If a man kills a basketball team, and no one watches, does it still happen?
That question could be used for the 76ers. After a one-night bump in attendance after bringing back Allen Iverson, the Sixers have faded back to obscurity in the city, and there losing ways have continued.
With no hope in sight, at what point do the fans start to ask for Ed Stefanski to be fired? Towards the end of Billy King’s time as GM, fans openly mocked him and called for his job. But two years into the post King era, its time to ask- was King that bad?
During his time as GM, King had his share of missteps. His time as GM will be defined by two things- the bloated contracts and his inability to pair Iverson with a sidekick. That’s all everyone will remember.
But what they forget is that King also drafted Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young and Louis Williams. Would anyone argue that those 3 players are not the most valuable on the Sixers right now?
Yes he was unable to pair anyone with Iverson- but as great a player Iverson is, his time after Philadelphia has shown that no one has been able to pair him with another player and win.
Meanwhile, every move by Ed Stefanski has backfired.
The one moment this franchise had to turn things around- spending the 15 million dollars King got them under the cap- Stefanski blew by signing Elton Brand.
You can argue it’s still early in Brands time here, but it’s clearly not going to work. Marreese Speights is a better player making a fraction of the price, and he is now blocked for the next 5 years.
Stefanski paid two players franchise money- Brand and Iguodala- when neither of them can carry a franchise. He traded away Kyle Korver because of his contract- only to realize he needed shooter, and trade for Jason Kapono, who makes more money.
The numbers don’t lie- King had a winning record as a GM. Stefanski does not in his time with the Sixers. King inherited a worse team- 22-60 the year before he got there then Stefanski did- 35-47. King had the Sixers in the finals 3 years after he took over as GM. Anybody think the Sixers are going to the finals anytime soon?
King made his mistakes- but he handed Stenfanski a team with young talent and cap space. Stefanski blew it.
This is not a case of Stefanski cleaning up the moves made by King. This is Stefanski creating a whole new mess on his own- one that we are now stuck with for years to come.
Basketball is being murdered in Philadelphia. But is anyone watching?
