Could Bryan Colangelo Turn to Mike D’Antoni?

New Sixers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo has said on a few occasions that he wants to bring coach Brett Brown back next season, including this morning as a guest of Breakfast on Broad on The Comcast Network.

“I told the ownership Brett Brown is the coach of this basketball team going forward. I left no question [to that],” Colangelo said. “Brett Brown deserves the opportunity. He toed the company line for the last three years, he’s done everything this organization needs him to do, he’s been in the community, coaching clinics, coaching kids. He’s a lifer. He’s a basketball guy. I think Brett Brown is going to be a big driver in what we do.”

However, according to Ken Berger at CBSSports.com, league sources say the Sixers situation is one to watch closely.

There's a new sheriff in the City of Brotherly Love, Bryan Colangelo, who obviously did not hire Brett Brown; the departed Sam Hinkie did. And if D'Antoni, the Sixers' associate head coach, gets offers elsewhere -- besides Brooklyn, he could be a fit in Washington or Phoenix -- then Colangelo may be tempted to let Brown go and bump D'Antoni up to head coach in order to keep him, sources say. Ownership may have other ideas, remaining firmly supportive of Brown.