Tony DiLeo out as the 76ers' coach

Tony DiLeo is no longer the head coach of the 76ers.

After six up-and-down months as the 21st head coach in team history, and one very bad final game, the Sixers announced yesterday that DiLeo had withdrawn his name from consideration to continue as the team's head coach.

Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski met yesterday afternoon with DiLeo, after which Stefanski announced that DiLeo had requested a return to his front-office position as senior vice president/assistant general manager.

With DiLeo's situation resolved, Stefanski said he would begin a "wide-open" coaching search.

"We have to get it right, and we will get it right," Stefanski promised.

Stefanski said he would consider input from others but the decision would ultimately be his. Possible candidates include former NBA head coaches Eddie Jordan, Doug Collins, and Avery Johnson, along with several NBA assistants who are coaching with teams that are still alive in the playoffs.

Stefanski said DiLeo's decision to step down was a personal one, adding that DiLeo recognized the time commitment demanded of an NBA head coach and chose in favor of spending that time with his family.

DiLeo, who has been with the Sixers since 1990, is a South Jersey native and has two sons, both of whom play basketball. T.J., a former Inquirer South Jersey player of the year, will be a redshirt freshman on the Temple men's basketball team and Max is a sophomore at Cinnaminson High.

"Tony felt, talking to Anna his wife and kids over the weekend, that he wanted to stay in the organization as the assistant GM/senior vice president. He has two kids who are very good athletes," Stefanski said.

"They're at the ages now where, if he becomes head coach, he can forget seeing his kids play. . . . The job as a head coach is 24/7, and he felt it was a family decision that he did not want to be considered."

Stefanski said he "wouldn't speculate" about whether he was even considering DiLeo to return as coach.

One source close to the situation said the decision was a "mutual agreement" between Stefanski and DiLeo about what was best for the franchise.

DiLeo could not be reached for comment. He is scheduled to speak at a news conference today.

On Dec. 13, 2008, DiLeo came down from the front office to replace Maurice Cheeks, whom Stefanski fired after a 9-14 start. DiLeo did not have head coaching experience in the United States, although he had been a successful men's and women's coach in West Germany in the 1980s.

Cheeks, who was an integral member of the Sixers' last championship team in 1983, was in his fourth season as head coach and is under contract through next season. Cheeks replaced Jim O'Brien on May 23, 2005.

The expectations for Cheeks and the Sixers were raised after Stefanski landed big-time free agent Elton Brand in the off-season. But the power forward suffered two significant injuries, the second of which ended his season two games into DiLeo's tenure.

Before the calendar year ended, the Sixers removed the "interim" tag from DiLeo, who finished the season with a 32-27 record.

DiLeo's coaching stint included a seven-game winning streak, a 14-4 burst before the all-star break, and a playoff berth.

Entering the first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic, DiLeo seemed secure in his position.

But a little less than two weeks ago, the Sixers ended their season with a 25-point home loss to an Orlando team missing two of its starters, including all-star Dwight Howard, who was suspended for the game for throwing an elbow in Game 5.

After the loss, veteran center Theo Ratliff accused the coaching staff of not holding players accountable and swingman Andre Iguodala gave, at best, a lukewarm endorsement of DiLeo, then said the team had "inner turmoil" and "mental lapses."

One source close to the team said the loss, coupled with the ensuing finger-pointing, cost DiLeo his job.

Stefanski said those things were said "in the heat of the moment."

"I asked Tony to do something that was a unique situation," Stefanski said. "He was a great soldier, did it, and went out there and did a very good job for us. We've made the playoffs two years in a row here and . . . we need to keep going in the right direction. I think Tony got us back in that right direction, and now I'm looking for a different voice."