Sixers To Hire Mike Gansey As President Of Basketball Operations

Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey has reached an agreement to become the Sixers‘ new president of basketball operations, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Gansey will replace Daryl Morey, who was fired after Philadelphia was swept by New York in the second round of the playoffs.

A former college basketball player at St. Bonaventure and West Virginia, Gansey was viewed as a potential NBA draft pick in 2006 but he contracted MRSA during the pre-draft process, ultimately signing a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Heat. He was waived after being hospitalized for two weeks and losing 30 pounds as a result of the infection, per ESPN, then contracted MRSA again in his ankle, which required surgery.

“I mean people have lost lives from this, have lost body parts,” Gansey said in 2007. “It’s something you don’t want to mess around with, and if you see any little thing that looks suspicious, get it checked out. You never know what it could be.”

Gansey played in a couple of summer leagues, but never suited up in the NBA, having spent time in the G League (then called the D-League) on top of playing professionally in Italy, Germany and China. He transitioned to a front office role with the Cavaliers in 2011/12.

The 43-year-old steadily worked his way up the ranks with his hometown team. Gansey was named G League executive of the year in April 2017, then was promoted to assistant GM of the Cavs a few months later. He was promoted to GM in 2022 and has been in that role with Cleveland for the past four years.

This will be Gansey’s first opportunity to run a team of his own, as he has spent the past several years working under Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment president Bob Myers, who led the search process, is expected to collaborate with Gansey during key times of the league year, including the draft, free agency and trade deadline.

The Cavs have won 51, 48, 64 and 52 regular season games over the past four years with Gansey as general manager, making the playoffs on each occasion. Cleveland was eliminated from the postseason last week when the team was swept by New York in the Eastern Conference finals.

Gansey and Sixers assistant GM Jameer Nelson were reportedly the frontrunners for the top front office job in Philadelphia, with Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd viewed as finalists. Multiple reports have indicated that Nelson, a former NBA point guard, is likely to be promoted.