Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo Resigns Amidst #Collargate Scandal

NBA

 

Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo Resigns Amidst #Collargate Scandal

 

Bryan Colangelo’s reign as General Manager came to an end today, as he resigned and agreed to step down. Colangelo was awarded the 2007 Executive of the Year Award while serving as the GM of the Toronto Raptors. Bryan was hired by the Sixers in 2016 as the new president of Basketball Operations.

Where It All Began In Philly For Colangelo

 

Colangelo’s father, Jerry Colangelo, had been hired as chairman of basketball operations earlier in the season, but he soon stepped down from the chairman role after the younger Colangelo was hired as president. Sam Hinkie, the embattled GM and conductor of “The Process”, officially stepped down days before Bryan’s hiring.

Many believed that once the elder Colangelo joined the Sixers that Hinkie’s days were numbered and the younger Colangelo would be the heir apparent.

Colangelo drafted Ben Simmons, a former LSU point forward, as the first overall pick of the 2016 NBA draft; the team also selected Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot and Furkan Korkmaz with first-round picks.

In June 2017, Colangelo traded the third pick in the 2017 NBA draft and a future first-round pick to the Boston Celtics for the first overall pick of the draft, using that pick to select Markelle Fultz. The jury is still out on the move. But Fultz has all the tools in the world to be a good player.

 

Where Things Got Complicated

 

The Markelle Fultz Shoulder Saga played out right in front of our eyes. Many insiders questioned the snafu of the management involved. The first overall pick in the draft had issues with a mysterious injury, his personal trainer attempted to change his shot. Markelle never saw the floor the way many hoped and prayed for. Colangelo was mum throughout this ordeal and was vilified as someone who could have been more vocal and instrumental in alleviating pressure for Fultz and the organization.

This decision comes in the wake of The Ringer’s article about burner twitter accounts that appeared to linked back to Colangelo. According to Ben Detrick of The Ringer, the twitter accounts in question shared information that was only known by team personnel and criticized players that are or were on the Sixers roster.

 

Where We Are Now – The Exodus

 

Soon after The Ringer’s article came out, the Sixers ran an internal investigation. The Sixers took the rights steps throughout the investigation. It was launched on May 30th, 2018, one day after The Ringer’s article was released. In an article released by ESPN on June 1st, it revealed that Colangelo’s wife could possibly be linked to the burner accounts. Then, the Sixers hired a law firm to help with the investigation on June 5th.

There was no way Colangelo was going to repair the bridges burned by this scandal. The hope is that this will free up the weight that was hovering over the Sixers. Now, the owners can conduct a thorough search for a successor. Former Cavs GM David Griffin would be a great hire, as he helped to lead the Cavs to their first NBA championship. Griffin is also well-known for his basketball acumen and superb people skills.

 

 

 

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