The 76ers are not going to be able to steal Atlanta Hawks General Manager Onsi Saleh.
It's officially rumor season, and as they always are, the Hawks are right in the thick of things. They were eliminated in six games to the New York Knicks, and while the 76ers advanced to the second-round before elimination, they're being placed in rumors as well.
These two franchises aren't often linked, but recent reporting from Marc Stein of The Stein Line revealed they might be pretty soon.
"[Bob] Myers would want to explore trying to hire Onsi Saleh away from Atlanta," Stein noted. “The likelihood relayed to me, though, is that Saleh is expected to remain with the Hawks."
It would be nearly impossible for Philadelphia to steal Onsi Saleh
This rumor is nothing more than a distant dream. Every NBA franchise would welcome Saleh into the fold, as he's done a remarkable job as Atlanta's lead decision-maker in such a short period of time. He's got them on a brilliant trajectory in the Eastern Conference landscape.
Despite it already being an impossible reality, it gets even more unrealistic when considering how they would have to go about it. Philadelphia would be required to ask Atlanta for permission to go after him. The Hawks would have no good reason to accept their request.
It's similar to last year, when the New York Knicks requested to speak with Hawks' Head Coach Quin Snyder fresh off of firing Tom Thibodeau. Atlanta firmly denied their request, and there's no reason to believe they wouldn't do the same for Saleh.
Plus, abandoning what he's built in just one year as the organization's lead decision-maker would make no sense. This group is on pace to become one of the biggest threats in their conference, and switching situations wouldn't work out in the long-run.
Atlanta is in a much better long-term position than Philadelphia
The Hawks are simply a better destination for a general manager to be. They've got a perfect mix of an ascending young core and quality veterans ready to take the next step as soon as next season. This great situation hasn't come for no reason, though. It's come because of Onsi Saleh.
There's good reason why he just finished second in Executive of the Year. He undoubtedly should've won, but him even being up there with Boston's Brad Stevens proves the league is catching on to his masterful work.
Onsi Saleh and Quin Snyder are going to be an incredible tandem for years to come, and Hawks fans should be thrilled to have them leading the way as they fully step into this new era.
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