Schlenk, Redden Among Execs Linked To Sixers Job
Wizards VP of player personnel Travis Schlenk and Clippers general manager Trent Redden are among the NBA executives who have been linked to the Sixers‘ search for a new head of basketball operations, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports.
O’Connor also confirms the 76ers have targeted Hawks GM Onsi Saleh, but reiterates that Atlanta is viewed as unlikely to allow Saleh to speak to Philadelphia, as first reported by Marc Stein.
Formerly an assistant GM in Golden State under Bob Myers, Schlenk was hired as Atlanta’s GM in 2017 and was promoted to president of basketball ops in 2019. He was moved to an advisory role by the Hawks in December 2022, then was hired by Washington in June 2023.
Redden, a longtime Cavaliers executive, joined the Clippers as an assistant GM in 2017. The 42-year-old was promoted to GM in 2023 and has been linked to previous top front office vacancies.
The Sixers fired former president of basketball operations Daryl Morey last week after they were swept in the second round of the playoffs by New York. The search process is being led by former Warriors president Myers, who is now president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment.
Stein previously linked Cavaliers GM Mike Gansey, Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren, Sixers consultant Neil Olshey and Thunder executive Vince Rozman, a former Sixers employee, to Philadelphia’s front office vacancy, while noting that assistant GM Jameer Nelson could be in line for an expanded role.
A few days ago, Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer listed 10 potential candidates for the position. In addition to Rozman, Olshey, Schlenk, U’Ren and Saleh, Mizell mentioned current 76ers GM Elton Brand, NBPA executive director Andre Iguodala, Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, Pistons senior VP Dennis Lindsey, and Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin as some other names to watch.
Morey’s successor in Philadelphia is expected to run the front office on a day-to-day basis and will have “a lot of authority,” though Myers acknowledged last week that he’ll be involved with the Sixers’ “high-level decision making.”
Sixers Notes: Morey, McCain, Trade Deadline, Embiid, Front Office Candidates
Daryl Morey’s post-trade assessment that “we sold high” when he sent Jared McCain to Oklahoma City in February continues to be mocked in Philadelphia, writes Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. While Jake Fischer has reported that trade wasn’t the “proverbial last straw” for Morey in Philadelphia, the deal – combined with the failure to get another player to replace McCain in the rotation – may have factored into the executive’s dismissal this week as the Sixers‘ president of basketball operations.
The only return in that deal with the Thunder was a first-round pick originally belonging to Houston that wound up at No. 22 in this year’s draft. McCain’s roster spot was given to Cameron Payne, who had been playing in Serbia, but he was waived after suffering a hamstring strain in the final week of the season. Two-way player Dalen Terry was promoted to take his place and saw minimal playing time in the postseason.
Morey approached the deadline looking for “cost-effective role players with multiple years of control,” a source tells Aaronson, and his top target was Thunder shooting guard Aaron Wiggins. Morey was hoping to land Wiggins as part of the McCain deal, but Philadelphia would have needed to include multiple other players to make the trade work. OKC held onto Wiggins, and Aaronson notes that McCain has played a role in pushing him out of the Thunder’s rotation.
Aaronson also hears that Morey offered multiple second-round picks to the Bulls for Jalen Smith, but Chicago opted to keep him. Two other prime targets were Rockets forward Tari Eason and Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, who both remained with their teams through the deadline. Aaronson’s source said the Sixers made attempts to land the Mavericks‘ Naji Marshall, the Timberwolves‘ Donte DiVincenzo, the Warriors‘ Brandin Podziemski and the Suns‘ Ryan Dunn as well. None of those players wound up being traded.
Morey liked the potential fit of Ayo Dosunmu, who has been a valuable contributor in Minnesota’s playoff run, according to Aaronson’s source, but didn’t prioritize him because of his expiring contract. Aaronson reports that the team also had some interest in Vit Krejci, who was sent from Atlanta to Portland four days prior to the deadline in exchange for two second-round picks. Philadelphia had numerous second-rounders to offer, but Morey reportedly didn’t want to commit to a deal with so much time remaining before the deadline.
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Morey’s relationship with star center Joel Embiid appeared to deteriorate throughout the season, Aaronson adds. Embiid expressed displeasure with management at the trade deadline and again when he was held out of a game in early April, and he refused to comment directly on Morey when asked about their relationship during the playoffs.
- Bob Myers, who will be leading the search to replace Morey, could probably have the job if he tells managing partner Josh Harris that he wants it, Aaronson suggests in a separate story. If Myers opts to remain in his current role as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Aaronson identifies a few other candidates, including Elton Brand, who served as Morey’s top assistant, and Vince Rozman, who spent 16 years with the organization before joining OKC’s front office in 2022. Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, who were both finalists to run Chicago’s front office, are also on the list, along with Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep, Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin and prominent agents Austin Brown and Alex Saratsis.
- In a mailbag column, Aaronson examines some options for the Sixers in free agency and explains why the team shouldn’t try to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Bulls Notes: Graham, Infrastructure, Sweeney, Lewin
Likening the Bulls‘ hiring of Bryson Graham as their new head of basketball operations to Charlotte bringing in Jeff Peterson or Detroit adding Trajan Langdon, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter video link) cautions that there’s no guarantee Graham will be as successful as those execs have been so far, but says it’s a “swing on upside” by Chicago.
According to Johnson (Twitter link) and Shams Charania and Jamal Collier of ESPN, the Bulls are expected to give Graham full autonomy – and the resources necessary – to fill out the rest of the front office as he sees fit. As Johnson points out, Graham has ties to current Bulls executives Brian Hagen and J.J. Polk dating back to his time in New Orleans and worked with Pat Connelly‘s brother (Tim Connelly) in New Orleans as well, though that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll all remain in their current roles.
Jon Greenberg and Nick Friedell of The Athletic say that league observers are curious about whether the Reinsdorfs will be willing to spend as necessary to upgrade the team’s front office structure, suggesting that ownership has been hesitant to do so in the past and that the team’s scouting and analytics departments have lagged as a result.
However, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times refers to that as a “false narrative,” writing that team ownership never said no when former executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas wanted to add to his front office and that money was never an issue. The problem, according to Cowley, is that the pre-Karnisovas regime of John Paxson and Gar Forman worked mostly as a “two-man operation,” so even though Karnisovas built up the front office during his tenure, it still didn’t catch up to the rest of the league.
That’s expected to change under Graham, with one source telling Cowley, “We’ve been playing checkers and now it’s time to play chess.”
Here’s more on the Bulls and their new lead front office executive:
- Having solicited sources inside and outside the organization for their thoughts on Graham, Johnson (Twitter link) says those sources described him as a “great listener” and “straight shooter” who “brings people together.” One source added that Graham “knows he doesn’t have all answers and is comfortable using depth to help.”
- Graham’s ability to collaborate appealed to the Bulls, per Charania and Collier. Team sources told ESPN that they like the fact that Graham has held so many roles up and down a front office throughout his career, since the club is hopeful he’ll be able to bring together a basketball operations department that became “disjointed” under the previous regime.
- Sources in league coaching circles expect Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney to emerge as one of the Bulls’ head coaching candidates, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link). Sweeney is also reportedly in the running for New Orleans’ job.
- Cowley reported over the weekend that the Bulls would still love to hire Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin, who was a finalist for the head of basketball operations job. He reiterates that point today, writing for the Sun-Times that if the Bulls aren’t able to bring Lewin aboard under Graham, they’ll want to find someone like him, since they were very impressed from his presentation “from an analytics and strategy standpoint.”
Bulls Hire Bryson Graham As Head Of Basketball Operations
The Bulls have officially hired Bryson Graham to lead their basketball operations department, per a team press release. Graham’s title will be executive vice president of basketball operations.
“We’re excited to name Bryson Graham as our Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations,” Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. “Bryson is an elite talent evaluator who has earned tremendous respect across the league, and that stood out immediately during our process. He has worked his way up through basketball operations from the ground level, and that experience has given him a deep understanding of how to build and sustain a successful organization.
“He is an effective communicator, a disciplined and thoughtful decision-maker, and someone who truly connects with players and people. He understands today’s league, today’s players, and what it takes to develop talent and build a winning culture. Just as important, Bryson is committed to building a high-level group around him. He knows what he does well, and he is focused on surrounding that with strong leadership across strategy, scouting, and player development. This is an important step for our organization. We know there is work ahead, but we are confident in Bryson’s ability to lead, build, and move us forward.
The news was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter links).
Graham was the Hawks‘ senior VP of basketball operations for the 2025/26 season. He spent 15 years in New Orleans before that, Charania notes, working his way up the ranks from an intern to general manager.
The 39-year-old was GM for the Pelicans under former top executive David Griffin until the end of last season, when Griffin was fired and replaced by Joe Dumars. Graham is highly regarded around the league for his scouting acumen, Charania writes, which will be important for the rebuilding Bulls.
While Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd had been reported by some outlets as the frontrunner for the top front office job in Chicago, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported over the weekend that Graham, Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey, and Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin were still in contention for the position as well.
According to Charania, the Bulls conducted in-person interviews last week and considered Graham, Lloyd and Lindsey over the weekend before selecting Graham on Monday.
K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network says (via Twitter) there were four finalists, and hears all of them interviewed well. However, Graham was the unanimous pick, Johnson reports.
In a full story for ESPN.com, Charania and Jamal Collier report that Graham (in his executive role with Atlanta) helped facilitate trade talks between the Hawks and Pelicans last summer, when New Orleans moved up from No. 23 to No. 13 to select Maryland big man Derik Queen. The 2026 first-rounder the Pelicans sent the Hawks is unprotected and will be the most favorable of the Pels’ and Bucks’ picks.
Trey Murphy III (No. 17 overall), Herbert Jones (No. 35), Dyson Daniels (No. 8) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17) are among the players Graham has been credited for drafting, in addition to his work on trades.
Graham will replace former head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, who was fired near the end of the regular season alongside ex-GM Marc Eversley.
Stein’s Latest: Mosley, Nuggets, Bulls, Mavs, Kerr
The job security of Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley has been one of the bigger points of speculation around the league for some time, and it remains widely expected that he will take the blame for Orlando’s first-round exit, writes Marc Stein in a recent edition of The Stein Line (subscriber link).
As far who would take over should Mosley be let go, Stein notes that there have been rumors since before he left the Bulls about Billy Donovan taking the job, which he was first offered in 2007. Another name of interest for Orlando is Michigan head coach Dusty May, though Stein notes that the expectation is May will remain with Michigan after winning the national championship this year.
As for Mosley, Stein cites a previous report from Jake Fischer about the Pelicans‘ ongoing interest in bringing the Magic head coach into the fold if he becomes a free agent.
We have more league-wide news from Stein:
- The Nuggets will have to look in the mirror and figure out what comes next after losing in Round 1. Stein confirms reports that head coach David Adelman‘s job is expected to be safe, but adds that Denver is rumored to be open to any trade possibilities that would improve the athleticism and defense around star Nikola Jokic.
- The Bulls are close to reaching their decision regarding their head of basketball operations search, and while many people believe the Timberwolves’ Matt Lloyd is the frontrunner, Dennis Lindsey, Bryson Graham, and Dave Lewin remain in the running for the position.
- As the Mavericks look to find their long-term head of operations, owner Patrick Dumont is hoping to hire the splashiest name possible in an attempt to put Nico Harrison‘s tenure firmly in the rear view mirror, Stein reports. It appears unlikely that the Mavs will get to interview their top choice, the Wolves’ Tim Connelly, or their second choice, Bob Myers. Still, Stein muses about how unavailable Connelly truly is and whether his future contract extension talks will come into play. Former owner Mark Cuban has endorsed Detroit’s Lindsey in the past, but the team has yet to seek permission to interview him. Finally, Stein notes that the Mavs could choose one of their co-interim GMs, Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley, for the position. Dumont has stated previously that he intends to fill the position by mid-May.
- A decision is imminent for Steve Kerr and his future with the Warriors. Stein reports that ESPN has been recruiting Golden State’s coach to return to his role as a broadcaster, but the team is expected to meet with him as soon as Monday and has been operating as if he’s likely to return.
Central Notes: Bulls, Lloyd, Nori, Reed, Pistons, Furphy
The Bulls have reportedly narrowed down their list of candidates for their head of basketball operations job to Matt Lloyd, Bryson Graham, Dennis Lindsey and Dave Lewin. Of those four finalists, Timberwolves general manager Lloyd is considered the frontrunner, a source confirms to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
Lloyd, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs and got his NBA start with the Bulls, could be hired within the “next several days,” Cowley writes. Like Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Cowley has heard Lloyd has a head coach in mind if he lands the Bulls job — Wolves top assistant Micah Nori.
Lloyd may not be the only significant front office addition the Bulls make, according to Cowley, who suggests Lewin could become the general manager and head of the analytics department. Lewin is currently an assistant GM with the Celtics.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Backup big man Paul Reed was an unlikely playoff hero for the Pistons during their second-half comeback in Orlando on Friday, writes Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link). Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff turned to Reed, who had been buried on the depth chart behind Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, in the third and fourth quarters with the season on the line, and Reed delivered six points, six rebounds and three blocks in 11 minutes. “Anytime his number is called,” Cade Cunningham said, “he’s ready to go, comes right out there and imposes himself on the game. I don’t think there is any situation in basketball where you bring him in, and he’s not going to bring some type of productivity to the floor. … He’s like a safety blanket for us. He’s won us so many games with his intensity.”
- Pistons wing Duncan Robinson had high praise for Reed after Friday’s Game 6 victory, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “I’ve said this before but I’ve never been around a teammate like him,” Robinson said. “The way he handles his work every day behind the scenes and prepares for a moment that honestly, he doesn’t know is going to come … he shows up every day with spirit and works his tail off.”
- Cunningham credited the Pistons‘ defensive intensity for their epic comeback, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Detroit outscored Orlando 55-19 over the final two periods after trailing 60-38 at halftime. “It’s our defense,” Cunningham said. “When we’re guarding the way that we’re supposed to be, it’s really hard for them to score on us. And there’s just been too many stretches throughout this series where we haven’t guarded the way we supposed to. So, we’ve allowed them to have life. We’ve allowed them to move and get their shots and all that stuff. But whenever we really lock in on our defense, it’s tough for them to score on us, and we know that.”
- Johnny Furphy showed signs of growth in his second season prior to suffering a torn ACL in February, according to Tony East of Circle City Spin. “I think I was finding my feet when I was getting some more [playing time]. I was really starting to settle in. So I’m happy I had that experience,” the Pacers forward said. “And I think, obviously, I learned a lot from that. But now it’s just a matter of building on that, not taking any steps backwards.” The 21-year-old Australian said there’s no specific timetable for his return from the major knee injury, East adds.
Central Notes: Bulls, Lewin, Donovan, Pacers, Mobley
After previously identifying Matt Lloyd, Bryson Graham, and Dennis Lindsey as finalists for the Bulls‘ head of basketball operations job, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line adds another name to that list, reporting (via Twitter) that Celtics assistant general manager Dave Lewin met with Chicago and is advancing to the round of in-person interviews.
A Massachusetts native and a longtime member of Boston’s front office, Lewin joined the Celtics as a scouting coordinator in 2012. He later held the titles of director of scouting, G League general manager, and director of player personnel before being promoted to assistant GM in 2022.
According to Fischer (Twitter link), the Bulls seem “very much on pace” to have a new top basketball executive installed in advance of the start of the draft combine, which officially begins on May 10.
We have more from around the Central:
- Within their latest NBA rumor round-up, Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) provided some additional context on Billy Donovan‘s decision to split with the Bulls just a year after signing a contract extension. According to Fischer and Stein, that new deal that Donovan signed in 2025 included a 2026/27 option clause that allowed Donovan to “walk away at his discretion.” Donovan and several Bulls staffers shared the view that a rebuild is likely in the team’s best interest, sources confirm to The Stein Line, which was a major factor in the veteran coach’s decision to step down.
- Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) considers six questions the Pacers may have to answer this offseason, including who to draft if they keep their top-four protected pick, whether or not to extend Jarace Walker and/or Ben Sheppard, and whether to hang onto reserves like Quenton Jackson and Kam Jones.
- Evan Mobley made just 8-of-24 shots in Games 3 and 4 in Toronto and the Cavaliers were outscored by 33 points when he was on the court. Still, head coach Kenny Atkinson gave the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year a vote of confidence following Sunday’s loss, as Joe Vardon of The Athletic relays. “Evan has been one of our best players in this series,” Atkinson said. “Maybe (Sunday), you could argue he wasn’t, but he has been one of our better players throughout the series.” No Cavalier is under contract for longer than Mobley, who has four years and $222.7MM left on his deal after this season.
Fischer’s Latest: Celtics’ Front Office, Ainge, Billups, Brown, More
As the Celtics transition from the Danny Ainge era to the Brad Stevens (presidential) era, they will have a lot of decisions to make, both in regards to the front office and the coaching staff. Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer suggests that two names to watch in regards to the front office are current assistant general manager Mike Zarren and director of player personnel Dave Lewin. Both are long-time members of the Celtics organization and seem set to move up the organizational hierarchy.
Fischer writes that Zarren has long been the primary voice in trade negotiations, and that there is belief that Stevens will out-rank him as a decision maker more in name than in practice. If Zarren is promoted to general manager, it’s believed that Lewin will be promoted to assistant general manager.
Another name Fischer mentions is Hawks assistant general manager Landry Fields, who has previously been cited as a potential front office candidate for the Celtics.
“All teams are monitoring Landry Fields,” said a Western Conference executive, “because he’s going to get a real shot here to run his own team soon.”
Here’s more from Fischer:
- While the possibility of Ainge joining the Jazz has been previously reported, Fischer adds that Ainge has also been linked by league sources to the Trail Blazers in some capacity. The Blazers have already fired longtime coach Terry Stotts after the team’s first round exit, and more shake-ups may be on the way.
- Chauncey Billups may not have experience as a head coach, but Fischer says Billups has been considered the lead candidate among league personnel to replace Stotts as the Trail Blazers‘ head coach for weeks now. The former Pistons point guard – and current Clippers assistant – is considered one of the top head coach candidates on the market.
- Mike Brown is on the lookout for another head coaching job after five years as an assistant coach with the Warriors, according to Fischer’s sources. Brown is a veteran who has previously been the head coach for the Cavaliers and Lakers, but he hasn’t had a team of his own since the 2013-2014 season.
- With so many options on the market, it seems unlikely that the Celtics head coach will come from the team’s bench, according to Fischer, who says people around the league don’t expect the Celtics to promote an assistant coach with no prior experience head coaching in the NBA.