setup, which is still a sizable shift away from Bryan Colangelo’s regime. Unlike some, I’m not unequivocally opposed to maintaining something similar to the present-day front office, as long as Brown removes the GM title.

In the spirit of fresh blood and new perspectives, Rucker and Brand would be the best options in that scenario. Rucker drives the Sixers’ analytics department while Brand has spent considerable time in player development as an advisor and G-League manager in recent seasons.

Eversley and Cohen both have substantial resumes of their own, though, which might make them prohibitive favorites among the internal candidates. Owner Joshua Harris seems keen on prioritizing front office experience, which would give Eversley a leg up.

With training camp starting on Sept. 21 — THREE. MORE. DAYS. — expect the Sixers’ GM search to heat up over the next week. Moving onto second interviews is a big step in the right direction if ownership plans to make a hire before the season starts on Oct. 17 against Boston.