New 76ers coach Doc Rivers said he and GM Elton Brand will "work together" on personnel decisions, according to Keith Pompey of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. Rivers yesterday said, "That was one of the things that was so exciting about this job, to have this opportunity to work with Elton." Pompey writes it is "no surprise that Rivers has a say in the decision-making." Bringing in a head coach of Rivers' stature "might require a huge investment in terms of contract, staff, and player-personnel decisions even if the job doesn’t come with an additional title" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 10/6). Pompey in a seperate piece noted the 76ers have been viewed around the NBA as "dysfunctional and deceptive" with a culture of "not holding players accountable, head-scratching front-office decisions and an overflow of injuries" setting the organization back,. But the hiring of Rivers "brings a league-wide credibility not associated with a Sixers figure" since former Basketball Operations Chair Jerry Colangelo was hired in December '15. Rivers "instantly becomes the face and the voice of the franchise" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 10/4).
