Growing up in the late 90s and early 00s, I developed an affinity for the Cartoon Network program, Ed, Edd n Eddy. The animated show featured three boys who wrecked havoc on their parents and really just lived their daily lives in their cul-de-sac kooky pandemonium.

Thus, when the 76ers, who were then led by Chairman Ed Snider and General Manager Ed Stefanski, fired former head coach Eddie Jordan, I wrote a crafty blog post that constructed a conspiracy on how Ed Stefanski and Eddie Jordan in 2010 (who had been friends from their days with the New Jersey Nets) worked to derail this dilapidated organization.

Now, looking back on my adolescence, and knowing what I now know about the NBA, I realize that the only legitimate conspiracies in the League only involve officiating and injuries.  However, I still truthfully believe that the Ed, Ed and Eddie era of the Sixers set back this organization to where they are now.

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Luring LeBron James back to Cleveland will no longer include Phil Jackson as the Cavaliers announced yesterday that they’ll be rehiring coach Mike Brown who previously found great coaching success with the Cavs.

Brown went 272-138 previously with the Cavs, teaming with LeBron James on a run to the NBA Finals in 2007.  He also had two seasons where he won more than 60 games in 2008-09 (66-16) and 2009-10 (61-21).

The move seems sudden for the Cavs, as just three days ago they had apparently been courting Jackson over the open job position with the team.

This leaves Jackson at the way side again, much like he was back in November when the Lakers fired Mike Brown after the teams 1-4 start to the season.  Rumors swirled at the thought of Jackson being rehired for the Lakers’ job much like his name was before Brown got the job with the Cavs, but the Lakers impatiently grabbed Mike D’Antoni instead.

If the Zen Master indeed wants to take to the sidelines one more time, which it’s been said he’s “itching” to do, then why not look at a proud organization like the Philadelphia Sixers?

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Here at Philadunkia it seems to be a consensus that the first item on the “Honey Do List” for Josh Harris and Adam Aron this off-season should be to find a new General Manager for this franchise.

It’s not that Tony DiLeo has done anything wrong, but it’s apparent that he was hand picked for the job by Doug Collins  last year and it’s time to wipe the slate clean from the DC era.  Removing DiLeo is especially important  if DC is going to have an active “consulting” role in the Sixers front office going forward as we will need a strong willed and independent thinker who can sift through Doug’s input and only use the sensible thoughts.

If the Sixers decide to look for a new general manager, the Philadunkia scribes have some suggestions for Harris and Aron as to who should receive job interviews.

After the jump are a few suggestions for a new 76ers General Manager.

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If there is anything the eight Game 1s of the 2013 NBA Playoffs taught us, besides that home court actually does matter in the NBA, it’s that whichever team has the better players wins.  It’s a simple as that.  Thus, it make sense for the 76ers to start their rebuilding process by focusing their attention on getting the best players on the court, right?

Wrong.

This, if anything, the troublesome Sixers ownership and management group must start this off-season by making key off-the-court decisions before they can start looking to solve their on-the-court issues.  The Sixers brass must find a smart general manager who can run this franchise correctly. 

Recent NBA history has proven this method can be very successful.

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Yesterday, Doug Collins officially notified the 76ers organization, the media and Philadunkia nation that he would not be returning to the sidelines next season – something he decided and informed Tony DiLeo of back in December.  So the Sixers are officially in the market for a new head coach.

No, the Sixers’ struggles this season don’t fall solely on the shoulders of Collins.  Not only did he have to deal with a serious string of injuries throughout the season, he never actually got to coach the team he envisioned, and built around, last off-season.  With Bynum sitting the entire season, Collins was often left to play catch up, plugging players in as he went along.

Nonetheless, after such a disappointing season it is no surprise to see fingers pointed at the head coach, especially considering the large hand Collins had in assembling this underachieving unit.

This pseudo-rebuilding stage the Sixers are in is more than Collins bargained for, so it’s no surprise to see him stepping away. 

Realistically, the best available coaches, the likes of hall-of-famers Phil Jackson and Jerry Sloan are not going to come to Philly on a rebuilding mission.  Coach Cal isn’t going to leave the comfort of Kentucky to revive the 76ers, and Larry Brown isn’t going to walk through the door accompanied by a 27-year old Allen Iverson.  Let’s get those lofty options out of the way early.

However, even with all of those options eliminated, there are plenty coaching choices for the Sixers to pursue; coaches who will be eager to embrace the challenge of turning the team around.

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All good things must come to an end.

But, unfortunately for the 76ers organization and its fans, their immaculate 2012-2013 season came to an end before it ever began.

In August, the Sixers introduced their addition of Andrew Bynum — and, oh yeah, Jason Richardson — at the Constitution Center in front of a raucous crowd.  But, before Bynum could even get through hinting at signing a 5-year max extension, he stopped in his tracks.

Then, as all of Philadunkia was imagining Bynum backing down the likes of Roy Hibbert, Joakim Noah and Tyson Chandler before turning them into a poster, the team announced that Bynum would be undergoing surgery on his knees and going to Germany.

We all know he would go on to never suit up in a Sixers uniform outside of a photo shoot.  We all know he participated in less practices than his jersey number, 33.  We all remember his parade of ridiculous hairdos and his romantic long walks on a freakishly expensive anti-gravity treadmill.  His season, and maybe his career in Philly, was over before it even had a chance to commence.

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On Monday night after the 76ers had lost their 48th game of the year, Spencer “Double-Double” Hawes was asked by the Sixers beat media about the final game of the season tonight in Indianapolis.

Hawes said, “It is just going to be good to get it over with.  With all the expectations we had coming in and then the way the season has gone it will be nice to take the positives going forward and flush the rest of it.  It was a tough year on everybody; us; the fans, anyone involved with the organization.”

Here at Philadunkia, we couldn’t agree more with Spence’s words and after the jump I compiled a list of items from the 2012-13 season that I am happy to see coming to an end.

 
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How good would a team comprised of former 76ers players currently active in the NBA be? 

It’s an interesting question in what has been an interesting season to say the least.  So, let’s take a look at the possibilities.

We will use the current salaries of every player and keep under $60,000,000.  Elton Brand will not be included because he was amnestied and would prefer jail in Siberia to being on a hypothetical former 76ers roster.  Each player would essentially be a clone of himself and injuries are a part of things in this exercise.

Head Coach:  Aaron McKie

Asst Coach:  Eric Snow

PG:  Lou Williams, Andre Miller; $10,000,000

SG:  Thabo Sefolosha, Kyle Korver, Jodie Meeks; $10,100,000

SF:  Andre Iguodala, Matt Barnes, Mo Harkless; $17,900,000

PF:  Marreese  Speights, Reggie Evans; $5,800,000

C:  Nik Vucevic, Samuel Dalembert; $8,400,000

 
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