New Sixers ownership group includes Will Smith, Ed Stefanski is out

There is so much Sixers news today you'd think basketball was actually happening this year.  The Sixers sale finally went through and the new ownership group, led by billionaire Joshua Harris, was introduced to the media.  Among those owners is Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, so that should be fun.

The new owners also announced that Ed Stefanski is leaving the organization and that Rod Thorn will take over as GM.  Given the many mistakes that Stefanski has made over the years, I'm sure fans won't be too upset over that.  Thorn has a great basketball mind and should be solid in the role.

Adam Aron will be the new CEO of the Sixers.

Among the other announcements, ticket prices will be slashed up to 50% for Sixers games and owners also promised a much better in-game experience.  If only there will be an NBA season this year.

Sixers add Rod Thorn to front office

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Sixers have made a change in their front office, hiring Rod Thorn to be the team president of basketball operations. Thorn takes the role from Ed Stefanski, who will remain on board as the general manager.

If the name Rod Thorn sounds familiar, it's because he's been around the league for decades, first as a player in the 60's, then an assistant coach in the 70's before stepping into front office roles as general manager for the Chicago Bulls. From there, Thorn spent 15 years as the NBA Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, a role that had him in charge of handing out league suspensions, amongst other things. In 2000, Thorn left the NBA front office and joined the Nets as team president, a role he retired from after last season.

The Sixers front office now looks a whole lot like the Nets front office in the previous decade, when Stefanski worked hand in hand with Thorn in a variety of roles. The two had some success with New Jersey, especially when they led the team to back-to-back finals appearances in 2002 and 2003. Whether this will be a good combination again will have to be seen but I'm on board with anything that gives Stefanski less power or at least gives him someone to confer with before making any major decisions.