The Philadelphia 76ers’ long search for a new general manager has reportedly come to an end.
Hours after Brett Brown told reporters on Tuesday that a new general manager would be hired by the start of the season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported a decision had indeed been made. According to Woj, the Sixers selected Elton Brand to lead the front office as it heads into the future.
Philadelphia has hired Elton Brand as general manager, league sources tell ESPN. Brand will be elevated from VP of Basketball Operations. He made strong impression on ownership and Brett Brown in process, beating out several inside and outside candidates.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 18, 2018
Sixers are expected to introduce Brand as GM at a Thursday news conference, league source said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 18, 2018
Brand served as the Delaware Blue Coats’ general manager last season and was promoted to Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Sixers earlier this offseason. The former All-Star spent five seasons with the Sixers, including his final year before retiring in 2015-16. Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice confirmed the news, noting Brand’s rapid rise through the organization.
Can confirm @wojespn's report that Elton Brand has been promoted to GM of the Sixers.
Side commentary: Brand had already received the biggest bump in power earlier this summer, so org. clearly really likes him. Little surprised at how quickly he has risen, though.
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) September 18, 2018
Brand’s first major front office job in the NBA is a significant one, as he’ll now be in charge of building around the Sixers’ young and talented core with fans in Philadelphia expecting the team to become a major contender in the Eastern Conference. With Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, Robert Covington, and Markelle Fultz all under contract for the foreseeable future, it’s now on Brand to add supplemental veteran talent to get the most out of that group to challenge the Celtics and Raptors at the top of the East.
While Brand is certainly a surprising selection given his inexperience, he’s always been among the most well-liked players in the league and that will undoubtedly serve him well when it comes to talking with other players and front office personnel. The question will be how he handles negotiations and evaluating talent when it comes to constructing a roster.
