PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The 76ers introduced Mike Gansey as the new president of basketball operations as they try to pick up the pieces from yet another early playoff exit.
“I want fountains, not drains. I want guys with high character, guys with high work ethics, and guys that want to be in Philadelphia,” Gansey said.
For better or worse, Gansey, the former Cavaliers general manager, said he has to make what he calls “not a championship-caliber team” work. And he’s not discouraged by the fact that V.J. Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey are in different stages of their careers than Joel Embiid and Paul George.
“I don’t look at it as a timeline. I just look at it like we have those four and we have to maximize those four,” he said. “Obviously, V.J. and Tyrese are younger, but Paul and Joel can still play at a high level. We gotta rely on those four, and obviously keep them on the floor, and then just build around them.”
But with so much money committed to Embiid, George, and Maxey, how does Gansey plan to flesh out the rotation?
“We have pick 22 in the draft, we’ve gotta hit on that. We’ve gotta get guys in here in free agency that we like, [veteran-] minimum guys. And then the big part is just internal development. I think it’s internal growth, 22, and then free agency, and trying to add as much depth as we can to this roster.”
Nick Nurse will remain the head coach, while former assistant General Manager Jameer Nelson was promoted to executive vice president of basketball operations under Gansey. They’ll all answer to the president of the ownership group, Bob Myers.
