Bryan Colangelo Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Sixers Rumors: Okafor, Ingram, Papagiannis, Saric

June 12th, 2016 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers center Jahlil Okafor says he has recovered from the knee surgery that ended his season and he hopes to get back on the court soon, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Okafor’s rookie campaign came to an end March 22nd when he underwent a procedure to fix the meniscus in his right knee. On a Duke University podcast Friday, the former Blue Devil said he was hoping doctors would approve him for basketball activity over the weekend. “I’m getting anxious,” Okafor told Duke assistant coach Jon Scheyer. “I got in trouble a week and a half ago for going out there and shooting. The biggest problem is my knee feels really good. So I want to go out there and shoot.” Okafor has been the subject of recent trade rumors, along with fellow Sixers big man Nerlens Noel.

There’s more news out of Philadelphia as draft day draws closer:

Team officials hosted Duke’s Brandon Ingram today in advance of his workout for the team Monday, tweets radio analyst Alaa Abdelnaby. Joel Embiid and two assistant coaches joined Ingram and head coach Brett Brown for dinner, tweets Jake Fischer of Liberty Ballers. The Sixers are expected to take either Ingram or LSU’s Ben Simmons with the first pick in the June 23rd draft.
Sixers representatives attended a workout today by Greek center Georgios Papagiannis, Pompey writes in a separate piece. The 7’2″, 276-pound Papagiannis is projected as a possible late first-round choice. Philadelphia owns Miami’s pick at No. 24 and Oklahoma City’s at No. 26. Foreign players must decide by Monday whether or not to remain in the draft.
Economics may persuade Dario Saric to wait another year before coming to Philadelphia, Pompey speculates in another story. The Sixers have owned the rights to the Croatian star since making a draft-day deal with Orlando in 2014. If Saric joins the Sixers this summer, he will be subject to a rookie contract, but if he waits until 2017, he could negotiate a salary up to $6MM annually. “The timing of him coming to the NBA is still in question,” said president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo, who met with Saric and his agent this week in Turkey. “I believe there’s a desire on both sides to make it happen sooner rather than later. But at the same time, the contract scenario, economics, etc. all plays a part in that decision making. We’ll know soon enough whether it’s going to happen for this particular season.”

Bryan Colangelo On: Top Pick, Embiid, Noel, Saric

June 10th, 2016 at 6:10pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers have a busy and important offseason ahead of them. The team is armed with a wealth of salary cap flexibility as well as the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, and Bryan Colangelo, the team’s new president of basketball operations, will be the man tasked with restoring basketball in Philadelphia to its once former greatness. The executive discussed a number of topics with Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com recently, and while the entire interview is most definitely worth a read, here are some of the highlights:

On the likelihood of trading Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor:

“I don’t know that there’s a likelihood. I can’t put a number on it. I would just simply tell you that there’s been conversations and there’s been a lot of interest expressed in some of the players that we have, but nothing that’s made enough sense to pull the trigger on. We’ve talked about the five position in particular.”

On the possibility of dealing away the No. 1 overall pick this June:

“It hasn’t been in any realistic conversation. There’s been a few people that have inquired. As I’ve said before, you never say never in this business. But I would still say it’s highly unlikely that the pick is in play in a deal, given the nature of this draft. I’ve always said you never say never, but I can’t imagine a deal coming forward that would stop us from making that selection. What’s probably more in play is the 24th and 26th pick, which kind of ties into the notion that we’ve got a fairly young team. We want to pick up the pace with regards to the winning aspect of basketball games. What we’d like to do is find a way to best utilize those picks to help us achieve that goal. If it happens that we use both and select, it’s probably going to be because we didn’t have a good alternative in terms of a deal or we felt those players could help us get where we wanted to go.”

On deciding between Ben Simmons (LSU) and Brandon Ingram (Duke) for the top pick:

“You can make an argument either way that Brandon Ingram would fit well and that Ben Simmons would fit well. That’s the discussion. Those are the conversations that we’re having to try to determine not just which player will ultimately have the better career and achieve a higher status, but which player is the best fit as well. It’s a combination of things for us. When you look at both it’s pretty hard to imagine that either one would be a wrong choice. It’s a good position to be in. I can’t tell you that as we sit here on June 10th that a decision’s been made by anybody. We may be leaning one direction or another. But it’s safer to say that you don’t have to make a decision until the 23rd.”

On draft-and-stash pick Dario Saric, who was recently scouted by the front office:

“He really showed his full repertoire, everything from some post moves and some good interior passing to an improved shot.The perimeter shot looks like it’s really coming. He’s got a full range of ball skills and passing skills. I think his game will definitely translate to the NBA in a positive way. The timing of him coming to the NBA is still in question. I believe there’s a desire on both sides to make it happen sooner rather than later, but at the same time, the contract scenario, economics, etc., etc. all plays a part in that decision making. We’ll know soon enough whether it’s going to happen for this particular season. That’s our goal and our desire. I think in the next few weeks we’ll have more clarity.”

On the possibility that center Joel Embiid will play in the Summer League:

“People are just looking for a timeline. There’s no timeline. But until I hear a doctor tell me ‘No summer league,’ I will always say anything’s open. But the likelihood of him playing summer league is nil. I would only say that because of where he is in the progression right now. But if he makes enough progress and the doctors say he’s ready to go there’s no reason he shouldn’t. But having said that, I would say it’s a 99% chance, maybe a 100% chance, that he’s not going to play. We just don’t want to put him in a situation where he hasn’t been playing competitive basketball. We probably want to ease into that and that would mean sometime after summer league. But if he is going to come into training camp you want him to have at least a little bit of flow and a little bit of rhythm and to be in a position where he could have tested the foot to the extent that he’s ultimately going to be exposed in a training-camp environment.”

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Workout, Carlesimo, Brown

May 20th, 2016 at 1:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Don’t expect to see Sixers center Joel Embiid in this year’s summer league, writes Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Moore said a source called Embiid’s participation “unlikely,” even though new GM Bryan Colangelo mentioned it as a possibility late last month. Embiid underwent bone graft surgery on his right foot last August, and the source said summer league action isn’t “practical” at this point. The Sixers don’t want to take any chance that Embiid might suffer a setback before next season begins. Embiid expects to begin playing two-on-two games this week and is optimistic that he will be ready for opening night.

There’s more out of Philadelphia:

The Sixers are holding a predraft workout today with St. Joseph’s Isaiah Miles, Baylor’s Taurean Prince, Wichita State’s Fred VanVleet, Columbia’s Maodo Lo, San Diego State’s Winston Shepard and Clemson’s Jaron Blossomgame, Moore writes in the same story.
If top assistant Mike D’Antoni lands the head coaching job in Houston, P.J. Carlesimo would be a potential choice to replace him on the Sixers’ bench, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. The 66-year-old last coached with the Nets in 2013.
Sixers coach Brett Brown says the team isn’t leaning toward Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram or anyone else as the No. 1 pick in the draft, tweets Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com. “This is a massive decision,” Brown said. “It comes with a lot of responsibility. It will receive the time that is required.”
Brown’s connections with Simmons’ family date back to 1988 when he was an assistant coach with the Melbourne Tigers, writes Henry Abbott of ESPN.com. “Each of the teams in Australia were allowed to have two American imports,” Brown said Thursday on ESPN’s TrueHoop podcast. “And one of the American imports we had was a player named David Simmons, from Harlem, New York — who is Ben Simmons’ father. The cheerleader — you can’t make this stuff up — the cheerleader that was the head cheerleader of that team ended up marrying David Simmons, our import, who I coached for five years with Lindsay Gaze, and had Ben Simmons, their son.”
Colangelo is looking forward to another shot at the No. 1 pick after taking Andrea Bargnani first overall in 2006, relays Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star. “There’s no comparison of the draft classes [of 2006 and 2016],” said Colangelo, who was GM of the Raptors at the time. “Going into that [2006] draft, there was no consensus No. 1 pick. I think this year, if you poll league-wide, there are two consensus No. 1 picks.”

Atlantic Rumors: Hornacek, Brown, Hinkie, Embiid

May 18th, 2016 at 10:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Running the triangle may not be a job requirement for Jeff Hornacek if he becomes the next coach of the Knicks, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Hornacek’s teams in Phoenix were at their best when he was using a two point guard approach and playing at a fast pace. During an appearance tonight on Sirius XM Radio, former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said team president Phil Jackson is willing to be flexible with his favorite offense. “The things I’ve heard is that he’s not going to be required to run the triangle,” Van Gundy said. “Which is smart from the standpoint that he’s never taught it before. So you don’t want to come in trying what you’ve never played in or taught. I’m interested in that. But I think it’s an inspired choice.” Bondy notes that Jackson has been a fan of Hornacek for some time, as he tried to acquire him as a player for the Bulls in 1994.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Sixers coach Brett Brown told Chris Mannix of The Vertical that he expects to see former GM Sam Hinkie back in the NBA soon. Appearing on The Chris Mannix Show podcast, Brown credited Hinkie with helping to build a bright future in Philadelphia. Brown said Joel Embiid is “doing great” both from an attitude and a physical perspective, and the Sixers are optimistic that he can play next season, although no decision has been made about summer league.
GM Bryan Colangelo turned down the Sixers when they first asked him about taking the job, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. He didn’t change his mind until six weeks later, when team owners explained the different direction they were hoping to take.
If getting the No. 3 pick in the draft gives the Celtics an opportunity to trade for Sixers center Jahlil Okafor, they should jump at the chance, contends Gary Tanguay of CSNNE. Tanguay commented on a rumor that Philadelphia would be willing to give up Okafor in exchange for the pick so it can take Providence point guard Kris Dunn. The writer thinks Okafor would improve dramatically in Boston because the Celtics have a better coach in Brad Stevens and players who would do a better job of getting him the ball in the low post.

Bryan Colangelo On: Draft Lottery Results, Simmons

May 18th, 2016 at 8:51am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers were the big winners on Tuesday night, snagging the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery. Now that the exact order of the draft is locked in, Philadelphia has the daunting task of making the right call this June. Fresh off the announcement that he would have the top pick to work with, Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo spoke with members of the media regarding the upcoming draft. Hat tip to DraftExpress for transcribing the session, along with a number of other team representatives’ thoughts on the draft lottery results. Here are some of the highlights from Colangelo’s Tuesday night chat with reporters:

On where the team is at regarding its pre-draft player evaluations:

“We’ve had a chance to already meet with Brandon Ingram and Kris Dunn among the top candidates. There are several others, Jamal Murray, Buddy Hield and several others that we’ve met with. Ben Simmons did not attend Chicago, so we did not have a chance for that to occur. I do plan on a trip to Cleveland soon, and a couple of these guys will obviously be coming into Philadelphia for visits in our home gym. A lot of work to do over the next 40 days or so. There’s a lo to do and we have our sleeves rolled up.”

On when he expects to make his call on who the team will select at No. 1 overall:

“We may decide before [draft night], but we’re certainly not going to announce it. Again, there is a lot of work that needs to be done. Physical testing, individual conversations with these two or three or four prospects. And I will tell you, we are going to continue to do out due diligence for the draft. We’re going to visit all the players. They are going to visit us. There are some draft workouts to be held. Don’t forget, we’ve got No. 24 and No. 26 in this draft as well. A lot of things could be in play. We need to determine what the best course of action is. But, the good news is, you’ve got resources in place. You’ve got the tools now clearly defined — one, 24 and 26. We’ve got those good young, developing players that continue to develop even as we speak today in our gym in Philadelphia.”

On if he is committed to retaining the No. 1 overall pick:

“It’s pretty obvious the answer is yes [to keeping it]. A lot of people jumped on the notion that we talked about looking at all alternatives as being open to moving the pick. I think, again, you have to look at every single option and everything in front of you. But, the bottom line is, now that we’re sitting in the number one position, it changes the dynamic. I think it was more in reference to, what would happen if we ended up with two top five picks, if there was maybe a decision to move one of those. It’s highly unlikely that anything is done with the number one pick except selecting the player.”

On what stands out about former LSU forward Ben Simmons:

“When you analyze the top two prospects, as far as all the reports go and the media speculation, you’ve got two guys [Simmons and Ingram] that are very talented players but very different players. One who is a ball-handling four, who actually would be in a position to initiate the offense. Very versatile. Plays multiple positions. He could actually play some three, some four and probably some five in some situations the way the league is playing right now. But, again, the notion that he’s a ball-handling four puts him in a unique position with our team, to be a distributor, etc. As yo look at Brandon Ingram, more of a shooter, a silky smooth small forward type. Probably can play multiple positions as well. I think you have to look at his versatility. But, the one thing that stands out is his ability to shoot the basketball, above all else. There is obviously two very interesting candidates there.”

Atlantic Rumors: Young, Lopez, Nets, Knicks

May 17th, 2016 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

After Thaddeus Young mentioned on Monday that he has been told by the Nets that the team doesn’t intend to move either him or Brook Lopez (Twitter link via Andy Vasquez of The Record), general manager Sean Marks was asked about the topic and essentially confirmed what Young had said, albeit with a caveat.

“I’m certainly not looking to trade them,” the Nets GM said of Young and Lopez, per Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (Twitter link). “But again, what I’ve said before is you have to be fluid. You never know what’s going to come your way. I hope that they’re part of this. They’re both terrific people. They’re both competitive people. I hope to maximize their talent and help build around them.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

During his introductory press conference on Monday, new Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged that addressing the point guard position will be high on Brooklyn’s to-do list this summer. “It’s like the NFL quarterback,” Atkinson said. “It’s the Drew Brees, it’s the Aaron Rogers. It’s super important.” Atkinson added that there are some “exciting names” expected to be available in free agency at point guard (Twitter links via Vasquez).
The Knicks don’t currently own any 2016 draft picks, but multiple sources tell Mark Berman of the New York Post that the team is being aggressive in looking to acquire at least one – and possibly two – second-rounders. When a similar report surfaced over the weekend, we noted that New York has been meeting with prospects, so the team is clearly preparing for the possibility of participating in the draft.
The Celtics are eager to find out where their top first-round pick will fall in Tuesday night’s draft lottery, as it will help the team gain some certainty when it comes to offseason planning and trade discussions, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. “Once the ping-pong balls fall, I think there will at least be a little bit of a more clear path,” GM Danny Ainge said. “And more certainty in talks and conversations with other teams.”
Derek Bodner of PhillyMag.com takes an in-depth look at Bryan Colangelo‘s track record as an NBA decision-maker, exploring what 76ers fans can expect from the team’s new president of basketball operations going forward.

Sixers Notes: Colangelo, Long, Draft Plans

May 14th, 2016 at 6:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers are trying not to get too attached to any one player until they learn their fate in Tuesday’s draft lottery, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia earned a 26.9% chance at the top overall pick by posting the league’s worst record, but if the ping-pong balls bounce the wrong way, the Sixers could fall as far as fourth. They will get the Lakers’ pick if it drops out of the top three, so there are a lot of variables before the front office can form its draft strategy. Bryan Colangelo, Philly’s new president of basketball operation, said several teams have contacted the Sixers about dealing for one of their first-rounders. “With so much flexibility, we’re a team that everybody wants to talk to, because we’ve got good young developing pieces,” Colangelo said. “We’ve got draft picks, and those assets equal value.” Philadelphia also owns the Heat’s pick at No. 24 and the Thunder’s pick at No. 26.

There’s more pre-draft news out of Philadelphia:

Louisiana-Lafayette forward/center Shawn Long will work out Monday for the Sixers, Pompey relays in a separate piece. Memphis forward Dedric Lawson, St. Joseph’s swingman DeAndre’ Bembry, Villanova shooting guard Josh Hart and Seton Hall point guard Isaiah Whitehead will also participate in the Monday session, possibly along with North Carolina State point guard Cat Barber, whose is questionable after suffering a bruised thigh at the draft combine on Thursday.
The Sixers are improving their reputation with draft prospects, Pompey writes in another story. Syracuse shooting guard Malachi Richardson, Clemson forward Jaron Blossomgame and Providence point guard Kris Dunn are the latest prospects to say they would enjoy playing for the Sixers, who have won 19, 18 and 10 games over the past three seasons. “I could tell just by meeting everyone they were really into winning,” Richardson said. “It may not show on the court, but they’re definitely building pieces to get things done.”
Colangelo plans to put a heavy emphasis on character as he evaluates draft prospects, according to Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com. It’s a term that Colangelo has emphasized since his first day on the job. “Respecting the game of basketball is something that I think leads to success on the court for some individuals,” Colangelo said Friday at the draft combine.

Atlantic Notes: Ainge, Colangelo, Draft

May 13th, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics would at least debate the idea of trading the pick Brooklyn owes them even if it winds up No. 1 after the lottery, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in an appearance on ESPN2 Thursday, notes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. Still, Ainge knows he can’t over-reach and burn the team’s assets, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald relays. “I understand that,” Ainge said. “Look, we just want to spend our capital wisely. That’s all I’m saying. And we’ll try to do that. But sometimes you have to wait and you can’t do it when you want to do it. But we wanted to do it last [offseason]. We wanted to do it at the trade deadline. And now this summer, we want to do it. And I feel like the summer’s a better time than [the] trade deadline to do it, so I’m optimistic and I’m hopeful.”

See more from the Atlantic Division:

Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo expressed a willingness to consider trading a top-five pick if the team ends up with two, as Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com observes following his conversation with the new team exec. Philadelphia, which has a 26.9% chance of landing the No. 1 pick, also gets the Lakers pick if it falls out of the top three. “I think you should always be a little proactive, just in determining what your best course of action is,” Colangelo said. “You don’t want to leave anything on the table. If there was an opportunity to do something and you didn’t know that or realize it because you didn’t make a phone call, then that’s your fault. But I think we’ll explore everything in every regard, and that’s the good news about having the kind of flexibility and the number of assets that we have.”
Maryland small forward Jake Layman and Louisville center Chinanu Onuaku will work out for the Celtics, notes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com (Twitter link).
The Sixers interviewed Syracuse’s Malachi Richardson and Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis, and Ulis plans to work out for Philadelphia, too, as Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com relays (Twitter links). Oregon State’s Gary Payton II is also on the Sixers interview list, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Regardless of whether a reported four-year, $4.5MM offer is in the works, the Knicks want draft-and-stash prospect Guillermo Hernangomez on their roster next season, reports international journalist David Pick (Twitter link). Agent Andy Miller dismissed the report of the offer, though New York can’t formally present a contract to Hernangomez until July.

Eastern Notes: Fournier, Sixers, Nets, Wall

May 5th, 2016 at 12:50pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pistons targeted another Magic player before settling on the trade for Tobias Harris in February, and that player was likely Evan Fournier, as Rod Beard of The Detroit News writes in a slideshow of mostly far-fetched candidates to sign with the Pistons in free agency. Fournier is poised to become a restricted free agent in July, but Magic GM Rob Hennigan, who can match all competing bids for the swingman, expressed determination to keep him, and Fournier apparently wants to stay in Orlando.

See more from the Eastern Conference:

The Sixers struck deals to hire NBA Associate VP of basketball operations Ned Cohen to a high-ranking basketball operations job and Wizards VP of Scouting Marc Eversley as vice president of player personnel, report The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski, USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt and The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears (All Twitter links). Cohen and Eversley will presumably report to president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo. Many around the league regard Cohen highly and see him as a future GM, Wojnarowski tweets. Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post previously reported the Sixers were interviewing Eversley, who worked under Colangelo on the Raptors.
The Nets have added several to their front office, including former No. 5 overall draft pick Shelden Williams, who’ll serve as a pro scout, and U.S. circuit court law clerk Natalie Jay, who’ll work as a cap and contract specialist, as the team details via press release. Spurs staffer Andrew Baker joins the Nets as strategic planning coordinator and Stanford assistant coach Charles Payne will be a pro and college scout for Brooklyn, the team announced. The Nets also said they promoted Ryan Gisriel to director of basketball administration. Gisriel has served the team as an intern, special projects coordinator and as assistant to the GM since his hiring in 2013.
John Wall has undergone procedures on both knees, but he’s expected to be ready for the start of next season, the Wizards announced.

Atlantic Notes: Colangelo, Holland, Rambis

April 23rd, 2016 at 2:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

New Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo indicated that he is unlikely to make dramatic changes to the team’s front office personnel this summer, Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine relays. “It’s important to point out that I didn’t come in here with the notion that I was just going to torch the place and start anew,” Colangelo told Bodner. “There’s a lot of smart people here, even to the point where it’s fully in line with some of the thinking that I’ve already been migrating towards over the last several years. The team that’s here now, for all intents and purposes, more or less will be the same.” The executive did provide himself a little wiggle room on his statement, adding that the team is still “evaluating what’s here, and discussing the roles and responsibilities,” Bodner notes.

The executive also noted that navigating the free agency waters this offseason would be tricky given that the team’s roster is still unsettled, Bodner relays. “As much as I want to say ‘Let’s go complement those players,’ I think we’re still looking for that cornerstone piece to start with,” Colangelo said. “That’s not to say that some of the young guys on the current roster can’t ultimately become that, and it’s not doubting that, it’s just saying, as we speak today, nobody has stepped into that role of star player. We’re looking for our first star. This year there’s a lot of uncertainty, a lot of unknowns. We have to let some of it play out. This might not be the year that a big splash is made in free agency, but key pieces, or glue pieces, what I’ll call team building pieces, will be added to try to put a balanced roster on the court for coach [Brett] Brown.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics used $25K of their room exception to sign John Holland to his two-year deal, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insider relays (via Twitter). Utilizing that sliver of the exception allowed Boston to pay Holland $25K for the remainder of this season instead of the $9,266 he would have earned if he had simply signed a minimum-salary arrangement.
If Kurt Rambis is named coach of the Knicks, a major reshuffling of his coaching staff is likely, with assistant coaches Brian Keefe, Joshua Longstaff and David Bliss all candidates to join Scott Brooks and the Wizards, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. All three previously worked under Brooks when he was coach of the Thunder and were brought to New York by former coach Derek Fisher, Berman notes. The Post scribe also adds that Rambis has been said to carry an arrogance about him that could turn off younger players, especially since his career coaching record of 65-164 doesn’t warrant such bravado.