The Philadelphia 76ers GM Elton Brand is not in charge

Elton Brand has been named the new general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, but make no mistake about it, coach Brett Brown is still in charge.

After an exhaustive and sometimes baffling search for a new general manager, the Philadelphia 76ers ended up hiring former player Elton Brand, someone they had in house all along.

Make no mistake about it though, coach Brett Brown is the man in charge. Elton Brand reports to Brown and not the other way around. That relationship may change as seasons pass, but for right now, that’s the way it is.

ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to break the news on Twitter that Brand was being promoted from vice president of basketball operations and GM of the team’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

The Woj tweet was telling: “He made strong impression on ownership and Brett Brown in process, beating out several inside and outside candidates.”

Brett Brown had to sign off on Brand being hired. The coach helped pick the GM. That is not the way it works in most operations.

It has long been rumored that 76ers ownership was telling GM candidates that they would not have the final say in trades and player personnel.

On Aug. 21, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer appeared on the Yahoo! Sports NBA podcast and made it clear the kind of person the Sixers wanted as a GM.

"“Yes, they want a name general manager. But they’re also looking for someone who doesn’t have the final say, so to speak.”"

The problem is you can’t get “a name general manager” and then tell him he’s not in control. That explains why so many veteran general managers were approached by the 76ers but didn’t take what should be one of the most sought after jobs in the NBA.

It would seem the 76ers never really wanted an outsider.

"“They trust Brett Brown. So, you feel like, right now, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” explained Pompey."

Sixers ownership trusted Brett Brown so much that they named him acting-GM before the NBA Draft. Brown traveled with ownership to Los Angeles in July for the fruitless meeting with Rich Paul, the agent for free agent LeBron James.

The 76ers do not have a great record during Brown’s tenure as interim president of basketball operations. First, they botched the NBA Draft when they selected local favorite Mikal Bridges from Villanova, and then immediately traded him to the Phoenix Suns for Zhaire Smith, who can’t play until Christmas. Then they failed to sign LeBron James or trade for Kawhi Leonard.

There is no question that Brown is a likable guy, but he was out-coached by the Boston Celtics’  Brad Stevens in the 2018 NBA Playoffs. He did not significantly improve the talent on the roster in the offseason, so why the trust in Brett Brown to “partner” with new GM Elton Brand?

That’s the word the 76ers’ brass keeps using — partner.

Marcus Hayes put it best in a Philadelphia Daily News column the day after Elton Brown was announced as the new 76ers’ general manager:

"“After a ponderous, five month search for a man willing to act as Brett Brown’s mouthpiece, the Sixers finally just walked upstairs and hired the only man who fit their narrow and outrageous job description.‘I’m looking for a partner,’ Brown said Tuesday.Sure he was.A junior partner.”"

Hayes goes on to point out that just 23 months ago, Brand was in a 76ers uniform playing for Brown. And now they’re partners?

Yes, says controlling owner of the Sixers Joshua Harris.

"“Elton and Brett are partners, like in many, many great organizations in basketball. Both of them report to me and to ownership. We expect they’ll be collaborating a lot. Ultimately, Brett is the on-the-court voice, and Elton is the off-the-court voice. Elton will have, you know, kind of the loudest voice off the court and balance decision-making authority subject to ownership.”"

“Kind of the loudest voice off-the-court”? What the heck does that mean? 

Even Elton Brand knows he doesn’t have the final say in, well, anything.

"“Final say: Coach is going to have a voice in it. We’re going to discuss it. I’ll make the final recommendation to ownership.”"

So after Brown decides, Brand will tell the owners. Got it.

Elton Brand may end up being the best player-turned-GM in the NBA since the Los Angeles Lakers elevated Jerry West, but he’s going to have to navigate a nebulous management structure.

Brand is well-liked by players in the NBA. If he can do what current management could not do, and lure a big-name free agent to Philadelphia, his stock will rise to the top and then he will truly call the shots. Just not right now.