Kyle Neubeck: “We’re going to go deep into July I think before they really start talking to candidates,” Woj says of the #Sixers front office search on ESPN’s draft show.
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Officially, Colangelo resigned, though sources told Yahoo Sports that Colangelo, 53, fought to keep his job the last few days as the law firm the Sixers engaged wound down its investigation. Its conclusions: Colangelo’s wife, Barbara Bottini, established and operated the accounts — which Bottini confirmed. And while it couldn’t determine if Colangelo was aware of them, there was “substantial evidence that Mr. Colangelo was the source of sensitive, non-public, club-related information contained in certain posts to the Twitter accounts,” and it believes Colangelo was “careless and in some instances reckless in failing to properly safeguard” the information, the firm said in a statement.
But even with the Sixers coming off their best regular season in almost two decades, the views expressed in the Twitter accounts that Colangelo’s wife admitted to being behind would’ve made it tough for the team to maintain its upward trajectory. Colangelo contended in his statement that, “The content she shared was filled with inaccuracies and conjecture which in no way represent my own views or opinions.” An alleged failed physical by Jahlil Okafor is one of the inaccuracies, according to multiple league sources. But whether the tweets were truths, half-truths, or falsehoods, Colangelo’s relationship with the players was irreconcilable as a result, according to multiple league sources.
David Aldridge: Sixers Coach Brett Brown, named to temporarily oversee basketball ops after Bryan Colangelo’s replacement, says he has no interest in assuming traditional GM role, citing other people already in the front office: “we have the firepower to move this forward and not miss a beat.”
David Aldridge: Josh Harris doesn’t give a definitive answer about Chairman of BaskOps Jerry Colangelo’s future, (under contact through the end of 2018): “we’re going to be talking about it. But that’s not today’s issue…my respect for him is certainly not colored by this unfortunate situation.”
Tom Moore: Bryan Colangelo statement vs #Sixers: While I am grateful that the independent investigation conducted by the 76ers has confirmed that I had no knowledge of or involvement in the Twitter activity conducted by my wife, I vigorously dispute the allegation that my conduct was in any way reckless. At no point did I ever purposefully or directly share any sensitive, non-public, club-related information with her. Her actions were a seriously misguided effort to publicly defend and support me, and while I recognize how inappropriate these actions were, she acted independently and witho. my knowledge or consent. Further, the content she shared was filled with inaccuracies and conjecture which in no way represent my own views or opinions. While this was obviously a mistake, we are a family and we will work through this together.
Bryan Colangelo: Although I am not directly responsible for the actions, I regret this incident occurred and understand that it has become a distraction for the team. Therefore, the organization and I have mutually agreed to part ways. Over the last two years, I have worked hard to help build a foundation for what I hope will soon be many championship seasons for the 76ers. I am grateful to team owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer for the opportunity they gave me to be part of such a great organization. I am saddened to have to leave under these circumstances. Basketball has been a core part of my life since childhood. I love the game and all those who play and coach it. I want to thank the many colleagues, players and friends from around the League and elsewhere who have expressed their support and encouragement during this difficult and painful time for me and my family.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sixers coach Brett Brown will oversee basketball operations on an interim basis.
Sixers, Bryan Colangelo part ways
Adrian Wojnarowski: Philadelphia and Bryan Colangelo have agreed to part ways, league sources tell ESPN.
Adrian Wojnarowski: In the wake of the twitter burner account probe, Bryan Colangelo’s departure in Philadelphia is expected to be described as a resignation, league source tells ESPN.
Philadelphia 76ers: Statement from 76ers Managing Partner Josh Harris: The Philadelphia 76ers organization has accepted the resignation of President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo, effective immediately. We appreciate Bryan’s many contributions during his time leading our basketball operations and thank him for the work he did in positioning the team for long-term success.
Philadelphia 76ers: An independent investigation by New York-based law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP was conducted into certain anonymous social media accounts that posted information concerning the club, personnel, and related topics (a statement of the findings is attached). It has become clear Bryan’s relationship with our team and his ability to lead the 76ers moving forward has been compromised. Recognizing the detrimental impact this matter had on the organization, Colangelo offered his resignation. We find the situation to be disappointing for our entire organization. We are determined to continue the tremendous progress we have made over the last two seasons in our quest to win an NBA Championship. As such, we have appointed head coach Brett Brown to oversee basketball operations on an interim basis to lead our efforts in this important offseason. He will work closely with the rest of our talented basketball operations department in preparing for the upcoming NBA Draft and thereafter until a new General Manager is found. The search for a new General Manager will commence immediately.
Chris Mannix: Colangelo is described as “careless and in some instances reckless” with sensitive information. Firm says they could not conclude if Colangelo knew of these accounts.
Chris Haynes: The investigation firm: “We do not believe Mr. Colangelo established the Twitter accounts or posted content on those accounts. The evidence supports the conclusion Ms. Barbara Bottini, Mr. Colangelo’s wife, established the Twitter accounts and posted content on those accounts.”
With one of the stranger sagas in Philadelphia sports history coming to a close, the Sixers are left to prepare for what may be the most important offseason in franchise history with the lead decision-making role wide open. The delay was, in part, due to internal and external politics that ownership had to weigh. More than one person who spoke to PhillyVoice on the condition of anonymity suggested Jerry Colangelo tried to intervene on Bryan’s behalf, threatening to interfere with club relationships around the league.
Expect candidates like former Cavs GM David Griffin — with tight connections to upcoming free agent LeBron James — and Celtics assistant GM Mike Zarren to get serious consideration for the position, among other qualified candidates. The Sixers will also look at internal candidates, such as Marc Eversley and Ned Cohen, with the short window between the draft and free agency complicating a potential job search.
Keith Pompey: Signs are pointing toward a resolution of this whole matter involving #Sixers’ Bryan Colangelo with a possible announcement and/or press conference as soon as today. According to sources, Colangelo was not spotted in the facility this morning and the owners are coming to town.
One of the five Twitter accounts allegedly linked to Bryan Colangelo “liked” public tweets by other users suggesting certain draft prospects would be good fits for the Philadelphia 76ers, according to multiple sources who independently shared evidence of the Twitter activity with The Athletic. Activity logs show “Still Balling” (@s_bonhams), one of the anonymous Twitter accounts named in the bombshell report from The Ringer last week that triggered an internal investigation of Colangelo by the team, liked multiple tweets and articles suggesting two prospects in the 2018 draft, Mikal Bridges and Miles Bridges, could make sense for the Sixers.
The account also liked numerous other tweets praising Mikal and Miles Bridges, although those additional tweets did not specifically relate to how well the prospects would fit with the Sixers. The “Still Balling” account also liked tweets joking about LiAngelo Ball’s status as a draft prospect and how little pressure Trae Young would face if drafted by a Knicks team that isn’t expected to be competitive. Young is expected to be selected before the Sixers pick at 10 and Ball is unlikely to be drafted. The account had no other documented Twitter activity related to prospects likely to be selected by the Sixers with the 10th-overall pick.
The fact that “Still Balling” liked multiple tweets specifically discussing how Mikal and Miles Bridges would fit on the Sixers, with little other documented activity related to the draft, has some around the league who talked to The Athletic questioning whether the account may have tipped the Sixers’ draft hand, if the allegations that the accounts in question were run by someone close to Colangelo turn out to be true.
Keith Pompey: #Sixers co-managing partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer will be the ones determining Bryan Colangelo’s fate with some input from CEO Scott O’Neil.
While the Sixers’ investigation into president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo’s Twitter fiasco is ongoing, the general belief within the Sixers’ organization is that it believes Bryan Colangelo’s assertion he had no knowledge of the Twitter accounts, did not send the messages or had known the messages were being sent, according to a source. The Sixers are trying to decide if they can go forward with Colangelo after sensitive team information went public.
One personnel move internally in recent days: Rich Fernando, an 11-year Heat official who worked closely with Erik Spoelstra, is joining the Philadelphia 76ers as director of coaching administration. His motives were as much personal as professional; his girlfriend was accepted into a residency program in the Northeast and the Heat graciously allowed him to pursue the opportunity.
The Philadelphia 76ers ownership group, including CEO Scott O’Neill, met for several hours in New York on Tuesday evening to discuss whether the findings of a probe into president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo necessitate his firing, league sources told ESPN. A decision could be reached as soon as Wednesday, league sources said.
The tweets included defenses of Colangelo’s job performance and disparaging comments about superstar Joel Embiid and Colangelo’s predecessor with the Sixers, Sam Hinkie, as well as Colangelo’s successor as president of the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri. Other tweets alluded to sensitive information about events leading to rookie Markelle Fultz’s bizarre, season-long shooting yips. The tweets mentioned that the Sixers have video footage, presumably from their practice facility, of Fultz’s trainer, Keith Williams, instructing Fultz to shoot while sitting on a chair and lying on his back. Only a small circle of Sixers would have been privy to that information.
Sagar Trika: Woj: The Sixers have interviewed Bryan Colangelo and his wife separately for multiple hours. Thinks the Sixers have to make a decision in the next 24 hours.
Another prominent agent said that while he would have no problem going forward working with Colangelo, players might be a different story. “He’s always been fair and honest with me,” the agent said. “I hope it’s not true. I think players will have a hard time trusting him though if it is. … I would tell (the agent’s clients) about my personal dealings with him but this issue would certainly be one of the many factors to weigh. At the end of the day, though, the players usually (but not always) choose their destinations based on the best money offer and role.”
Another prominent agent, though, pointed out that Colangelo would hardly be the only front-office person engaged in, shall we say, curious behavior. “There are so few competent GMs and so few execs who don’t lie,” the agent said. “If those were (the) criteria we’d have six GMs in the league.”
An angry, embarrassed Sixers ownership group has been discussing the possibility of firing Colangelo, sources said. The Sixers are pushing for a resolution as soon as early this week. The investigation has increasingly focused on Colangelo’s wife as the author of a barrage of incendiary and revelatory tweets centered on Sixers players personal lives, injury health, proposed trades, former employees and rival league executives – as well as praise for Colangelo himself.
I got asked a lot of questions about the Leafs and we were coming to the end of the chat and a question came in about Bryan Colangelo. I answered it honestly and described one of the ways in which Colangelo communicated as “bafflegab.” I finished the chat, went back to my desk, and a text message was waiting for me. Actually three text messages. All from Colangelo. All taking offence to my use of the term “bafflegab.” And the messages pointing out all the great things he had done at the time with the Raptors.
My message back to him was something along the lines of: Why were you even tuning in to a small online chat of so little significance? Don’t you have more important ways to spend your time? What followed were more messages. I make this point to try to best explain Colangelo’s paranoia. What he did with me, he did with many of my colleagues. It’s why I happen to believe a lot of the story about him operating Twitter accounts in other names. I have seen how he reacts badly to the least bit of criticism.
After Jahlil Okafor got caught up in the flap over 76ers general manager Bryan Colangelo reportedly using a burner twitter account to imply that Okafor had failed a trade physical, the 22-year-old Nets center declined comment. “Jahlil has no comment. He’s in a good frame of mine, good spirit just focusing on him,” Okafor’s father, Chukwudi, told the Post. “Myself, him and his agent are going to watch it, see how it plays out. It’s crazy. But other than that, I don’t have anything for you.”
The Philadelphia 76ers’ independent investigation into president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo and his alleged link to anonymous Twitter accounts could wrap up as early as today, two people with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports.
Colangelo’s job is on the line, especially given the ownership group’s desire to keep internal team information as private as possible. At least one high-ranking Sixers official is fighting for Colangelo’s job, a person familiar with details told USA TODAY Sports.
The Ringer set a trap for Colangelo earlier this week. No sooner had Colangelo been contacted via a 76ers’ publicity person concerning two of the accounts than the other three went dark. That alone should be enough to get him fired. Even though the tweets emanated from his wife’s phone, it proves he knew they existed, and, hence, effectively had to know, it says here, about the messages’ content.
As a Philadelphia 76ers internal probe into anonymous Twitter accounts has become increasingly focused on the wife of president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo, franchise ownership is seriously considering Colangelo’s dismissal, league sources told ESPN. The probe hasn’t been completed, and a final decision has yet to be rendered, but the fallout from a report by The Ringer that connected Twitter accounts unleashing privileged information and provocative attacks surrounding the Sixers has left ownership flushed with embarrassment and anger — and Colangelo fighting for his professional life, league sources said.
Colangelo, a two-time past NBA Executive of the Year, has discussed with ownership and upper management the possibility that his wife, Barbara Bottini, may have been involved in the postings of the tweets from so-called burner accounts, league sources said. So far, Philadelphia ownership has shown little, if any, inclination to separate Colangelo’s culpability in the matter should a family member or close associate be proven responsible for the postings, league sources said.
While many of Colangelo’s staff with the Sixers are bracing for his dismissal, some are still holding on to hope that he can somehow survive this firestorm with this job, sources say. Ownership fears that Colangelo’s credibility inside and outside the organization may be too badly damaged to continue his job, especially within a month of a July free-agency period when the Sixers plan to pursue superstars such as LeBron James and Paul George to partner with young stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
As a Philadelphia 76ers internal probe into anonymous Twitter accounts has become increasingly focused on the wife of President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo, franchise ownership is seriously considering Colangelo’s dismissal, league sources told ESPN.
Colangelo, a two-time past NBA executive of the year, has discussed with ownership and upper management the possibility that his wife, Barbara Bottini, may have been involved in the postings of the tweets from so-called burner accounts, league sources said.
So far, Philadelphia ownership has shown little, if any, inclination to separate Colangelo’s culpability in the matter should a family member or close associate be proven responsible for the postings, league sources said. Many members of Colangelo’s staff in Philadelphia are bracing for his dismissal, sources said.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday he has been in touch with the Philadelphia 76ers regarding the team’s investigation of team executive Bryan Colangelo’s social media activity. “The notion here was let’s find out what’s going on,” Silver said. “You have to separate sort of the chatter and sort of what either fans or, frankly, the media are saying from the facts. And the first thing we have to do here is determine what the actual facts are in this circumstance.”
“From the league standpoint, here we are, Game 1 of the Finals, it’s not necessarily something we want to be talking about,” Silver said. “But it’s the reality of this league.”
The 76ers are expected to finish their investigation into allegations against Bryan Colangelo within the next few days, if not Friday, according to league sources. The start of the NBA Finals on Thursday between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers was a factor in the timetable, the sources said. The league did not want the controversy to distract from Game 1.
Numerous players and league sources suggested in the last two days that it will be difficult for Colangelo to keep his position with the Sixers as a result of the report. “The only way that he’ll get out of it is if he comes with evidence that somebody set him up,” said a league executive, speaking on condition of anonymity. “If it is out there where they can’t prove either way, I don’t think he’ll keep his job. And if there’s involvement with a family member, it doesn’t look like he has a chance either.”
Keith Pompey: #sixers’ Bryan Colangelo did not attend today’s and yesterday’s agent-run predraft workouts on the West Coast, according to league sources. He was at a predraft workouts on Tuesday when The Ringer report broke.
James is the Sixers’ most sought-after target, but they are also eyeing Oklahoma City Thunder all-star Paul George, among others, according to sources. “That’s why they are going to have to definitively prove that it wasn’t him,” the executive said. “You are getting into free agency, and these players aren’t going to take a chance coming to the Sixers.”
Adrian Wojnarowski: 76ers president Bryan Colangelo has been actively reaching out to individuals mentioned in those burner accounts, insisting that he isn’t responsible for those tweets, league sources tell ESPN. Sixers probe is underway in aftermath of The Ringer story.
Dan Gelston: 76ers Set to investigate the burner accounts: “An online media outlet filed a story linking multiple social media accounts to 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo. The allegations are serious and we have commenced an independent investigation into the matter. We will report the results of that investigation as soon as it is concluded.”
Adrian Wojnarowski: Nevertheless, Colangelo is denying he is responsible for those tweets and many league executives seem to believe this: It is hard to fathom a GM risking his job in such a reckless manner. Many are giving him the benefit of doubt on that level alone. It just doesn’t add up. twitter.com/wojespn/status…
Jared Weiss: The thing that gets me with the Colangelo story is that one of the details he/it tweeted was something I was told by a league source right around that same time.
Joel Embiid: Fun night on Twitter lmao.. All jokes asides I don’t believe the story. That would just be insane.
Keith Pompey: Things are officially a hot mess inside of the #Sixers’ organization. @Joelembiid responds to the Ringer report that Bryan Colangelo allegedly talked about via a burner account.
Alex Kennedy: Innocent until proven guilty, but The Ringer article is pretty damning. And the activity on the accounts seems to suggest it’s true. At one point, he tweeted to a reporter that he should request an interview with Colangelo through the 76ers so he could tell his side of the story! Trevor Booker: Yeah I’m looking at all the evidence now and it’s not looking good 🤦🏾♂️
Rich Nurse: Now I really want to know if Brian Colangelo was in a restuarant with @DwyaneWade & @itsgabrielleu in Beijing in 08… if he was I guess that ties the badmouthing burner account to him??? Dwyane Wade: I guess all black people do look alike 🤷🏾♂️ because @itsgabrielleu wasn’t at the Olympic in 08. Clearly Eric Jr lied 🤥
Bryan Colangelo: Like many of my colleagues in sports, I have used social media as a means to keep up with the news. While I have never posted anything whatsoever on social media, I have used the @Phila1234567 Twitter account referenced in this story to monitor our industry and other current events. This storyline is disturbing to me on many levels, as I am not familiar with any of the other accounts that have been brought to my attention, nor do I know who is behind them or what their motives may be in using them.
Shams Charania: In speaking to 76ers president Bryan Colangelo tonight in Los Angeles, Colangelo says he stands by his statement: No knowledge of “motives or origin.”
Adrian Wojnarowski: Maybe there’s an IT person who can prove it wasn’t Bryan Colangelo, but here’s one of his biggest problems in disputing Ringer story: Those tweets reflected not only private team biz, but launched personal beefs/jealousies/frustrations that he’s shared inside and outside 76ers.
Derek Bodner: Three of the five twitter accounts referenced in the @ringer report (@s_bonhams, @honesta34197118, @AlVic40117560) have a recovery phone number that end in 91, suggesting they were run by the same individual. (h/t to @OhWowHmm).
Zach Lowe: Prevailing sentiment around the league so far — and w/in the Sixers — is confusion and “wait and see.” (And, outside the Sixers, a whole lot of snark in addition to the above stuff).
The five accounts pinpointed by the unnamed source included one that followed media members, Sixers employees, and NBA agents but never tweets (its handle is @phila1234567, and it has no account name), and four that have posted tweets or replied to other users. Of those, one was active between April 2016 and May 2017 (its account name is Eric jr, and its handle is @AlVic40117560), two were active within the past five months (HonestAbe / @Honesta34197118 and Enoughunkownsources / @Enoughunkownso1), and one was posting several times a day (Still Balling / @s_bonhams) and as recently as last week.
On February 12, while Okafor was home in Philadelphia as the team traveled, a writer for the blog The Sixers Sense named Brian Jacobs posted a highlight from then-Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Eric jr replied, seemingly off topic, “I must be nuts, I cannot sleep because I worry Jah will not pass physical exams and sent back.” The next day, Jacobs posted a prospective trade that would ship Okafor to the Pelicans for E’Twaun Moore and a pick. Eric jr responded again. “I feel it in my bones, deal was done and Jah did not pass physical,” the account wrote. “Let’s wait & see, only possibility at this point.”
One source familiar with Okafor trade negotiations between the Sixers and the New Orleans Pelicans told The Ringer that the source was not aware of any failed physical for Okafor, and that the deal fell through because Colangelo and Pelicans general manager Dell Demps could not agree on pick protections.
Orazio Cauchi: Another note from Bryan Colangelo exit interview regarding Sixers International prospects: Colangelo said that Pasecniks’ agents in Europe will try to move him to a bigger level this summer, possibly a Euroleague team. #NBA
The Sixers concluded the campaign with 16 straight end-of-the-season wins to set an NBA record. They also advanced to the conference semifinal, losing 4-1 to the Boston Celtics. Not bad for the squad that tanked the previous four season. “This year was the first year that he was really tested in terms of his in-game tactics and how he ran the team and wins,” Harris said on April 14. “We were judging him by wins. Go win some games. He delivered in spades. We over-exceeded expectations.” That’s why he thinks everyone’s hat should be off to Brown, who Harris described as a great person. “I hope he’s here for a long time,” the owner said.
Sarah Todd: Today the first question I asked Bryan Colangelo was, “Speaking of Markelle, is there any reason why you wouldn’t want him to play in Summer League?” This was his answer.
Keith Pompey: The #Sixers have roughly $25 million available to give to a free agent.
Keith Pompey: #Sixers president Bryan Colangelo intends to have contract extension talks soon.
Kyle Neubeck: Colangelo says the most likely overseas player to join them next season will be Jonah Bolden, and that some of those discussions are in the works at the current moment
Brian Seltzer: During remarks, Bryan Colangelo says Sixers hope to build team in eyes of franchise’s forefathers, with Dr. J being one of them. “Everything you did was cool.”
Jared Dudley: Philly loves signing their 2nd round picks to those deals 🤦🏽♂️
Derek Bodner: Adam Silver: “I’m really pleased with what they’re doing [in Philly]. Josh Harris, David Blitzer. It’s everything you could ask for from a league office standpoint.” As we know, that approval is critical.
If LeBron James, who can become a free agent after this season, decides to leave the Cavaliers, he could – and should – consider the 76ers, and executives around the league believe Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo will attempt to sign James. The Sixers are an intriguing possibility, and if James’ goal remains competing for championships and Cleveland is no longer the place, the Sixers can make a compelling case.
Let’s start with rudimentary salary cap issues. The Sixers are one of a few teams who have significant salary cap space to use in the summer of 2018. They would need to make a few moves to get close to a $34 million max salary for James in year one, but it can be done. Let’s also point out that James on media day in September said nothing has happened that has changed his stance about finishing his career with the Cavaliers. He also said, “Anytime I’m able to be a free agent or my contract is ending, I’ll approach that when the summer comes.”
The 76ers are building a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose sports and youth training complex in Wilmington. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which oversees the Sixers organization, and The Buccini/Pollin Group announced Wednesday morning their partnership to create 76ers Fieldhouse on 8.9 acres of land off U.S. Route 13 and Garasches Lane. BPG is a private real estate acquisition, development and management company based in Wilmington.
The fieldhouse is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2018. The 140,000-square-foot complex will serve as home for the Sixers’ NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers, beginning next season. The 87ers court will be configured to host around 2,500 fans.
So far, Colangelo has rejected discussions on a contract buyout that would allow Okafor to become a free agent. Colangelo is holding out the possibility that Okafor’s $5 million salary could be packaged as part of a bigger deal before the Feb. 9 trade deadline, even if he can’t find a singular move involving Okafor, league sources said. That’s where the disconnect comes between Colangelo and Okafor’s camp, because waiting on that improbability could cause this to become a lost season for Okafor.
Brian Seltzer: Bryan Colangelo calls Robert Covington “prime example of what hard work, dedication and commitment can lead to,” citing growth as two-way wing player. Also praises his “character and professionalism.” “This extension is both well-deserved, and a really great story.”
Sam Hinkie: I love it when a plan comes together.
The reserve center told team president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo on Tuesday that he wanted to be bought out of his contract. That came after the Sixers declined to pick up Okafor’s contract for the 2018-19 season. The Sixers, however, appear unwilling to let the 21-year-old center, who has played only one game this season, just walk out the door. “Bryan didn’t think [a buyout] would be a great idea,” Okafor said, “because he said he would be giving me away to a team for free. But that’s pretty much where we stand right now.”
Okafor said Colangelo is the only front-office person he spoke to about a buyout. “That’s where we stand today because you waited so long to trade me,” Okafor said. “There’s nothing else to do. I’m not playing here. At the end of this season, I’m an unrestricted free agent. “So I want to get on the court and play after this.”
“I tried to do everything the right way,” Okafor said. “I tried to be professional; I will continue to be professional. But at some point, I have to defend myself, and this is my career. I’m not sure if [Colangelo] cares about that. I think that’s evident at this point.” Okafor said he understands that this a business and that Colangelo has to do what’s best for the organization. “But at some point, as people, on a personal level, you would hope, let’s get Jah out of here,” Okafor said. “Let him go play somewhere because I’m 21. I’m healthy. I’m trying to get on the right path of my career.”
June 19, 2018 | 10:28 pm EDT Update
Slovenian teen star Luka Doncic has elevated to the forefront of the Atlanta Hawks’ internal discussions on the third overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, league sources told ESPN. Doncic’s elevation within the Hawks organization reflects a leaguewide belief that Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley III could go 1-2 to Phoenix and Sacramento, respectively, to open the draft, league sources said.
Rival teams say that Atlanta general manager Travis Schlenk has been willing to engage in talks about moving out of the third spot and move down to draft later in the first round, league executives said.
According to multiple NBA sources, the Bucks are among the more active teams. They’ll be going into the draft with just one pick – a first-round selection that is the 17th overall – but appear ready to pull the trigger on acquiring a second-round pick via a trade or cash purchase.
Whether the Bucks retain their top pick is now the $64,000 question. Multiple sources said the Bucks are quite open to moving the pick to acquire an established veteran who could immediately contribute next season. “I’ve heard they’ll trade their pick if they can find a veteran wing player,’’ a source said.
June 19, 2018 | 10:22 pm EDT Update
Adrian Wojnarowski: Luka Doncic has moved to forefront of Atlanta’s internal conversation on the third overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft, league sources tell ESPN. Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson and Duke’s Marvin Bagley (if Kings pass on Bagley at No. 2) remain in contention for No. 3.
