Atlantic Notes: Colangelo, Smith, Ibeh, Hartenstein

Sixers advisor Jerry Colangelo believes the team has a sharper plan for the future than it did under former GM Sam Hinkie, relays Andrew Porter of CBS Philly. In an interview on The Carlin & Reese Show, Colangelo gave Hinkie credit for thinking “outside the box” and building the team using analytics, but he believes the organization is in better hands now that his son Bryan is in charge. “Since the change in management there’s much more of a defined game plan, in terms of going forward, and that’s very positive in my opinion for the franchise,” he said. “Sam left some good stuff in place, no question about that. Along the line there was a lot of pain in terms of incredible losing and that could only be sustained for a period of time. And I think in Philly’s case, I think he probably ran out of time.”

There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:

• Point guard Dennis Smith Jr. of North Carolina State has a workout set for the Celtics on Wednesday, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Boston owns the No. 1 pick, so the team is probably just doing its homework in case it receives an attractive offer to trade down. Smith has already worked out for the Magic, who own the sixth pick, and has tentative sessions set up with the Lakers and Knicks.
• The Nets continue to have interest in former Texas center Prince Ibeh, according to NetsDaily. The 23-year-old has been practicing with the team this summer and may have a future in Brooklyn. The Nets signed him to a D-League contract in February, promising him a 10-day deal later in the season. They weren’t able to fit him on the roster, but late in the season they gave him a 10-day contract before releasing him the next day. That move gives Ibeh a year of NBA service, which will qualify him as a second-year player rather than a rookie when he signs his next contract.
• Brooklyn’s front office is looking closely at German power forward Isaiah Hartenstein, NetsDaily notes in the same piece. There’s already a strong connection, as Nets assistant Chris Fleming serves as coach of the German national team. The 7’1″ Hartenstein is projected as a late first-rounder, and Brooklyn holds picks No. 22 and 27. The Nets have also scouted center Anzejus Pasecniks and small forward Rodions Kurucs, both of Latvia, power forward Mathias Lessort of the French West Indies and center Viny Okuou of the Congo. International prospects younger than 21 have a June 12th deadline to withdraw from the draft.