Following the NBA Draft Lottery which took place last night in Chicago, the Philadelphia 76ers announced they are promoting 14-year NBA veteran Jameer Nelson to assistant general manager.

The former All-Star point guard, who spent 10 seasons with the Orlando Magic, served as a scout and assistant general manager for the Delaware Blue Coats starting in 2020.

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Nelson’s ascension to assistant general manager is like a homecoming for the Chester, Pennsylvania native, who has a deep background with the state’s basketball scene.

He helped lead Chester High School to the PIAA AAAA State championship and left his mark at St. Joseph’s University during his freshman season and was named the unanimous National Freshman of the Year.

Now, he’s making the transition to becoming a key decision maker for the franchise alongside Elton Brand and Daryl Morey.

Known for his leadership and basketball IQ, Nelson’s experience on and off the court sets him up to contribute significantly to the future of 76ers basketball.

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The timing of Nelson’s promotion aligns with Philadelphia’s pivotal offseason.

After a season where it seemed like everything went wrong, the 76ers finally had luck drop their way as they jumped to the third overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

Securing the third overall pick completely changes things regarding the future of Philadelphia.

It gives the franchise a massive chance to add a high-level player to the current core of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Jared McCain.

In a year where they had real championship aspirations, the 76ers finished with a 24-58 record, but a lot went into that. Each team’s nucleus dealt with injuries throughout the year, and all of them eventually were shut down at different points during the season.

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With the current core, plus the third overall pick, the 76ers are in a prime position to get back where they want to be.

While acknowledging the fact that Embiid and George just aren’t as reliable as you’d like them to be, if they are, this front office has a lot to work with.