http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/ne...7-1451271.html
Ed Snider apparently decided that Billy King's three-year rebuilding plan that he had publicly endorsed was two-plus years too long.
On Tuesday, Snider officially fired King as the Sixers' president and general manager after five seasons on the job, and hired Philadelphia native Ed Stefanski, who had been the Nets' GM for the past three years.
Stefanski, a graduate of Penn's Wharton School of Business and self-described “basketball lifer,” is known as a guy who isn't afraid to take risks or make changes.
“I'm not a cocky guy,” Stefanski said. “Hey, it's a challenge, but what an opportunity. This is pretty neat to me.”
Snider declined to say why he went from claiming that King, who is in the final year of his contract, had a job for as long as he wanted to Tuesday's packed news conference at the Wachovia Center's Hall of Fame room.
“It's several factors — none that I really want to go into,” said Snider, the Sixers chairman. “I just felt that it was time for a change. It's a decision that's best for the long-term interests of our team.”
The Sixers asked the Nets for permission to talk to Stefanski a week ago. It was granted because the move represented a promotion from GM to president/GM.
Stefanski, 53, said he would evaluate every aspect of the basketball operation after talking to every player and most Sixers employees. The list starts with Cheeks, who is also in the last year of a contract.
“What I do is try to go out every day and control what I can control and try and get our team better,” said Cheeks after Tuesday's practice. “That's basically all I can do.”
As for Larry Brown, who returned to the organization as a senior vice president a year ago, Stefanski said he planned to speak to him about staying on with the club.
“He's a terrific basketball coach,” Stefanski said. “If he wants to help, I have no problem having him consult me. I think this whole thing is a big puzzle and there's pieces to the puzzle. You have to have some voices to fight back. I don't want people to [just] tell me what I just said, and I know Larry Brown won't do that.”
Approached by several reporters after the news conference, all Brown, who hasn't spoken to the media in 11 months, would say was, “Come on. It's a tough day for Billy.”
Stefanski understands that Philadelphia fans want to win and won't settle for anything less, even if a team is trying to re-tool with young players, as the Sixers are. He admits to second-guessing Eagles coach Andy Reid every Monday.
He is looking forward to using trades, free agency and the draft, along with an expected $10-plus million he'll have available when the contracts of Chris Webber and Aaron McKie come off the salary cap in July, to make the Sixers better.
“For the fans, it's easy to say, "Be patient,' ” Stefanski said. “I'm a fan. I know that's a horrible thing to say. I'll tell you we'll look at every option possible to make the 76ers a team in the tradition and heritage we deserve.”
Celtics 18-2!!
Celtics 18-2!!
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