Report: Sixers discussing whether findings are enough to fire Colangelo

By Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor  

It's been over a week now since we learned about five secret Twitter accounts and the potential link between them and Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations, Bryan Colangelo. After bringing in an outside law-firm to investigate the matter, both Colangelo and his wife were separately interviewed for hours on Sunday and Monday. As the investigation progressed, it began to focus more on Colangelo's wife, Barbara Bottini. As of Tuesday night, Adrian Wojnorowski of ESPN reports that Sixers ownership met to discuss whether the findings of the investigation warrant removing Colangelo from his position.

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 Twitter accounts in question were filled with important team information that tweeted everything from front office moves to insulting and criticizing Joel Embiid, Markelle Fultz and Jahlil Okafor. 

Bryan Colangelo has not been popular among Sixers fans since his hiring, since it was the league's doing to insert the Colangelo's into the organization in the first place after Adam Silver made it clear he wasn't keen on Sam Hinkie's plan of tanking. Since Hinkie's resignation, a handful of Colangelo's moves (or lack thereof) haven't been received well, whether it was holding on to Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor too long or trading the No. 3 pick and a future first-round pick to a division-rival to move up two spots in order to draft Markelle Fultz.

Sources tell Woj that regardless of the outcome of the Colangelo situation, the organization plans to put Brett Brown in the forefront when the draft and free agency hits.

Regardless of Colangelo's future, the Sixers are prepared to make coach Brett Brown front and center in the July free-agent presentations, league sources said. Brown has constructed a tremendous reputation among NBA players, and he played an integral part in the 76ers' free-agent acquisitions of JJ Redick, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova.

Although Colangelo did have some strong free agent moves this season with Redick, Belinelli and Ilyasova, the former two-time Executive of the Year will have a long, long road ahead in order to get back in the good graces of Philadelphia fans and executives across the NBA if the Sixers do decide to retain him.