Report: Joshua Harris bidding to buy New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils are having a bit of a financial crisis, which means it makes perfect sense for a guy like Joshua Harris to look into resurrecting that distressed property. That is, after all, what Harris specializes in during his day job.

According to a report from Howard Eskin, that's exactly what Harris and his group are looking to do as they prepare a bid to purchase the New Jersey Devils from owner Jeff Vanderbeek.

The problem, of course, is that Harris currently owns the 76ers, who share a city and a home building with a heated rival of the Devils. The provincial Philadelphia fans may have a *slight* issue embracing an owner who also owns the hated rival of their favorite hockey team.

Harris wouldn't be the first member of the 76ers ownership group to be involved in the ownership of another non-Philadelphia franchise, as last year former co-owner Jason Levien purchased a stake in D.C. United. That was far less of an issue, however, due to Philadelphia fans lesser interest in soccer (compared to hockey), the fact that Levien was never the public face of the team, and that Levien ultimately left the 76ers just a few months later to become CEO and managing partner of the Memphis Grizzlies. Should this go down, the outrage over this purchase will be tenfold the indifference shown towards Levien's purchase.

Winning would, of course, cure all, but the more they troll the Philadelphia fans, the less tolerant the fans will be in return. It will be interesting to see whether or not there is anything behind this rumor.