Philadelphia 76ers may start season with Brett Brown as general manager

BOSTON, MA - MAY 9: Brett Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to the media after the game against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2018 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

As many NBA teams move away from the basketball overlord position of coach and general manager for their top decision-maker, the Philadelphia 76ers told ESPN they may do just that with overseer Brett Brown.

The Sixers reshuffled much of their front office Monday, but one thing stayed the same: head coach Brett Brown, who has been serving as the franchise’s interim general manager since Bryan Colangelo was dismissed in June, will continue into that role for the foreseeable future.

As part of that transition, Sixers managing partner Josh Harris told ESPN the franchise will promote its top three basketball operations executives, Ned Cohen, Elton Brand and Marc Eversley. Cohen will serve as assistant GM, while Eversley and Brand will move into VP positions.

“We have a skilled and stable staff who share the same vision under Brett,” Harris said to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “We prefer to find someone, but we don’t want to feel forced into compromising.”

Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice added some context to Philadelphia’s organizational maneuvers, stating Eversley’s promotion will entail much more day-to-day interaction with players, while Brand’s duties will expand past his management of the team’s G League affiliate to include front-office input for the NBA team.

Brown’s role in all of this was described by Neubeck as the “tiebreaker,” in the event one is needed with so many voices now involved at the top level in Philadelphia.

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At a time in which many franchises, from Detroit to Atlanta, are moving away from putting a single powerful magnate atop their front office, Philadelphia is going to attack basketball decisions by committee, with its coach ultimately in charge.

Harris made it clear the Sixers will interview and consider general manager candidates in the meantime, so this all could be moot as soon as that hire is made, but for now Philadelphia is innovating by way of necessity with training camp just a month away.