The Philadelphia 76ers have fired general manager and team president Billy King and named New Jersey Nets general manager Ed Stefanski as his replacement, the NBA club announced on Tuesday.

 

 

Billy King makes a comment on the status of Allen Iverson before the start of the Philadelphia 76ers versus the Washington Wizards NBA game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania December 8, 2006. The 76ers have fired King and named New Jersey Nets general manager Ed Stefanski as his replacement, the NBA club announced on Tuesday. [Tim Shaffer/Reuters]

 

King served the dual role the last five seasons for the Sixers, who are last in the Atlantic Division with a 5-12 mark and have missed the postseason in three of the last four years.

 

"We are convinced that it was time for a new hand at the wheel as we head into the next phase of our rebuilding effort," Sixers chairman Ed Snider said in a statement.

 

Stefanski, who grew up and went to college in the Philadelphia area, served as Nets general manager since 2004.

 

"I wish him well," Nets president Rod Thorn told the club's Web site (www.nba.com/nets).

 

"I'm sure he's going to be successful. I publicly thank him for all the years. This is an opportunity to advance.

 

"It's like a dream-type job."

 

Stefanski, 53, played college basketball for the University of Pennsylvania where he was coached by one-time 76ers head coach Chuck Daly and has a reputation of being a keen evaluator of talent.

 

(Writing by Larry Fine, editing by Justin Palmer)

 

(Reuters via CRI December 5, 2007)