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The new committee was hand-picked by Stern and consists of two owners, four GMs and three coaches. When they come up with rules changes, those will go directly to the 30 owners for their consideration and vote. The members are: owners Dan Gilbert (Cleveland) and Joe Lacob (Golden State); GMs Bryan Colangelo (Toronto), Mitch Kupchak (Lakers), Kevin O’Connor (Utah) and Sam Presti (Oklahoma City); and coaches Rick Carlisle (Dallas), Lionel Hollins (Memphis) and Doc Rivers (Boston). New York Daily News

Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Doc Rivers, Mitch Kupchak, CBA, Sam Presti, Bryan Colangelo, Dan Gilbert, Kevin O'Connor, David Stern, Joe Lacob, Lionel Hollins, Owners, Rick Carlisle 

The NBA on Wednesday announced the members of the league’s new competition committee, including Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor. The announcement follows a decision by the league’s board of governors last month to change the committee’s composition. The committee will now include two owners, four general managers, three head coaches and one representative from the NBA Players Association. Joining O’Connor are fellow GMs Bryan Colangelo (Toronto Raptors), Mitch Kupchak (L.A. Lakers) and Sam Presti (Oklahoma City); owners Dan Gilbert (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Joe Lacob (Golden State); and coaches Rick Carlisle (Dallas Mavericks), Lionel Hollins (Memphis Grizzlies), and Doc Rivers (Boston Celtics). Salt Lake Tribune

Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Doc Rivers, Mitch Kupchak, Sam Presti, Bryan Colangelo, Dan Gilbert, Joe Lacob, Lionel Hollins, Rick Carlisle, Golden State 

Here's where tanking gets really crazy: When teams with really smart front offices are forced to mimic teams with really bad front offices. "The process of rebuilding is extremely rough on everyone," says Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo, "and unfortunately made worse by the reality that the whole system is counterintuitive. Strangely, losing may help you eventually win. But players, coaches and management are all in this place trained as competitors. How in the world do you tell a player or coach to go out there and lay down? The answer is you don’t. But I continually stress that even in defeat we must win in other ways with the intent of moving the dial forward." ESPN.com

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo 

Raptors general manage Bryan Colangelo said he expects Mike D’Antoni to return to the sidelines soon, but said his close friend won’t wind up in Toronto. “We’re locked down with our coaching, with [Dwane] Casey,” said Colangelo, trying to nip in the bud any talk of his former Phoenix coach going north of the border. “We’re in the first year of what I hope will be a long-term relationship.” New York Post

Toronto Raptors, Coaching, Mike D'Antoni, Bryan Colangelo 

That’s because he’s the guy who’s going to be disconnecting the phone when Bryan tries – and you know he will – to get in on every transaction going leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline. The jesting part comes because I know Bryan does really believe in his plan, which is to see how this season unfolds without jeopardizing a summer when he’ll have lots of money to spend – depending on whether they use the amnesty clause and which free agents they renounce they could have between $10 million and $20 million go and spend. Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Trade, Bryan Colangelo 

But I also know Bryan well enough to realize that the art of the deal is something he’s quite fond of and I know he’ll at least be exploring stuff to get involved with. He can’t help himself, we always joke, and it’s a bit true. Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Trade, Bryan Colangelo 

Bryan Colangelo liked Lin from the day he first saw him in a pre-draft workout in 2010. “We knew one thing about him after bringing him in,” said Colangelo. “We knew he was one tough kid. “He took one of the hardest hits I’ve ever seen on a court and one of the toughest falls. He got hit from behind, crashed to the floor, eventually got up. We didn’t think he’d get up, to be honest. And he shook it off and continued the workout. “We were extremely impressed by that.” Toronto Sun

New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Jeremy Lin 

The situation got so bad for the Knicks that D’Antoni was actually telling people around the league that he had no choice, he was running out of players, that he had to play Lin. Not that he wanted to. Colangelo, who can’t talk about these kind of things, figured to himself that if he moved one of his point guards to open up a roster spot, there was the possibility he would add the tough kid, Lin, either by trade or waivers, depending on how the Knicks proceeded. The deal was discussed but never happened. Toronto Sun

New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Jeremy Lin 

Bryan Colangelo talked about Andrei Kirilenko and Wilson Chandler as possible roster additions during the first quarter of the Toronto Raptors – Washington Wizards game on February 3rd, 2012 at the Air Canada Center. Canada.com

Toronto Raptors, Free Agency, Bryan Colangelo, Andrei Kirilenko, Wilson Chandler 

Despite the apparent stability in Toronto, speculation persists among rival front office sources that team president Bryan Colangelo remains uncertain of his future with the team. CBSSports.com

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo 

As with the Petrie situation, I'm dubious. The imminent removal of the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan component of the ownership group bodes well for Colangelo, who was not held in high regard by key members of that group. The remaining power broker, chairman of the board Larry Tanenbaum, has long been a Colangelo supporter. My read on Colangelo's situation is that he's comfortable with ownership's perception of the plan to shift to a defensive mindset under coach Dwane Casey and that he assuaged any concerns by welcoming former Sixers and Nets executive Ed Stefanski into the front office. I don't see any major upheaval on the horizon. CBSSports.com

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo 

Due to the lockout and the late start of the NBA season, Bryan Colangelo had not had a chance to see and talk live with top prospect Jonas Valanciunas since last summer. Toronto’s president and general manager rectified that situation recently by having productive meetings with Valanciunas, Lietuvos Rytas head coach Aleksandar Dzikic, its owner and Lithuanian national team head coach Kestutis Kemzura. “It was just more than anything, an expression that all of our interests are aligned. We want what’s best for Jonas, want him to be as prepared as possible to make the best possible entrance into the NBA,” Colangelo said before his Raptors took on the Celtics on Wednesday night. “Everybody now is certainly on the same page.” Toronto Sun

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Jonas Valanciunas 

“We had a chance to learn a little bit more about the situation, which is always good. Bridge a little bit of communication between all the parties, which is equally important when the buyout is concerned (the Raptors will buy Valanciunas out after Rytas concludes its season) … more than anything, making sure everybody had the same vision and I think that is very much the case.” Toronto Sun

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Jonas Valanciunas 

The Raptors’ plan to preserve space under the salary cap, develop the young players on the roster and put his team in line for another high draft pick might make sense, but it requires Colangelo sit on his hands, or close to it. He can recite the franchises that have benefited from mining draft gold and spending judiciously. Given the position the Raptors occupy, he sees the strategy’s merits. “But it is agonizing, I have to say,” Colangelo said Thursday. “It’s incredibly hard. It’s difficult. Part of me wants to go on a four-month scouting trip. But I can’t. I’m here. I’ll keep a stiff upper lip.” National Post

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo 

So now that Colangelo’s contractual situation has been solved, he is talking about . . . a succession plan? “I can say that succession planning is definitely thought of in an important regard here with this organization,” Colangelo said Thursday, as he sat beside Ed Stefanski, the Raptors’ new executive vice-president of basketball operations. “It’s important when you’ve got the size and scope of the business that we have to get things in place. I wanted someone, and I believe the board wanted someone, that had (general manager) credentials.” Montreal Gazette

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Ed Stefanski 

A caveat, though: “Whether or not Ed ultimately succeeds me is an unknown, but at least I’ve got a guy who has been (in the general manager’s role) and done it and I would feel good handing over the situation to him. Last time I checked, I’m not going anywhere. I plan to stay around as long as they keep me.” Montreal Gazette

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Ed Stefanski 

No, Colangelo does not expect to step aside anytime soon, but he said on Thursday that he and ownership are pleased that the option now exists. “Whether or not Ed ultimately succeeds me is an unknown, but at least I’ve got a guy with certainty who has been there and done that,” Colangelo said. “But last time I checked, I’m not going anywhere, I plan to stay around as long as they’ll keep me. “I don’t anticipate my role changing a great deal.” Toronto Sun

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo 

Bryan Colangelo on the Woj report Stefanski talks hit a snag at some point: "It was errant, there was never an offer made, there was never a snag, we were going along at our timeline and obviously that timeline was not agreeable with someone on the outside." Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Ed Stefanski 

Toronto Raptors president Bryan Colangelo has completed interviews with four candidates for a high-ranking executive job, leagues sources told Yahoo! Sports. Philadelphia 76ers general manager Ed Stefanski, San Antonio Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey, Indiana Pacers pro personnel director Kevin Prichard and former New Orleans Hornets GM Jeff Bower traveled to Toronto in recent weeks to meet with Colangelo, sources said. Yahoo! Sports

Toronto Raptors, Kevin Pritchard, Bryan Colangelo, Jeff Bower, Ed Stefanski, Dennis Lindse 

Among the four executives, Lindsey is also the candidate most likely to turn down an offer. He has a top executive’s job under Spurs GM R.C. Buford in one of the NBA’s preeminent and respected front offices. He’d have to be willing to leave that for Toronto, where Colangelo and coach Dwane Casey are on two-year contracts with an ownership mandate to get things turned around sooner than later. Yahoo! Sports

San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Dennis Lindsey, Bryan Colangelo