Doug

Collins

Philadelphia, meet analytics. After suffering through years of old-school roster building that led to disastrous moves such as Elton Brand, Evan Turner and Andrew Bynum, the Sixers have brought in one of the game’s sharper analytical minds. Hinkie has learned at the foot of dominant Rockets GM Daryl Morey for four years, and will now have the final say on all basketball decisions with the Sixers. It’s a hire that should breathe some life into a franchise that hasn’t truly been relevant since Allen Iverson began his decline a decade ago. Tony DiLeo is out and Rod Thorn will likely join Doug Collins in some kind of consulting role.

“If you go down that path (looking to the future), you have to put yourself in a position to be competitive (in the meantime),” Hinkie said. “We’ll have to be really thoughtful about all the options.” It’s possible the Sixers make a move during the 2013 offseason, but if the team waits to make a real splash until the 2014 offseason, Philadelphia could be approximately $30 million under the cap.

“The relationship with Doug, me and Sixers management has been terrific,” his agent said. Collins is under contract for next season, but there could be some shakeups within the team after a very disappointing season.

Collins and the Sixers are amicably negotiating a buyout for the final year of his contract, and it’s possible that he will remain with the team in a different capacity. The 76ers currently have a 33-47 record, and they’re the lowest-scoring team in the league at 92.9 points per game.

An expected move is now official. Collins will remain an advisor to the team, but it’s not exactly clear in what capacity. The move is being framed as Collins’ decision and his decision alone. The Sixers will likely launch a search for a new head coach in the immediate future as the team faces a defining offseason.

Given the way the Sixers season has gone, this isn’t totally unexpected, but unless he’s completely burned out, Collins doesn’t have much incentive to simply resign. The team reportedly does not plan to extend Collins’ contract even if he does return, and we can expect coaching rumors to heat up as the season winds down.

It’s like clockwork with Collins no matter where he coaches because it’s the same story spun in a different way. One player told the Philadelphia Inquirer that Collins had a “tendency t be overbearing,” which falls in line with previous criticism during Collins’ coaching career. The Sixers have known interest in Brian Shaw, Mike Malone, Jeff Hornacek and Michael Curry thus far. Philly is also expected to be interested in Larry Drew if he is fired in Atlanta after the Hawks finish their season, and it was reported previously that Drew would have interest in the Philly job.