For many of us, the tenure of Eddie Jordan one-year stint as head coach of the 76ers was ill-advised before it even began. His known disdain for developing players (“Free Jrue!”) and the Princeton offense did not fit the current unit, and as the season wore on, those who weren’t initially convinced that he wasn’t the right man eventually fell into place.
From team discord to questionable rotations to his sometimes peculiar press conference behavior, Jordan fell out of favor quickly. By the time he was fired, the entire Delaware Valley breathed a collective sign of relief. At least the handful of us that were still paying attention.
Since Larry Brown rode off to Detroit in 2003, the Sixers have had six different head coaches, with Maurice Cheeks having the longest tenure at three years. It’s been a revolving cast, some of which did well with what they had, while others were clowns.
This team is in sorry shape and is in real need of direction. Tuesday’s lottery win, which earned them the #2 overall pick in the draft on June 24th, goes a long way in bringing some respectability back to South Philly. All signs point to the team choosing Ohio State star Evan Turner.
The biggest piece of the puzzle will be the man that replaces Eddie Jordan. The new coach needs to understand that the future of this franchise will be built around the nucleus of Jrue Holiday, Maressee Speights, and Thad Young.
According to Bob Cooney in the Inquirer yesterday, it looks like the coaching search is over. Once money and terms are agreed upon, former Wizards coach and current NBA analyst Doug Collins will take the reins of the team.
Am I excited? Not exactly. But it’s not because I don’t like Collins. The Sixers have put fans through hell, with terrible contracts and middling teams. It might be the right decision, but I won’t feel right until I see the team moving forward.
Collins has not coached since 2003, but he had previously led the Bulls, Pistons, and Wizards over eight seasons, compiling a 332-287 record. He was also the first overall pick by the Sixers in 1973, playing his entire career in Philly.
Granted I’d like to see Avery Johnson or Tom Thibodeau to be seriously considered for the job, but with the lottery result, Collins could likely be the best man for the job.
His track record suggests a man who truly understands the game, especially on the defensive end. With the likely pick of Turner, the talent of this team’s young nucleus will be off the charts. If he enacts the right long term plan and sees it through, our lowly Sixers could return to the promised land of the postseason.
But I’ll be reserving my judgment until I start to see progress on the court.
