Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Sixers ownership met Tuesday night to discuss and quite possibly decide the fate of embattled executive Bryan Colangelo amid the investigation into his Twitter scandal. An announcement could come any old minute. This is riskiest newsletter lead item I’ve written in some time.
Are the Sixers REALLY going to keep Bryan Colangelo?
We have that and more in Wednesday’s NBA newsletter.
James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
But Woj also cites sources who create a sort of plan for how the Sixers might navigate free agency with a damaged, somewhat embarassing Colangelo at the helm. The upshot? Respected coach Brett Brown and new assistant Monty Williams will be front and center.
This raises two questions. The first is why you would keep Colangelo if he’s not going to truly lead your free agent efforts in a truly important offseason. Like, what’s the point? Is he actually so good a talent evaluator that the Sixers can’t afford to lose him? There is minimal evidence to this point, though he has a good record. Lots of GM candidates — like, say, David Griffin and Sam Hinkie — have good records.
The other question is how the most important Sixers, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, would feel if Colangelo stayed? Whoever ran that most prominent of burner accounts — apparently Colangelo’s wife — was highly critical of Embiid. That person violated the team’s trust by selling out Markelle Fultz and Jahlil Okafor. If Embiid and Simmons can’t trust Colangelo any longer, it’s time for Colangelo to go.
As such, there really appears to be no upside to keeping Colangelo around. So why debate? Get it over with. Perhaps he caught a bad beat by the initial report focusing on him running those burners — a loved one going rogue on your behalf is a lesser violation for sure — and perhaps if that initial report were more circumspect or nailed the right person this wouldn’t all be so bad. But it is what it is. Unless Embiid has had a total change of heart, this should be an easy decision for the Sixers.
Game 3 is nigh
Wednesday will determine whether the 2018 NBA Finals will possibly be the second Finals sweep in LeBron James’ career or an actual quasi-competitive series. The tip is at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
Remember that the Cavaliers won Game 3 down 2-0 in what felt like a hopeless series in 2016. The Warriors won Game 4, all hell broke loose in Game 5 and Cleveland won out. It could happen.
(It’s almost assuredly not going to happen.)
Links Galore
Good David Murphy column on the importance of the Sixers doing this right instead of doing it fast. Hopefully both objectives can be met simultaneously.
LeBron explains what was going through his head in that now infamous video of the Cavaliers’ bench at the end of Game 1. He also shouts out C-Webb, which ... man.
Amid the bizarre, surreal shakeout from the Philadelphia Eagles’ canceled White House visit, LeBron and Steph Curry agree that the NBA champions, whoever it is, will not be visiting President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the reigning WNBA champ Minnesota Lynx never got invited to the White House. They were in D.C. and decided to celebrate their achievement by giving back to a local school.
LeBron is on the cover of NBA 2K19. You’ll notice that he’s not wearing a Cavaliers jersey on the cover. Smart design.
The WNBA is letting two captains choose all-star teams a la the NBA. The system is a little different without dedicated starters.
Brian Windhorst on the overwhelming importance of free agency.
Three WNBA games on Wednesday, including a nightcap 10:30 p.m. ET tip on ESPN2 (Storm-Sparks).
Perfect Zach Lowe headline: What the Warriors are doing to Cleveland is just mean.
New Era’s new NBA Draft caps are out. Blazers hat lookin’ like a million bucks.
Well this is outside the box: the Raptors are interviewing Sarunas Jasikevicius, an NBA flameout but one of the greatest European players ever and a rising star coach, for their head coach job.
The Connecticut Sun finally lost. The Atlanta Dream are just 3-3 but have wins over the Sun and Lynx, which seems impressive.
Fun Scott Cacciola essay on the awe and futility of LeBron’s performances.
Shouts to DeMar DeRozan for winning the Magic Johnson Award for on-court excellence and good media relations.
Diana Taurasi, the G.O.A.T., became the first WNBA player to break the 8,000-point barrier. (Not in one season.)
In the wake of the Las Vegas Golden Knights of Ice Doom’s incredible success, how good could a WNBA expansion team be in Year 1?
Be excellent to each other.
See More:
