Reports: Sixers owners look to 'flip' team; GM's authority in doubt
Another awful season -- at least in terms of wins and losses -- for the Philadelphia 76ers became even more chaotic this week, when the team called a surprise news conference to announce the hiring of Jerry Colangelo as chairman of basketball operations. But that move might just be the beginning of a shakeup in Philly.
According to a report from CBS Sports, the hiring of Colangelo casts significant doubt on the power of current Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie, despite assurances from principal owner Josh Harris during Colangelo's introductory news conference that the team still has faith in Hinkie:
Harris reportedly realized the enormity of the asset on his hands and reached out to commissioner Adam Silver for help with a "course correction" for the franchise.
Sam Hinkie, architect of the Sixers' three-year strategy of rebuilding through scraping the bottom of the standings while collecting future draft picks like bubble-gum cards, remains the general manager in title alone. No one in the league expects Hinkie's voice to carry over Colangelo's when it comes to personnel decisions going forward.
The move could be a precursor to further shakeups within the organization. Forbes reports that the 76ers' owners are looking to move on from the team -- possibly in order to bring the NFL to London:
Philadelphia enters Thursday's game against the Brooklyn Nets with a 1-21 record. That 4.5 winning percentage puts the 76ers on pace for fewer than four wins this season, which would shatter the existing NBA record for fewest wins in a season. The 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats went 7-59 during a lockout shortened season, while the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers hold the mark for futility in an 82-game campaign with a record of 9-73.
“They’re more interested in getting the NFL in London than they are in the NBA,’’ the source said. “Their No. 1 goal is to get the NFL team in London. They want to flip the Sixers anyway.’’
