Sixers let go of longtime equipment manager Scott Rego and half of the scouting department in cost-cutting move
Rego, who started with the Sixers while still in high school, worked his way up the ranks during a 34-year tenure. He was one of as many as 17 staffers let go.
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Scott Rego was a 76ers lifer ... until Friday.
That’s when the team’s senior director of equipment operations was fired over the phone in a cost-cutting move, according to sources.
He wasn’t alone. Around or close to 17 employees, including half of the scouting department, were let go Friday, according to sources. Delaware Blue Coats general manager Matt Lilly, Sixers scouting coordinator Christian Endrigian and respected scouts Rod Baker and Jordan Cohn were among the employees let go. Lilly’s duties also included scouting for the Blue Coats, the Sixers NBA G-League team.
The Sixers had nine people in their scouting department at the end of the draft, according to a source. Shortly afterward, Sixers director of scouting Danny Mills left to become the general manager of basketball operations for the Perth Wildcats of Australia’s National Basketball League. The team has four remaining after parting ways with Lilly, Endrigian, Baker and Cohn.
Sixers vice president of player development Annelie Schmittel and Blue Coats head strength and conditioning coach Craig Whitworth-Turner were also among the employees let go Friday.
The Sixers had one of the largest basketball operation staffs in the NBA over the last few seasons. However, they kept several employees, who contracts expired in June, in place through NBA Summer League and free agency. Then came Friday when a number of them were notified their contracts would not be renewed.
Rego, 50, joined the Sixers as a team attendant in October, 1987, while a student at Bodine High School. He worked his way up the ranks, from assistant equipment manager to head equipment manager to senior equipment manager to senior director of equipment management. Rego had a close relationship with Sixers franchise player Joel Embiid.
Friday’s moves came after the Sixers recently parted ways with team security director Juan Jackson.
And in one of the first signs of movement, Sixers CEO Scott O’Neil resigned in June after eight years with the team.