Overseeing the operation of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference, baseball legend Alex Rodriguez doesn’t need to put a cap on his praise for the Philadelphia 76ers.
After the Sixers sent shockwaves across the league by acquiring one of the NBA’s most notable stars in Jaylen Brown, A-Rod couldn’t help but give the Sixers their flowers on Tuesday, July 14.
“I think it’s a wonderful trade,” Rodriguez told PHLY’s Anthony Gargano.
The 50-year-old former 14-time MLB All-Star then pivoted to complimenting 76ers owner Josh Harris for his efforts this offseason.
A-Rod tosses praise to Josh Harris
“Listen, Josh Harris is gonna get it right,” Rodriguez said. “I recently talked to him, he loves the Sixers, and he’s very, very focused. Everything he does, he does at a high level. He does have a plan. I think he makes the Sixers very, very tough next year.”
While Harris doesn’t run basketball operations for the 76ers, the owner had to step in this offseason to make some major changes to the team’s front office.
Working with Bob Myers, who Harris hired to run his entire sports portfolio in a presidential role, Harris cut ties with Daryl Morey, who ran basketball operations since 2020.
“After speaking with Daryl, we determined that it was time for a fresh start. Bob Myers will lead the process of identifying a new leader, and I believe his experience in constructing four NBA championship teams will be a valuable resource to our organization,” Harris said in a statement back on May 12.
“To our fans, your frustration and disappointment are understandable and warranted. We have fallen well short of our own expectations and failed to deliver in the way this city deserves. That bothers me deeply, and I have confidence in Bob to establish a path forward for our franchise.”
The Sixers considered a handful of candidates and ultimately landed on Mike Gansey. The former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager has been given the green light to get aggressive with his roster building this offseason, and the Brown trade is exactly what the Sixers needed to reel fans back in after a second-round sweep.
Rodriguez’s effort to give Harris the shine amid an exciting Sixers offseason probably won’t do much for the perception of the owner. Fans have felt like paper champions in the offseason too many times over the years to be fooled this time around.
But Gansey’s big swing on Brown brings hope for the 2026-2027 NBA season. At this stage of the process, that’s all you can have.
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