Sixers coaching candidate: Vinny Del Negro

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Vinny Del Negro

College: NC State (1984-1988)

Playing career: Sacramento Kings (1988-1990), San Antonio Spurs (1992-1998), Milwaukee Bucks (1999-2000), Golden State Warriors (2000-2001), Phoenix Suns (2001).

Coaching career: Chicago Bulls (2008-2010), Los Angeles Clippers (2010-2013).

Résumé: Though Del Negro guided the Clippers to their best record ever (56-26) and led them to their first division title in franchise history, he did not have his contract renewed for next season. Firing the coach after the most successful season in franchise history seems like the most Clipper-ish thing to do. However, with Del Negro at the helm the Clippers lost to Memphis in six games in the first round of the playoffs. For a team stacked with talent and ready to build upon last year's trip to the Western Conference semifinals, 56 wins didn’t cut it. In five seasons as a coach in the NBA, Del Negro went to the playoffs four times.

Potential fit with Sixers

John Finger: The Sixers could do much worse than Del Negro. Still on the young side (he’s 46), Del Negro has coached in two of the NBA’s biggest media markets and had decent results. He also has coached Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin -- perennial All-Stars -- and has developed young players. If the Sixers are looking for a coach who could help build a team from the ground up, Del Negro could be the stabilizing force on the bench.

John Gonzalez: Poor Vinny Del Negro. He had a sweet gig in Los Angeles coaching a team with one of the best point guards and one of the most dynamic front-court players in the world. And now he doesn't have any of that. The Clippers posted a franchise-record 56 wins in the Pacific Division this year (which was 22 more victories than the Sixers managed in the Atlantic Division, for those of you counting at home). Unfortunately for Vinny the Black, the Clippers were bounced from the playoffs in six games by the Grizzlies (which was six more playoff games than the Sixers appeared in, for those of you still counting at home). Would VDN be a good fit in Philly? Why not? He could pretend Jrue Holiday is Chris Paul. And if he squints his eyes enough, the Delaware River will look just like the Pacific Ocean. Or something.

Dei Lynam: Vinny Del Negro won a franchise-best 56 games during the regular season with the Clippers and was 14 games over .500 during the lockout–shortened 2011-12 season. In his five years as an NBA head coach with both the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls, he has made the postseason four times but only advanced to the second round once. Del Negro coached a star in both places in point guards Derrick Rose and Chris Paul. Paul could be the reason Del Negro was not retained by the Clippers, and the Sixers would be wise to find out the nature of that relationship prior to any pursuit of the coach.

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