Could A Recent NHL Team Front Office Decision Have An Effect On The Sixers?

The Process… Once a dream & hope, now a time in Philadelphia Sixers basketball history that looked so promising. A time that has hit another crossroads.

When the Sixers started The Process, it was a hard sell. Some fans never believed it would never work. But, a theory by an analytical Stanford grad was put into action.

Sam Hinkie wasn’t a GM. Hinkie was an analytical wizard that made his mark because of his strategy.  Hinkie believed having all the chips in your corner would lead to greatness.

Well, that worked for Hinkie & it was working for the Sixers. But, due to the incompetence of the Sixers ownership, that strategy has now been wasted by his two hand-selected predecessors, Elton Brand & Bryan Colangelo.

When Josh Harris & the Sixers ownership group moved on from Sam Hinkie, it was their decision & only their decision. They blamed pressure from the league & concern that it may never work. But, the downfall of the Process & the long 5-years to get the talent they have now is on them.

So, after falling back to square one “per-say”, a mid-seeded two-superstar team, what is next?

The answer looks to be Brett Brown’s tenure as the Sixers head coach has come to an end. According to ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski, a decision on Brett Brown could come as early as today & consensus around the league is Brown would be let go.

But, should Brett Brown be the only one to go? Should GM Elton Brand be gone as well?

That answer should be yes. However, in February, the Sixers picked up Elton Brand’s 2021 option and according to The Athletics Shams Charania, sources tell him that Brand has maintained a healthy relationship with Harris & the ownership group.

Therefore, more than likely only looking for a head coach, should you trust Elton Brand & Josh Harris to find the right guy to lead the Sixers?

To answer that, let’s look at the other team Harris & his group own, the New Jersey Devils.

The Devils just went through a coaching change themselves. A process that took over 4-months. But, it came down to a cheap & expensive option. Can you guess which one they chose?

Instead of going with the proven Stanley Cup winning head coach in Peter Laviolette, the Devils chose to low ball & go with a mediocre at best choice in Lindy Ruff. A decision that had ownership trying to save pennies on the dollar instead of spending to win.

Sometimes decisions are easy to make. Like something falling into your lap. Which, Laviolette fell right into the Devils lap. However, they chose to push it to the ground instead of picking it up.

But, why does that matter with the Sixers?

Josh Harris has proven time & time again this is a business to him rather than a passion. Running a team like a business will never get you anywhere. A perfect example of this is the LA Clippers.

Look at what Steve Ballmer has done to the Clippers. Brought a fire to an organization that was in the Sixers position they are today. A mid-seeded 1st/2nd round exit playoff team. Now, Ballmer has put his mark on the franchise by going all out & spending every dime he can to make the Clippers great.

If you think Josh Harris will ever do that, you have a better chance at Brett Brown returning than Harris giving a damn about winning.

So, before you get too excited about who the Sixers go after if / when Brett Brown is relieved of his duties, just look at Josh Harris’s recent decisions. They will tell you a lot about where this team is headed & what kind of coach they are looking for.