Following their abrupt decision to let go of Daryl Morey, the Philadelphia 76ers are now laser-focused on finding their next lead executive. Former Warriors general manager Bob Myers is tasked to supervise and pilot the search, and while he certainly has the competence and the connections to engage the services of a well-acclaimed individual, it seems like they his group has already stumbled upon a major roadblock.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required), the 76ers are eyeing Tim Connelly as their next team president. Problem is, he is currently the lead executive for the Timberwolves, meaning that Philly's brain trust will need express permission from Minnesota just to interview him. Making matters more complicated is the fact that his current ball club literally has zero reason to even open a window for him to get out off their franchise.
Connelly only has one year left remaining on his current deal with the Wolves, but given how successful the franchise has been in the last three years, the odds are very low that Minnesota will grow comfortable in the prospect of him leaving for another team. As such, the 76ers can only consider him a pipe dream target to fill in their vacancy at the position of president at this juncture.
The 76ers have zero shot at hiring Tim Connelly for team president
With Philly touting a lot of talent on paper and a young player who could end up being a foundational piece for the franchise, the position should be plenty attractive enough to lure in a highly coveted executive. Having said that, the same is not applicable on all fours to those who are under contracts such as Connelly.
Minnesota has made back-to-back Conference Finals appearances and a semifinals berth over the last three years, so there is certainly a lot to like about Connelly's stint with the Wolves. Before he was hired in 2022, he was the man in charge of the Nuggets, and the core that he so carefully cultivated over the years ended up winning the championship.
Clearly, the longtime executive has a good track record of building rosters that make it far in the playoffs. The 76ers are desperate to have that on a consistent basis, and Connelly definitely carries the gravitas and the history to be a perfect fit. Unfortunately, it is a long shot that the Timberwolves will even grant Bob Myers and company an opportunity to offer the job to him.
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