Philadelphia 76ers Want Doug Collins Out

Per Bob Ford of The Inquirer, the Sixers want their head coach of the past three seasons gone:

According to multiple league sources, the 76ers organization privately hopes that coach Doug Collins decides not to return for the 2013-14 season and, regardless of his decision, it does not intend to extend his contract – which has one year remaining.

It will be an interesting game of cat-and-mouse when this season ends. Collins is unlikely to quit and leave $4.5 million on the table, but he is just as unlikely to agree to coach the lame-duck year of his contract.

It seems odd that the Sixers would expect Collins to just up and quit. As for notes, who in their right mind would leave that much money on the table? Is Philly hoping that the prospect of coaching for one year with a guarantee he won’t be back after next season will scare him? Let’s get real.

Those are hardly ideal circumstances to work under, but this is Collins we’re talking about. Does he really seem like the type to be frightened off by the threat of awkward?

Absolutely not. He’s not one to shy away from speaking his mind (re: his previous postgame outburst), and I could see him using next season as an audition for another job.

Some may be wondering why the Sixers would want to get rid of Collins, though. He’s coached the Philly to the ninth-best record in the Eastern Conference without Andrew Bynum and amid a flurry of other injuries (Thaddeus Young, for one). While that’s not spectacular, he hasn’t yielded bad results with the team he’s been forced to field.

With that said, I liken his situation to one like Larry Brown when he was with the New York Knicks. He didn’t have the patience to suffer through a rebuilding period and was too demanding of his youngsters. I see Collins as someone similar.

Also, it seems that Collins has been stepping on toes of those in the organization (via Ford):

I think he’s gone at the end of the year. He’ll be moving on,” said one NBA source with intimate knowledge of the situation. “He’ll decide to leave, and they won’t be upset about it. They would like to see it work out that he decides to move on.”

Collins, who will be 62 this summer, will be the one making the decision. Management is not eager to get into a public-relations war with a popular former player and charismatic local hero. The two sides would have to come to an agreement to settle the contract, but if that is the price of a peaceful parting, the organization might consider it a bargain.

“Whatever happens, there isn’t going to be a contract extension,” a second NBA source said. “They’re looking to turn the page.”

The passion and energy that come with Collins also come at a cost. He wants to win so badly that he is demanding with those above him, and with those on his roster. Some members of the organization would prefer a coach who is a bit more pliable in his dealings with management and players.

So, there’s that to consider as well. The last thing the organization needs is a demanding coach to cater to when it hasn’t even figured out what direction they’re headed in. I mean, could you imagine Collins over the offseason, when the Sixers are trying to either re-sign Bynum or re-construct their roster entirely? It would be a nightmare.

Still, for a coach that led the Sixers to the playoffs in his first two seasons at the helm, it’s unfortunate that this can’t work out. Collins is a defensive genius and Philly’s players, especially youngsters and perhaps even a stubborn Bynum, could greatly benefit from his knowledge of the game.

Looking ahead, though, it has to be about a smooth transition. Everyone in Philadelphia has to be open to change and willing to accommodate it. If Collins doesn’t fit that bill and isn’t willing to adjust, then the two parties need to sever all ties.

Will they? And how will it happen if it does? We don’t know, and the uncertainty behind this situation in itself could prove to be a bigger distraction than Bynum’s contract situation. And yes, that’s saying something.