The 76ers have been in this situation before, and that might not be a good sign for Sam Hinkie.
The team hired Ed Stefanski on Dec. 4, 2007 as general manager and team president to uplift what had been a fallen franchise. After he failed to shape them into a winner after three seasons, the Sixers brought in Rod Thorn to be the new team president on Aug. 12, 2010. Stefanski stayed on as general manager.
"But they basically cut out all of his power," a league executive said of Stefanski. "Ed was gone before the start of the next season.