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Mikal Bridges Working Out For Bulls, Knicks, Sixers

June 4th, 2018 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Having already worked out for the Hornets, former Villanova small forward Mikal Bridges auditioned for the Bulls today, and also has workouts scheduled with the Knicks and Sixers, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.com.

Bridges could end up adding more teams to his list of pre-draft workouts, but the current group is a reflection of his draft stock, as those four teams range from No. 7 (Chicago) to No. 11 (Charlotte). Bridges is viewed as a probable lottery pick who has a chance to come off the board in the top 10.

Speaking today to reporters, including Friedell, Bridges said he thinks he’d fit in “perfectly” with the Bulls’ young core. However, Chicago is far from the only good fit for the 3-and-D wing. In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony wrote that Bridges is “an easy player to slot on almost any NBA roster,” given his role-player potential.

Bridges took a major step forward during his junior year at Villanova, increasing his PPG from 9.8 in 2016/17 to 17.7 in 2017/18, en route to a second championship in three years. He also contributed 5.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, and 1.1 BPG for the Wildcats, with a very efficient shooting line of .514/.435/.851.

And-Ones: 2018/19 Odds, Fredette, Hensley, USA Basketball

June 3rd, 2018 at 10:21am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors have already been set as the favorites to win the 2018/19 title, relays Ben Fawkes of ESPN, but there’s a huge variable that hangs over the equation. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook gives Golden State 5-4 odds to capture the championship, followed at 7-2 by the Rockets and Sixers, two teams believed to be in the running to sign LeBron James.

“When you have LeBron in free agency, you have to be careful,” oddsmaker John Murray said. “You’ve got Philadelphia, Miami, the Lakers and even Houston as potential destinations [outside of Cleveland]. We cut all of those teams’ odds down, and we’ll raise back up the teams he doesn’t sign with.”

Murray adds that the Rockets would take over as favorites if they are able to add James and keep Chris Paul and Clint Capela. The Celtics, who come in at 8-1, will be favored to win the East if James leaves Cleveland and goes anywhere but Philadelphia. The Lakers and Heat are tied for fifth place at 20-1, followed by the Spurs at 25-1 and the Cavaliers at 30-1.

There’s more basketball-related news to pass along:

Former lottery pick Jimmer Fredette hopes to use The Basketball Tournament this summer to get another shot at the NBA, writes Myron Medcalf of ESPN. The 10th selection in the 2011 draft, Fredette played for four teams in five years before heading overseas. “I would always love to get another chance in the NBA,” Fredette said. “I’ve gotten better in China and improved every year. … You hope somebody takes notice.” He has another year remaining on his Chinese Basketball Association contract.
J.R. Hensley, a prominent NBA agent, has been placed on 18 months’ probation, tweets Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal. The action came because Hensley refused to fully cooperate in an investigation of potential violations, according to a press release from the NBPA.
The USA Men’s Under 18 National Team made its first round of cuts this morning, trimming the squad from 33 players to 18. Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog has the complete list of players who advanced.

Sixers Notes: Colangelo, Free Agents, Embiid

June 3rd, 2018 at 9:08am CST by Arthur Hill

If president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo gets fired over an alleged Twitter scandal, he will be remembered for several important decisions that set the direction of the franchise, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey states that Colangelo’s best move in his two-year tenure has been drafting Ben Simmons with the top pick in 2016. Although it seems like an easy choice now, Pompey recalls a debate over whether Simmons or Brandon Ingram was the better selection.

On the downside, Colangelo will be remembered for a bold move to trade up to No. 1 in last year’s draft. He wound up with Markelle Fultz, who played just 14 games as a rookie, while the Celtics landed a potential star in Jayson Tatum, along with another first-rounder in 2019.

Colangelo also got very little in return when he traded lottery picks Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, Pompey adds. Opposing GMs knew he wanted to unload both young centers and took advantage of his position. Colangelo sent Noel to Dallas for Justin Anderson and Andrew Bogut, who was bought out, plus a pair of second-round picks. Okafor was dealt to the Nets along with Nik Stauskas and two second-rounders for Trevor Booker, who asked to be waived two months later when the Sixers signed Ersan Ilyasova.

There’s more this morning from Philadelphia:

Colangelo will have a difficult time keeping his job, no matter what happens in the investigation, contends Scott Stinson of The National Post. Even if his wife or another family member was running the Twitter “burner” accounts, the information passed on was too damaging to overlook, Stinson writes.
LeBron James tops the Sixers’ free agent wish list, but the team will have to make moves to improve its bench if he doesn’t come to town, notes Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia. There could be plenty of turnover this summer with Ilyasova, Marco Belinelli and Amir Johnson all headed for free agency and the team holding an option on Richaun Holmes. Camerato looks at the NBA Finals rosters and identifies six possibilities for the Sixers: Jeff Green, Rodney Hood and Jose Calderon from the Cavaliers and Nick Young, David West and Kevon Looney from the Warrriors.
Being part of the third annual NBA Africa Game in August will be important for Cameroon-born Joel Embiid, according to an article in More Sport. “I was fortunate to participate in Basketball Without Borders [BWB] Africa first as a camper and then last year as a coach,” he said. “To play in the NBA’s third game in Africa is truly special to me, and I can’t wait to take the floor in front of our fans in Africa.”

Royal Ivey To Join Knicks’ Coaching Staff

June 2nd, 2018 at 5:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Thunder assistant Royal Ivey will accept a position on David Fizdale’s coaching staff with the Knicks, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now.

Ivey, who grew up in New York, is in the process of finalizing a deal with the organization. He had interest from other teams, including the Sixers, before the opportunity with the Knicks arose, according to Begley.

Ivey has been part of Billy Donovan’s staff in Oklahoma City for the past two seasons. He played for four teams during a 10-year NBA career, finishing with the Thunder in 2014. He has prior experience with Fizdale, who was an assistant coach in Atlanta when Ivey played there.

How Joel Embiid Is Risking His New Extension

May 31st, 2018 at 11:09pm CST by marksuleymanov

Joel Embiid has gone viral in recent days after he was spotted playing basketball at local South Philadelphia basketball courts over the last few days. However, if Embiid suffers an injury while playing on streetball, it could result in him losing out on serious money, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

Embiid signed a maximum-salary, five-year contract extension with the Sixers last October, one year after a strong showing as a rookie. The 2018 All-Star, however, would risk having part of the deal — which kicks in next season — voided if he suffers a major injury. Pompey notes that Embiid will receive his full pay if he plays at least 1,650 regular season minutes for three consecutive seasons.

After a strong regular season and solid performance in the postseason, the Sixers‘ mix of young talent and cap space makes them a popular destination in free agency. Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Sixers head coach Brett Brown‘s mindset when it comes to free agency differs from president Bryan Colangelo.

Bryan Colangelo Expected To Lose Job With Sixers?

May 31st, 2018 at 8:01pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Sixers‘ investigation into team president Bryan Colangelo‘s alleged use of burner social media accounts is expected to conclude shortly and several league sources believe he will lose his job, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Pompey writes that the investigation could wrap up as soon as tomorrow. Due to Game 1 of the NBA Finals taking place tonight, the league did not want the Colangelo investigation to be a distraction, Pompey adds.

On Tuesday, a report from Ben Detrick of The Ringer provided evidence that connected Colangelo to five Twitter accounts that bashed Sixers players and coaches, and disclosed sensitive medical and team information. Colangelo admitted to owning one of the accounts in question but said that the account was used strictly to monitor social media.

Colangelo has unequivocally denied any wrongdoing or tweeting from any of the accounts. Today, Colangelo told John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia that he is “fully unaware of anything” pertaining to the messages. Colangelo added that he had “zero’ knowledge of any tweets being sent from those accounts.

During a press conference before Game 1 of the Finals, NBA commissioner Adam Silver revealed that the Sixers hired a New York law firm to oversee the investigation (per Sixers insider Jon Johnson).

Did the Sixers win? on Twitter presented evidence that Colangelo’s wife, Barbara Bottini, could be behind at least three of the accounts. Bottini’s phone number ends with the digits 91, which matches the final two numbers associated with the accounts. Bottini has yet to issue a denial.

As the Sixers prepare for free agency this summer with eyes on several top free agents, Colangelo’s presence could be a hindrance in luring players to Philadelphia. In an earlier report, one unidentified NBA executive said the damage — unless Colangelo is proven explicitly innocent — has been done.

“I think the damage is done,” an unidentified NBA executive told Pompey. “I don’t know if the players can trust him. I think he lost the trust of the players unless it’s proven definitively that it wasn’t him.”

Knicks To Host Trae Young For Private Workout

May 31st, 2018 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Oklahoma guard Trae Young has elected to grant the Knicks a private workout, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post. Young, who intends to work out for “a handful” of clubs, is still figuring out his schedule, so the date of the workout remains unclear, per Berman.

Young, widely viewed as a top-eight prospect, isn’t expected to be on the board when the Knicks pick at No. 9. Even if he’s available, he may not be the first choice for a New York club with multiple point guards already on the roster and a more glaring need on the wing. Still, Young is very much on the Knicks’ radar due to his high upside, sources tell Berman.

According to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link), the Suns, Kings, Hawks, Grizzlies, Knicks, and Sixers have already “passed through” Oklahoma to talk to staff and faculty about Young. The Cavaliers have also been in touch with the program about Young, Zagoria adds.

In Jonathan Givony’s latest mock draft for ESPN.com, he has Young coming off the board at No. 6 to Orlando, writing that the 19-year-old is a “highly skilled scorer and passer with unlimited range on his jump shot and tremendous instincts in the pick-and-roll.”

Sixers, Brett Brown Agree To Three-Year Extension

May 31st, 2018 at 3:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

MAY 31: The Sixers have officially announced Brown’s new extension, confirming that it runs through 2021/22.

“Brett has done a terrific job over the past several years building and cultivating a program, but the substantially positive growth in the win column these past two seasons has proven he is the right man to continue leading this team in our quest for an NBA championship,” president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said in a statement. “I couldn’t be more thrilled for Brett, his family, and the organization to be moving forward for several years to come.”

MAY 29: The Sixers and coach Brett Brown have reached an agreement on a three-year contract extension, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

The three-year contract extension will lock up Brown through the 2021/22 season, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets.

Brown, 57, has coached the team since the 2013/14 season. He was hired to guide them through the lean years and the front office stuck with him as the Sixers lost 63, 64, 72 and 54 games. He was originally signed to a four-year deal and received a two-year extension in December 2015.

Philadelphia’s commitment to Brown was rewarded when the team finished 52-30 this season and reached the Eastern Conference semifinals before falling to the Celtics.

Latest On Bryan Colangelo

May 30th, 2018 at 10:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Regardless of the findings of an independent investigation the Sixers have launched into president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo, the story may have already caused significant damage, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

A report last night from Ben Detrick of The Ringer presents evidence that Colangelo was operating several anonymous Twitter accounts on which he was criticizing players, coaches and opponents and sharing inside information. Colangelo admitted owning @phila1234567, but said he uses it to monitor social media and has never posted anything. He denied any connection to four others: “Eric jr,” “HonestAbe,” “Enoughunkownsources” and “Still Balling,” all of which issued controversial tweets.

“I think the damage is done,” an unidentified NBA executive told Pompey. “I don’t know if the players can trust him. I think he lost the trust of the players unless it’s proven definitively that it wasn’t him.”

Colangelo, who is attending pre-draft workouts in Los Angeles, was “visibly shaken” Tuesday when he heard about the report, according to Pompey. He has been part of Philadelphia’s front office since April of 2016.

The controversy comes at a crucial time for the Sixers, who hope to make a splash in the free agent market this summer. The team reportedly has interest in both LeBron James and Paul George, but they may look elsewhere if Colangelo remains in charge.

“That’s why they are going to have to definitively prove that it wasn’t him,” the executive added. “You are getting into free agency, and these players aren’t going to take a chance coming to the Sixers.”

There’s more tonight on the story:

Colangelo could be fired “for cause” if the Sixers determine he used company property, such as computers or phones, in a way that harmed the franchise, according to Michael McCann of Sports Illustrated. McCann advises the Sixers to hire outside attorneys to conduct the investigation, similar to what the Mavericks did when their front office scandal became public. He notes that the NBA constitution allows commissioner Adam Silver to punish a franchise or team employee who damages the interests of the league. If the NBA decides that Colangelo’s actions hurt its relationship with the players’ union, the issue may be covered by labor law.
Another concern is the effect that revealing inside information could have on gambling, McCann adds in the same piece. NBA analyst Larry Coon points out that the league’s operations manual has a “no tipping” policy that forbids the release of such information to bettors. Coon suggests it’s possible that “gamblers knew Colangelo himself was posting through sock puppet account(s), and therefore his posting of confidential information through those accounts potentially constituted tipping.”
Colangelo continues to issue strong denials, texting “Someone’s out to get me” and “This is clearly not me,” relays Ryan Young of Yahoo Sports. Colangelo has reached out to some of the people mentioned in the tweets to assure them he wasn’t responsible, adds ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Timestamps on some of the Eric jr posts show they were made while Colangelo was addressing the media, notes Rich Hoffman of The Athletic (Twitter links). The Sixers’ investigation may focus on Colangelo’s friends and family, tweets Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports.
No matter what the investigation finds, Colangelo will have a difficult time keeping his job, contends Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Monty Williams May Join Sixers’ Staff

May 30th, 2018 at 7:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Spurs executive Monty Williams is talking to Sixers head coach Brett Brown about a possible lead assistant role, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Currently the vice president of basketball operations in San Antonio, Williams spent five seasons as a head coach in New Orleans, compiling a 173-221 record and reaching the playoffs twice. He has been looking for an opportunity to return to coaching, Wojnarowski adds.

Williams served as associate head coach in Oklahoma City during the 2015/16 season before landing the job with the Spurs. He also spent five years as an assistant with the Trail Blazers.

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