It seemed like we were finally on the verge of seeing the Sixers hire a head coach last night, when news broke that they'd offered the job to Brett Brown. Later we heard that people close to Brown were urging him to say no to GM Sam Hinkie and company, and as of this morning, there isn't a timetable for the Spurs assistant to give his answer to Philadelphia.
There was also movement yesterday on the Nikola Pekovic front, with Timberwolves executive Flip Saunders proclaiming that the team was progressing toward a deal with the restricted free agent on the heels of "positive talks" with the Pekovic camp. Of course, those kind of comments don't get at any specifics, and they present only one side of the story. The Wolves and agent Jeff Schwartz still appear to be going back and forth over money, with the team firm on a four-year, $48MM offer in response to Schwartz's opening gambit for a deal worth $15MM a year.
Pekovic is the top per-36-minute scorer still on the market, and recorded the fourth-best rebound rate among unsigned players, but even beyond those statistical measures, the burly 6'11" center is far and away the best talent without an NBA contract. He's a restricted free agent, and as he's watched comparable talent sop up most of the cap space around the league, the Wolves have emerged with plenty of leverage. The Sixers will enter their fifth month without a coach if they wait longer than another week, and though Brown seems like a rising star in the coaching ranks, there are only 30 NBA jobs, and there's no guarantee another opportunity will come around.
So, which of the two stories we've been tracking this summer will be resolved first? Cast your vote, and add your thoughts in the comments.