Report: Sixers plan to interview internal GM candidates next week

The Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly interviewing three external candidates for their open general manager position this week. Next week, the plan is to speak with internal candidates. According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the organization will discuss the opening with front office executives Elton Brand, Marc Eversly, Ned Cohen and Alex Rucker. 

All four internal candidates were recently promoted to new positions in the front office.

Brand, general manager of the Delaware Blue Coats, was recently promoted to the position of Vice President of Basketball Operations. In this role, Brand contributes extensively to all areas of the basketball operations department.

Ned Cohen, now Philadelphia's Assistant General Manager, joined the Sixers in 2016 after 12 years of work in the NBA league office. He oversees everything that has to do with roster and salary cap management.

Marc Eversly now serves as Senior Vice President of Player Personnel. He oversees player personnel and talent evaluation while also working heavily in recruiting and strategic decision-making.

Finally, Rucker is the Sixers' Senior Vice President of Analytics and Strategy. In that role, he continues to support, elevate and help grow the innovative basketball operations efforts withing the organization.

It may make more sense for the Sixers to stay internal at this point. They seem very confident in the staff they have in place with regard to basketball operations and an external GM would likely want to bring in their own people.

Brandon Apter is a Sixers contributor to 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on Twitter @bapter23.