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This offseason was slated to be consequential for the Philadelphia 76ers—and that was before a report came out claiming their team president moonlights as a Twitter troll.
According to Ben Detrick of The Ringer, Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo may have created five secret Twitter accounts—also known as burner accounts—to relay his private NBA- and Sixers-related thoughts.
The problem? Many of the accounts' posts were critical of Colangelo's players, including team star Joel Embiid; staff, such as Sixers head coach Brett Brown; and colleagues around the NBA, such as Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri. Some divulged sensitive information that had not been previously reported, such as Jahlil Okafor allegedly having failed a physical that thwarted a potential trade.
In a statement provided to The Ringer, Colangelo said only one of the five accounts belonged to him: the one that never tweeted. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, he spent Wednesday "actively reaching out" to the individuals mentioned in the tweets, insisting that he wasn't responsible for the posts.
It's never ideal to have your team president ensnared in a social media scandal, but the timing of this report could not be any worse for the Sixers. Not with LeBron James and Paul George set to become free agents and Kawhi Leonard possibly on the market as well.
Coming off a season in which they propelled up the Eastern Conference standings, the Sixers' plan for the summer was to reel in one of these big fish, completing their transformation into a championship contender.
"I think another high-level free agent is required," Sixers head coach Brett Brown told reporters in his exit interview. "I feel like we have the ability to attract one."
Or as one team source put it last week prior to Detrick's report: "We're not building, we're built. We have championship pieces. Our expectations are high now."
The question going forward is whether Colangelo's presence within the organization undermines this, um, process. The Sixers released a statement Wednesday which seems to indicate they're open to the possibility of having to cut bait.
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"The allegations are serious, and we have commenced an independent investigation into the matter," the team said. The statement did not express support for Colangelo.
Reached by phone on Wednesday, Sixers CEO Scott O'Neil referred Bleacher Report to the team's statement. Joshua Harris and David Blitzer, the Sixers' co-managing owners, did not respond to emails.
Bryan's father, Jerry, the longtime NBA executive who serves as a special adviser to the team, told B/R he had only spoken to his son briefly about the report.
"I'm anxious to get down to the facts," he said. "I think it's totally premature to make comments about anything. Until the facts are on the table, it would be inappropriate for a number of reasons."
He did not comment on what the report could mean for Bryan's future with the Sixers.
The onus, it seems, is now on Bryan Colangelo to prove that the posts did not belong to him. That many of the tweets highlighted in the story express viewpoints that Colangelo and his deputies have shared with colleagues, reporters in off-the-record conversations (such as frustration regarding the praise Hinkie receives) and colleagues across the NBA only hurts his case.
"The content rings true," a league source said.
But the source, and some other league insiders Bleacher Report spoke with Wednesday, still remain unsure as to whether the accounts belong to Colangelo.
"Bryan's a smart guy," one said. "That's what doesn't make sense about this."
Prior to Detrick's report, the Sixers' plan had been to devote the entire summer to improving their on-court product, with LeBron James being their No. 1 target. They could have roughly $25 million in cap space this summer if they renounce the rights to all of their free agents, so they would have to clear another $10 million to offer LeBron a max deal.
Earlier in the season, there were times they believed they were the favorite to land him this summer, according to league sources. Some of that confidence has waned over the year, as they, like of the rest of league, have grown unsure as to what exactly LeBron's future holds.
Their ideal addition is a versatile wing who can also hold his own on defense. They love their motion-heavy attack, but they recognize that come playoff time, they'll need a scorer who could improvise off set plays and finish in traffic. Repeatedly jacking pull-up jumpers, they know, is a recipe for crunch-time failure.
This, however, is why some around the league believe the Sixers would be better off swinging a deal for Leonard instead.
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"If I was being as picky as you can get, I'd rather trade for Kawhi," a rival executive said.
Leonard is younger (he'll turn 27 in June, compared to LeBron, who's 33), which puts him closer to the ages of Embiid (24) and Ben Simmons (21). Adding him would allow Simmons to remain the team's primary ball-handler.
Leonard would also cover up the Sixers' weaknesses. He can get his own shot, finish in traffic and lock down opposing wings. (On a semi-related side note: Though he was named to the All-Defensive first team last week, the Sixers do not view Robert Covington as a lockdown defender, especially on the ball).
Leonard is a free agent after this season, which means trading for him would carry some risk. Still, the Sixers believe deeply in their culture. The collective bargaining agreement prohibits teams from re-signing a player acquired via a trade for six months. However, the Sixers could conduct some backroom conversations to ensure Leonard was interested in remaining in Philadelphia long term.
Trading for Leonard instead of signing James could also leave the Sixers with enough cap space to add another high-level rotation player.
The question is whether the Spurs decide to put Leonard on the market. Many around the league believe Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich can work the same magic he did last summer, when he talked LaMarcus Aldridge off the edge.
If not, Philadelphia seemed to be Leonard's ideal landing spot, at least prior to Detrick's report. He knows Brown well from Brown's time as an assistant in San Antonio. Leonard's uncle, who's serving as his agent and manager, lives in New Jersey. And as ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne and Michael C. Wright first reported, the private doctor who's been leading Leonard's rehabilitation from his quadriceps injury "has professional affiliations" with the Sixers.
It would also be difficult for other teams to match a Sixers trade proposal if Leonard becomes available. Philadelphia could offer some sort of package along the lines of Markelle Fultz, Dario Saric and Covington. The Sixers could also include the 10th overall pick in this year's draft, and sources say the Spurs, who own the 18th pick, have been scouting lottery prospects expected to go in the top 10 more heavily than a typical team drafting later in the first round.
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These are the sort of decisions that teams start preparing for now. The draft, after all, is only three weeks away. Free agency begins in roughly one month. The Sixers do not have much time to investigate the report's claims and determine whether it can bear to keep Colangelo in charge.
Can the Sixers afford to have him lead their free-agency pitch to LeBron? Will other players feel as though they can trust him? Rival suitors will certainly make the case that they can't.
Will Leonard, who just spent the 2017-18 season battling with the Spurs over medical issues, feel comfortable playing for a team president who may have shared confidential medical information on Twitter?
The Sixers could face external pressure, too. Perhaps NBA Commissioner Adam Silver views this story as "conduct detrimental to the league." Maybe the union gets involved.
The Sixers are heading into what promises to be one of the more fascinating offseasons in league history. How they handle it will not only determine their future, but the entire NBA's.