From his beginnings in Chester, Pa., to his storied career at Saint Joseph’s and a terrific NBA lifespan for a small guard, to a front-office career with the Philadelphia 76ers, Jameer Nelson has permanently etched his name in Philly hoops lore.And it looks like he’s going to take another step forward.Multiple league sources tell The Athletic that Nelson, among others, is a candidate to become the 76ers’ next president of basketball operations. He is Philadelphia’s strongest internal candidate, as he served this season as assistant general manager. Even if Nelson doesn’t come away with the obvious vacated spot last week when the 76ers moved on from Daryl Morey, he is a favorite to receive a promotion, league sources say.Nelson was technically No. 3 in the front office this season behind Morey and Elton Brand for a Philadelphia team that won 45 games and advanced to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. But he handled more responsibility than the typical No. 3 person in the front office. Internally, respect is high for Nelson’s abilities. He is seen as a rising star in the front office world and someone who will eventually be given the opportunity to run a team, even if he doesn’t get the present opening.As Bob Myers, president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, leads the search, several candidates have emerged. One of the most notable, current Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey, has been an executive in Cleveland for almost a decade and is considered a strong candidate to take over for Morey, according to league sources. He was once a standout guard for a West Virginia team that surprisingly went all the way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2006.Nick U’Ren, general manager for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, is expected to interview for the position, according to league sources. Current Minnesota Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd is also expected to interview. Lloyd, league sources say, has the backing of a few key members of the Sixers’ organization. He was a finalist for the Chicago Bulls front-office opening that eventually went to Bryson Graham. Trent Redden, currently the general manager with the LA Clippers, has also emerged as a candidate, per league sources.Myers attempted to interview Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh, according to league sources. But the Hawks, last Thursday, denied the Sixers permission for the interview.Whoever gets the job will face challenges. The 76ers have one of the best young backcourts in the league in Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, and the expectations of the Philadelphia fan base are high.But the 76ers have over $100 million per season tied into Joel Embiid and Paul George for at least the next two seasons. That’s what will make the job challenging and difficult. When the two play, the Sixers have proven to be a dynamic unit, capable of playing at a high level. But they haven’t been durable over the past two seasons, and Embiid and George combined to play just 75 regular-season games this season. More importantly, their collective effectiveness wore off as Philadelphia advanced deeper into the postseason.Philly obviously needs a deeper, more dynamic and versatile roster. The 76ers, who don’t have any plans on taking a step back, are going to challenge the new hire to push the boat forward. How does that get done with the salary at the top of the roster? Those are some of the questions that Philadelphia, Myers and whoever is hired will have to answer for themselves.Maxey and Edgecombe, however, are reasons for the job being attractive. Neither is at the prime of their careers, and Edgecombe, who turns 21 this summer, isn’t close to his prime. But the 76ers were too top-heavy for what they needed to be in a playoff setting. They are going to need a lot more shooting on the roster, which isn’t a dime a dozen in the NBA. They were one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the league. And, for as well as Maxey and Edgecombe played, the backcourt lacks much depth beyond those two.Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond are all unrestricted free agents this summer, and all three were major parts of head coach Nick Nurse’s rotation. So, their respective situations will also have to be worked out.Philadelphia has two major assets to address the roster this offseason. The Sixers have the No. 22 pick in June’s draft. They also have the full non-taxpayer midlevel exception, projected to be around $15 million, at their disposal. The exact number won’t be known for a few weeks. Still, it’s a nice chunk of change with which the Sixers will be able to target depth and talent in free agency.May 21, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms