The Sixers have promoted Elton Brand to general manager, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). The team is expected to introduce Brand in his new role during a press conference on Thursday.
Brand held the role of VP of Basketball Operations while also serving as the GM of the Sixers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, prior to landing the position. He made a strong impression on ownership and head coach Brett Brown during the interview process, winning the job over several internal and external candidates, Wojnarowski adds.
Brand, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft, spent 17 seasons as a player in the league, including two separate stints in Philadelphia. He signed as a free agent during the summer of 2008 and spent four years with the franchise before departing for Dallas in 2012. He re-joined the 76ers during the middle of the 2015/16 season, serving as a veteran mentor to the team’s young roster.
One of a handful of in-house candidates to receive consideration to replace Bryan Colangelo, Brand was promoted over fellow executives Ned Cohen, Marc Eversley, and Alex Rucker. The Sixers were also reportedly considering Jazz assistant GM Justin Zanik and Rockets executive VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, as each executive received a second interview with the club.
During a media luncheon earlier today, Brown mentioned that Philadelphia was expecting to have a GM in place before the start of season. Brown also indicated that the idea of bringing back Sam Hinkie back in his old role was never under consideration, as Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets.
In other news of under-qualified feats, Neil De Grasse Tyson will be starting at QB for the Dolphins this week, and Hulk Hogan will be directing his first movie.
Whoa there Hulk Hogan was in 3 Ninjas he’s more than qualified buddy
As a Dolphins fan I’d be excited to see what Neil “The Real Deal” deGrasse Tyson can do under center because the only people who don’t grasp how bad TanneFail is are the clowns in the Miami front office.
Can’t really judge this since we know nothing of Brand’s managerial abilities. It seems unnecessarily risky, but it’s possible he demonstrated something special in interviews. We will have to wait and see.
The Sixer Organization Sux!
They wanted another yes man and they got one!
SMH
I love it great pick up 6ers #TTP #TrustTheProcess
I do find offensive to the fans that they say so easily that Hinkie wasn’t even considered when all the fans wanted him. SMH
I did like Brand a lot as a player, he was a real beast before his injury, so as he is the chosen one just hope he does a good job of it.
He used to like to make devil-worship gestures. I wonder where he’s at with that now.
Who in their past hasn’t loved making devil-worship gestures? Boys will be boys
He was man-aged doing that! College-educated and past 26 I think, the point where habits are hard to change. Must be working though. Say hi to new boss, raised up from whatever he was doing, doesn’t matter. Boring Brand with the horns!
If not for Embiid, everything the Sixers have been doing would be for nought. Amd it took 3 very prime tries to find Embiid (Noel, Jah).
He knows basketball and was a great locker room player. Seen how not to run a team from some of stints. Hope for the best. Good GM’s win championships. Time will tell.