2. Best of both worlds
You usually do not clean house on an organization that has gone from 10 to 28 to 52 wins in two years. However, usually a new general manager likes to bring in his own people that they are comfortable with. How many basketball operations staffers did Bryan Colangelo keep from the Hinkie regime?
In normal circumstances there usually is a new GM when the previous regime has not done well and a housecleaning is expected. Of course, Brand is being hired not due to performance but because the previous GM talked a bit too much with Eric Jr. on Twitter, a very unusual circumstance.
Honestly, the people in basketball operations did not deserve to lose their jobs right now and interim GM Brett Brown thinks they do a fine job.
On the other hand, all of those currently in power were hired by Colangelo, whose record in transactions was a bit spotty, to say the least.
We do not know the behind the scenes machinations and who was in favor of which move, since Colangelo did have final say, but here are some moves that Brand when he meets with his staff will certainly want to know the thinking behind:
Exhibit A. The whole Markelle Fultz trade thing and why did we not take Jayson Tatum.
B. Why have no draft picks since Hinkie left made an impact (not counting Ben Simmons, whose selection was engineered by Hinkie).
C. Why the heck did they trade two draft picks, including a first, for Anzejs Pascenicks?
D. Why did they not get rid of Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel when they had some value. Why would Colangelo think he could get a first-round pick if he waited longer on either?
This is the good part of having Brand now in charge. He has been part of the organization, and all the Colangelo holdovers know him and have worked with him. But since the only executive position until recently Brand has held was GM of the G-League Delaware Blue Coats, he was not part of the inner discussions involving any moves.
So Brand has been hired as an insider but he can have the perspective of an outsider since he had no responsibility for any previous deals.
To quote that great basketball sage Hannah Montana: Elton Brand has the best of both worlds.