Seltzer vs. ESP: Is Josh Harris a good owner?

Is Philadelphia 76ers' owner Josh Harris a good owner? James Seltzer and Eliot Shorr-Parks got into a heated debated on Tuesday's 94WIP Morning Show.

ESP: "He is objectively a good owner. The team is competitive, he spends money...A bad owner is like absentee, doesn't care, doesn't spend."

Seltzer: "He's bad. He owns the Devils, he owns Washington [Commanders]. He is not a part of the infrastructure or the fabric of this city. John Middleton, Jeffrey Lurie are parts of the fabric of this city. He is not a good owner. He is someone who spends, and I appreciate that, but outside of spending money he does not do anything great, he does not do anything good...He has established a losing culture."

ESP: "Woah, woah, woah, he has not established a losing culture!"

Seltzer: "He allowed the NBA to come in and kick [Sam] Hinkie out. He allowed Jerry Colangelo to put his son in the job here, who ultimately getting ousted because of burner accounts. One failure after another in terms of team building, in terms of culture building."

ESP: "Those were mistakes, there's a difference between mistakes and not caring...The actions don't show that he doesn't care!"

Harris, 59, formed an investment group with David Blitzer that bought the 76ers for $280 million in 2011. In 2013, they bought the New Jersey Devils and in 2023 he headed a group that purchased the Washington Commanders for $6 billion. Harris is also a general partner of Crystal Palace F.C., a Premiere League club.

The 76ers have failed to get past the second-round of the playoffs during Harris' tenure, but the team has had tremendous success in the regular season winning 50 games or more four times since 2017-18 and reaching the playoffs in seven straight seasons, something the franchise has not done since their run from 1975-1987.