Bad 76ers contracts of the past

The question isn't why the NBA would try to stop the 76ers from tanking. The question is why the league hadn't tried sooner.

This is, after all, a franchise that signed Kenny Thomas to a seven-year, $50 million contract in 2003; that signed Brian Skinner to a five-year, $25 million deal in 2004; that signed Samuel Dalembert to a six-year, $63 million contract in 2005; that waited at least two years too long to trade Allen Iverson for fear that fans would stop showing up to games; that signed Elton Brand to a five-year, $82 million contract in 2008; that hired Randy Ayers as its head coach in 2003 and Eddie Jordan as its head coach in 2009; that selected Evan Turner with the draft's No. 2 overall pick in 2010; and that traded a passionate basketball player (Andre Iguodala) for a passionate bowler (Andrew Bynum) in 2012.

-- Philadelphia Inquirer