The Philadelphia 76ers have already gotten the bad news about Andrew Bynum’s knees -- the center needs season-ending surgery on both -- and now the team has to figure out how to act going forward, not to mention who will be around to make those decisions.
Andrew Bynum injury: Sixers front office reportedly at odds over long-term contract, nearing shakeup
The Philadelphia 76ers reportedly don’t really know how to handle Andrew Bynum’s impending free agency, and the team could be going toward major changes in the team’s behind-the-scenes personnel and coaching staff.
Adrian Wojnarowski’s report on Bynum’s surgeries for Yahoo! Sports featured some interesting tidbits related to the direction of the franchise. After sacrificing several key pieces to bring in Bynum this season before he becomes a free agent this offseason, the team has been blindsided by the extent of Bynum’s knee injuries. It expected him to play this season and to make a major play to keep the talented 27-year-old big in Philadelphia when he became an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Now, those plans are up in the air.
The 76ers are torn on how they’ll proceed in offering Bynum a contract to stay with the franchise, as are potential suitors around the league. The Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks have the salary-cap space and need to make a serious bid for Bynum.
Wojnarowski also says the Sixers “could be headed for significant changes,” among both coaches and the team’s front office personnel. It’s not particularly surprising: Doug Collins has been openly critical of the team this season, and Tony DiLeo, who was promoted to general manager in September, got the gig in part because of his large role in trading for Bynum over the summer -- something that doesn’t look as great now. Rod Thorn, who resigned as general manager after last year, has been lessening his role and is expected to step down as the team’s president in the near future.
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