Happy Trails, Billy King
For the first time in a long time, Sixers fans woke up smiling this morning: GM Billy King is expected to get canned by the team today. In a rare move, his job will be taken by a guy from a division rival. From the Philly Inquirer:
The 76ers are expected to fire Billy King as team president today and replace him with New Jersey Nets general manager Ed Stefanski, two league sources said last night. The team would give Stefanski a multiyear contract to become the franchise’s chief decision-maker on basketball matters, a source said.
According to the paper, head coach Maurice Cheek’s job is safe. For the time being, anyhow.
The Sixers, still reeling from the Allen Iverson trade, are currently sitting at 5-12. Since joining the organization in 1997, Billy King helped the team reach the NBA Finals (in 2001) for the first time in nearly two decades. The last few years, however, have proven that he was no longer the right man for the job.
Unlike Biggie’s leprechaun, King reigned at the top of the Sixers’ franchise for far too long.
47 Responses to “Happy Trails, Billy King”
Dec.4 at 10:03 am
Shu says:
nice move, way too late
Dec.4 at 10:06 am
white hot eboy says:
It’s a start.
Dec.4 at 10:06 am
Shu says:
Sweet, first. And apparently Sideshow is signing with the BETcats…
Dec.4 at 10:09 am
Andrew says:
does the new man have the balls to shake things up? he’s from Nets right?
Dec.4 at 10:16 am
Benoit Benjamin says:
They sohould have never let Iverson go. Now they need to blow the whole thing apprt and build around Dre.
Dec.4 at 10:17 am
Benoit Benjamin says:
Sideshow with the cats? nice move by charlotte, but i’m not sold on varejao’s career orientation choices.
Dec.4 at 10:24 am
Shu says:
I’d say trade Iguodala while “potential” is mentioned with his name… I mean, he’s a solid starter and would help a playoff calibur team take the next step, but I don’t see this guy leading them anywhere. Hopefully it will work out like the Baron Davis for what became Chris Paul trade, but because of this year’s draft crop, I doubt teams are giving up draft picks that quickly… Maybe a late lottery pick and hope for Kevin Love?
Dec.4 at 10:33 am
Keith says:
Who are you seeing being part of the trade Shu? What pieces would be involved? Draft picks? Players? Happy Meal coupons?
Dec.4 at 10:37 am
Michael Tillery says:
He fired himself when trading Iverson. Don’t do it Mitch Kupchak..don’t do it.
Dec.4 at 10:53 am
tony says:
Blow the whole thing apart? Why? How? The team has Andre, who can be a great second banana, some promising young players and a high lottery selection along with cap space to look forward to. The only problem was King who, it was all but certain, would screw the pooch this offseason. You add a 12-15MM/year level vet. to this team, a top three pick and another year of development for the young guys and you go from there. This can all be in place this time next year.
Dec.4 at 11:12 am
illydiva says:
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Khalid!!
Dec.4 at 11:30 am
Jared says:
They’re in a good position to rebuild…i thought they had a weak draft, but thad could be alright, so could carney, and iggy…too many players who have the same skillset/upside of a skill set…things can only get better for them tho…right?
Dec.4 at 11:41 am
Daniele Vecchi says:
yes, I woke up smiling, this morning. But as you said, it’s too late.
Dec.4 at 11:43 am
TADOne says:
Comments Khalid??
Dec.4 at 11:57 am
Lang Whitaker says:
Khalid is preparing a response. Right after he microwaves his breakfast.
Dec.4 at 12:03 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
ALLAH U AKBAR!!!
Dec.4 at 12:08 pm
Candice says:
It’s been a long time coming. How long for Cheek’s now?
Dec.4 at 12:16 pm
solito says:
Varejao has signed a three year deal with the Bobcats, according to esporte.uol.com.br
Dec.4 at 12:19 pm
solito says:
Read more at HoopsHype: three year deal for Varejao…
Dec.4 at 12:52 pm
Dee Dee says:
Now it’s time for Cheeks to leave he sucks!!!!
Dec.4 at 12:52 pm
illydiva says:
@Candice, yes I see this as the opening to slide that slimy Larry Brown right in.
Dec.4 at 1:00 pm
Candice says:
@illydiva, I hope not. Not after he left them high and dry. I didn’t listen to the press conference but those who did said that the new GM says he will be actively on the trading block.
Dec.4 at 1:07 pm
white hot eboy says:
Come on, Andre Miller.
Dec.4 at 1:10 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
no larry brown. Really. I’m not jokin. I don’t want you in my life. Please stay away from me. I hate you. Stop calling me. its over. Leave me alone…..
Dec.4 at 1:14 pm
Candice says:
Also MO will be evaluated as will the rest of the team. Basically all they got for AI was, Andre Miller who will likely be gone and Jason Smith.
Dec.4 at 1:15 pm
Candice says:
I forgot to add that they will be evaluated at the end of the week.
Dec.4 at 1:17 pm
d.Y. says:
ive been staring at this page for minutes on end in shock. i feel like the graffiti people in The Wiz coming out of the wall singing “Brand New Day”
Dec.4 at 1:19 pm
illydiva says:
Khalid Salaam says:
no larry brown. Really. I’m not jokin. I don’t want you in my life. Please stay away from me. I hate you. Stop calling me. its over. Leave me alone….. You cannot deny the love affair that Ed Snider has with LB.
Dec.4 at 1:25 pm
Khalid Salaam says:
Ed Snider is a sucker.
Dec.4 at 1:32 pm
d.Y. says:
If they really wanna blow the team up, they should bring in Wilson Goode.
Dec.4 at 1:39 pm
JJ says:
they should’ve never let AI go. he was their heart and soul.
Dec.4 at 1:40 pm
JJ says:
5in60.blogspot.com
Dec.4 at 1:42 pm
Jukai says:
I doubt Iggy will go for a high draft pick. Even still, if they send away Iggy, get a high draft pick, and combine it with their own draft pick, I guess they wont be in that bad of a position. Grab Rose and Hibbert maybe? Love or Buddington if they wanna white things up? Otherwise, this team wont be good for a while.
Dec.4 at 1:59 pm
white hot eboy says:
“Love or Buddington if they wanna white things up”. Way to show yor ignorance, Jukai. I wonder if the Sixers would take that pale-face approach if they could get your man-crush Nash on their roster.
Dec.4 at 2:14 pm
TADOne says:
So what exactly is Larry Brown’s role with the team now? Is he still just an ‘adviser’? Any chance Mo gets the axe and Larry is put in his spot? No trying to raise your blood pressure, Khalid, just a question.
Dec.4 at 2:28 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
But…but…what about Billy’s 27-year plan?
Dec.4 at 2:52 pm
crazylee says:
Good effort with the Biggie reference, Mutoni, but you got it all wrong.
Biggie never even had a leprechaun as a character in his rhyme, he just used the term leprecahun as an analogy for “your” reign; short…”like most of these so-called willies, thugs, and rappa-dons”.
Damn, I never thought that I’d have to get all english class analytical in regards to some Biggie ish, but somebody’s gotta look out for the kids(and THIS white dude from is the one).
Dec.4 at 2:53 pm
crazylee says:
*from Canada
Dec.4 at 3:54 pm
Jukai says:
Ignorance? Jeez, last time I make a joke when there’s another Heat article on the main news page
Dec.4 at 3:57 pm
Jukai says:
My dream team is Nash and JJ frontcourt, Dirk and Buddington and Love backcourt. Oh god, dreamy. Have Jason White Chocolate Williams come off the bench.
Dec.4 at 4:05 pm
white hot eboy says:
Way to cover up, hater of all things opaque.
Dec.4 at 4:13 pm
Jukai says:
Oh, I see how it is now.
Dec.4 at 4:17 pm
white hot eboy says:
Took you long enough, dum dum.
Dec.4 at 6:21 pm
tigerbait says:
A moment of silence for Khalid…that’s enough!
Dec.4 at 7:33 pm
what says:
Leprechauns are short, like your reign, and unlike Billy King’s reign. Biggie never had a leprechaun. But Lil’ Flip did.
Dec.4 at 9:37 pm
crazylee says:
to “what”: I couldn’t have said it better myself. Oh wait, I can say it better- and I did, at 2:52!
Dec.5 at 2:29 pm
tike says:
WOW fire Billy King but keep a guy like Billy Knight i thought for sure i was reading the wrong thing…this call is very puzzling.