76ers promote Tony DiLeo to general manager
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76ers promote Tony DiLeo to general manager
John Mitchell, Inquirer Staff Writer
The 76ers have decided to promote Tony DiLeo to general manager, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
The Inquirer reported last week that the Sixers, who had interviewed multiple candidates from outside the organization, were seriously considering promoting DiLeo to the position. An official announcement could come from the team as early as this afternoon.
DiLeo was a finalist earlier this summer for the Portland general manager's job, which went to former Los Angeles Clippers general manager Neil Olshey.
DiLeo has been a part of the Sixers basketball operations department since the 1990-91 season. Most recently, before assuming his current position with the club, DiLeo took over for fired coach Maurice Cheeks after the Sixers began the 2008-09 season 9-14.
Thorn is in the last year of his contract with the team. It is believed that Thorn will serve the final year on his deal with the team and then move into a consulting position for the team. At that time, DiLeo will move into Thorn‘s spot and assume the position’s full responsibilities.
According to team sources, Sixers majority owner Joshua Harris became very impressed with the way DiLeo handled himself alongside Thorn as the Sixers reshaped their roster this summer. Before the team showed any interest in promoting DiLeo, the Sixers interviewed three other candidates. The group included Boston assistant general manager Mike Zarren, who withdrew his candidacy, ESPN analyst and ex-Portland Trail Blazers assistant general manager Tom Penn, and former New Orleans general manager Jeff Bower.
if he's as good a GM as he was a coach, this franchise was just set back another 10-15 years— jodya2- Congratulations to Tony and the 76ers. DiLeo is an astute, hard working, basketball lifer, and he is a local guy from a great basketball family in Cinnaminson, NJ. Portland's loss is our gain...— topwonk
- WEAK CHOICE, don`t like looking at him.
never forget that last game he coached— Pearchair - @jodya2: do you actually watch the Sixers or are just one of the usual negative fans who act like you do? wait, don't answer that. i already know the answer...the Sixers actually played well under DiLeo AND made the playoffs that year. get your mind right— kevwalton
- they played well because cheeks left
that was just a mannequin on the bench— Pearchair - TONY DILEO I CAN NOT BELIEVE HE STILL A SIXER AFTER THAT HORRIFIC JOB HE DID REPLACING MO CHEEKS GIVE ME A BREAK... OF ALL THE GOOD THINGS THEY THIS SUMMER THEY ARE GOING TO RUIN IT WITH THIS CHOICE AT A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION!!! SHADES OF ED STAFANSKI AND BILLY KING HAVE RESURFACES!! PLEASE JOSH WHAT EVER YOU DO DONT GIVE HIM THAT JOB TOWEL BOY WATER BOY OR BALL BOY ARE MORE ON THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYEMENT HE SHOULD BE OFFERED!!!!!— DJ_Bootleggah
- He is just a gm in name only. He still handles the video, in fact i think it was him who taped romney at that party— Pearchair
- kev, so making the playoffs as a .500 team is considered playing "well"? getting run out of the building in a do-or-die game 6? getting called out by a 14-year vet (ratliff) that has played all over the league for not coaching your guys hard enough (http://articles.philly.com/2009-05-01/sports/24984961_1_sixers-veteran-presence-guys)? did you forget that? wait, don't answer that question. i already know your answer. whatever the hell that means.— jodya2
- lets not jump off the deep end. this is dc's show here regardless of who they hired. that's why danny ferry isn't here.— 76ers in 2076
- Congratulations to Doug Collins; you are now fully in charge. Make the most of it, but stay away from those parties in the Hamptons and in Boca Raton.— chuckw
- the 76ers have no shot of winning a championship for at least 10 years. might as well hire Jim Lynam to caoch now. It's a mediocre product. FAIL.— Tyrone Biggums
- It's time to update the Deep Sixer banner. Iggy in the old uni - just makes me sad that those days are over.— damageboy
- Hi!
I think it's one thing being a coach and another is being a GM. Di Leo was not too bad as a coach, but who the hell knows how he'll work as a GM??— b-age76 - Tony is a 'SIXER' for LIFE and a GREAT CHOICE !!! johnnyu— john ullman
- A lifer that has set this franchise back years look at the body of work I can't believe this the worst hire I have ever seen in any sport I'm done!— Sam 52
John Mitchell is in his second year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.
ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI
Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.
