Philadelphia 76ers: The Last Dance – The Process Sixers
By Uriah Young
Episode V
COLLARS AND TWEETS
When the NBA could not take anymore of the Process, its commissioner stepped in. Adam Silver was instrumental in forcing out Sam Hinkie to get a more traditional and seasoned GM into the Sixers’ front office. The hope for Silver was to mitigate the effects of the team’s embarrassing, tank strategy.
Would it be too late? Would other teams follow in the Sixers’ footsteps and construct rosters so inept that a losing record would ensure lottery picks year after year? The team would never know because the slogan went from Together We Build to This Starts Now. Jerry Colangelo would take the steering wheel from Hinkie as the ride would get less bumpy. Or would it?
Once Sam Hinkie officially resigned, Bryan Colangelo was hired as the head of basketball operations. His father, Jerry, decided to take on an advisory role for the team. Bryan Colangelo, known for his big collar shirts, did come to the 76ers with a history of success, serving as GM of the Raptors for seven years and spending over a decade with the Phoenix Suns. He, like his father, had connections and a solid resume. So what could possibly go wrong when the only direction to look is up?
Enter Twitter. The internet is the best way to vent anonymously about any topic. From sports to food to politics, trolling seems to lend itself best to the platform with the little blue birdie. Not even Bryan Colangelo could resist tweeting his frustrations about his team, or according to him, his wife could not help herself.
Taking swipes at his own players about their style of play and maturity was too tempting for multiple Twitter accounts to go untweeted. It led to an investigation within the NBA and the ultimate resignation of Bryan Colangelo. Worst, it sent shockwaves through the 76ers organization that had already dealt with enough national embarrassment from record losing streaks and draft busts.
If the Sixers needed a savior in the midst of all their losing, it would not be Bryan Colangelo. A former player and executive on the rise, Elton Brand, had his eyes on the Sixers front office, and he was welcomed with open arms to help move past the Twitter quagmire.