In a "what have you done for me lately" league, Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey has earned plenty of time free from questions about making changes to the roster.
The Sixers will soon wrap up an extremely productive offseason, which marked the first run for Gansey in office. While Gansey won't feel any pressure to make changes until December at the earliest, I'm sure that in due time there will be trade and signing demands from the fan base.
And in a rumor-filled league like the NBA, the media's rumors and reports are often viewed as tools that let fans know how hard a team is working on making changes. Gansey recently tossed out a quote that should change the way that Sixers fans view the rumor mill.
No rumors doesn't mean no working
During an interview with 97.5 The Fanatic on Wednesday, Gansey addressed the 76ers' major trade with the Boston Celtics to acquire Jaylen Brown in early July. Leading up to the deal, the Sixers weren't linked to Brown at all. Suddenly, they landed him in what many media folks considered to be a steal of a deal, in favor of Philly.
"I kinda like doing my business in silence," Gansey said. "During the whole time, every team but Philly was in the mix with Jaylen it seemed like through the media. We were lucky enough to do a deal; now he is a 76er, and we are very excited to have him"
That isn't a fresh mindset for the Sixers. In the past, former 76ers President of Basketball Ops Daryl Morey had a similar quote, where he stated that he likes to make moves for players that haven't been predicted to land with the Sixers. However, when it came to big deals (James Harden, for example), the Sixers were obviously in on it beforehand.
Gansey's early track record is strong. The Brown deal truly came out of nowhere, and that was his first blockbuster. Even though the Sixers were linked to LeBron James for weeks before landing him, they were far from the favorites, even in the hours leading up to his official decision.
So, when it comes time to beg for a trade or a signing, don't take too much stock in what is or isn't being tossed out there. The stance has been made clear, and Gansey plans to move in silence until deals get done.
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