Ed Stefanski isn't the worst GM the team has ever had, hell Jack Ramsey traded Wilt Chamberlain, but Stefanski has made some major blunders that have drastically hurt this organization yet he sits with relative job security.
This is a list of the high's and low's of Stefanski's tenure with the Sixers and in the end you tell me if he deserves to keep his job.
Elton Brand's Contact:
After having a mid super-star like tenure in L.A. the Sixers and general manager Ed Stefanski signed Brand from the Clippers in 2008 to a 5-year $79.7 million dollar deal. This seemed like a smart move for a productive healthy player but Brand was coming off of surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles tear.
After a long summer of rehabbing Brand played only played in 29 games in 2009 before suffering another season ending injury to his right shoulder.
Brand has never returned to his top-tier form and became a $16 million dollar bench player for most of last season as the team failed to preform on the court.
The signing has not only affected Brand but has also held back the franchise as the team has been virtually non-existent is free agency as was no even a whisper in this years highly touted free agent market.
Eddie Jordan:
This is a list of the high's and low's of Stefanski's tenure with the Sixers and in the end you tell me if he deserves to keep his job.
After having a mid super-star like tenure in L.A. the Sixers and general manager Ed Stefanski signed Brand from the Clippers in 2008 to a 5-year $79.7 million dollar deal. This seemed like a smart move for a productive healthy player but Brand was coming off of surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles tear.
After a long summer of rehabbing Brand played only played in 29 games in 2009 before suffering another season ending injury to his right shoulder.
Brand has never returned to his top-tier form and became a $16 million dollar bench player for most of last season as the team failed to preform on the court.
The signing has not only affected Brand but has also held back the franchise as the team has been virtually non-existent is free agency as was no even a whisper in this years highly touted free agent market.
In 2009 the team needed a new coach. After firing former Sixer Mo Cheeks, despite making the playoffs in his first three years on the job, Stefanski spent the summer of 2009 looking for a new skipper.
Instead of bringing in big names throughout the summer he brought in comfort pick and ended up signing long time friend Eddie Jordan to take over the teams coaching position.
Jordan had previously spent six season with the Washington Wizards and was fired in 2009 after starting the season 1-10. Stefanski made the move because he was familiar with Jordan from their days with the New Jersey Nets and felt that the pick was safe for his job.
The Jordan move backfired on the team as they spent the season towards the basement of the Eastern Conference going 27-55 and losing the players midway through the season.
Jordan was supposedly a master of the "Princeton Offense" yet the run and gun style, high passing, offense failed with the team that lacked the three point and outside shooting that is needed for the scheme to be effective.
Stefanski righted his mistake by firing Jordan just two days after the completion of the season but Eddie's 4-year $16 million dollar deal is another monetary mistake the team will have to get through.
2010 NBA Draft:
Instead of bringing in big names throughout the summer he brought in comfort pick and ended up signing long time friend Eddie Jordan to take over the teams coaching position.
Jordan had previously spent six season with the Washington Wizards and was fired in 2009 after starting the season 1-10. Stefanski made the move because he was familiar with Jordan from their days with the New Jersey Nets and felt that the pick was safe for his job.
The Jordan move backfired on the team as they spent the season towards the basement of the Eastern Conference going 27-55 and losing the players midway through the season.
Jordan was supposedly a master of the "Princeton Offense" yet the run and gun style, high passing, offense failed with the team that lacked the three point and outside shooting that is needed for the scheme to be effective.
Stefanski righted his mistake by firing Jordan just two days after the completion of the season but Eddie's 4-year $16 million dollar deal is another monetary mistake the team will have to get through.
As a result of the dismal season the Sixers had a chance to look on the bright side with the NBA draft lottery. The team lucked out nabbing the second overall pick and took Evan Turner from Ohio State.
If you look at the draft lottery no front office person (Irene Pollen excluded) was happier with the Sixers placement. The pick of Turner was a no brainer for the team yet Stefanski spurred rumors the team was looking at taking Derrick Favours with the second pick.
Because the jury is still out on Turner it is yet to be seen if it was a win or not but Stefanski took the Sixers fortune as a way to boost his public approval and try to ignore his part mistakes.
Failure to make trades:
If you look at the draft lottery no front office person (Irene Pollen excluded) was happier with the Sixers placement. The pick of Turner was a no brainer for the team yet Stefanski spurred rumors the team was looking at taking Derrick Favours with the second pick.
Because the jury is still out on Turner it is yet to be seen if it was a win or not but Stefanski took the Sixers fortune as a way to boost his public approval and try to ignore his part mistakes.
Failure to make trades:
As much as it would be nice to blame the Iguodala contract on Ed that move has to sit on the shoulders of former GM Billy King.
The part of Iguodala's presence in Philly that I put on Stefanski is his lack of urgency to pull the trigger on past mistakes. The Sixers have has multiple chances to rid themselves of A.I. 2 yet none of them have come to premonition.
At last years trade deadline it was public knowledge that the Houston Rockets were looking at shedding Tracy McGrady's expiring contract to anyone who was interested and many times the Sixers name came up.
We saw McGrady go to the Knicks to free up more salary cap room for the summer as the Sixers sat back and watched the years of Iguodala pile up in their checkbook.
We even heard rumblings that the Phoenix Suns were looking at making a move for now departed center A'mare Stoudemire, the Sixers name came up yet nothing happened.
The only move the team made was to pickup another injured low-post flop Francisco Elson and lost a draft pick picking up point guard Jodie Meeks.
The most effective general managers make moves and look out for the best interest of their teams yet Stefanski seems gun shy since the Brand deal and has remained timid when it comes to making moves.
Iverson's return:
The part of Iguodala's presence in Philly that I put on Stefanski is his lack of urgency to pull the trigger on past mistakes. The Sixers have has multiple chances to rid themselves of A.I. 2 yet none of them have come to premonition.
At last years trade deadline it was public knowledge that the Houston Rockets were looking at shedding Tracy McGrady's expiring contract to anyone who was interested and many times the Sixers name came up.
We saw McGrady go to the Knicks to free up more salary cap room for the summer as the Sixers sat back and watched the years of Iguodala pile up in their checkbook.
We even heard rumblings that the Phoenix Suns were looking at making a move for now departed center A'mare Stoudemire, the Sixers name came up yet nothing happened.
The only move the team made was to pickup another injured low-post flop Francisco Elson and lost a draft pick picking up point guard Jodie Meeks.
The most effective general managers make moves and look out for the best interest of their teams yet Stefanski seems gun shy since the Brand deal and has remained timid when it comes to making moves.
Of course not. The man must have tape of Eddie the owner is some uncompromising position. How else can he be retained after the Eddie Jordan fiaso. But then again, these are the Sixers. Pittsburgh has it Pirates, Philly its Sixers, in organization incompetence.
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