Sixers Eyeing Four ‘Main Candidates’ In Front Office Search
While a variety of names have been linked to the Sixers as they look for a new president of basketball operations, the team is currently eyeing four “main candidates,” according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link): Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey, Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren and 76ers assistant GM Jameer Nelson.
Despite technically being No. 3 in command in 2025/26, Nelson is the only internal candidate Philadelphia is considering to replace Daryl Morey, Stein reports, and even if he doesn’t become the Sixers’ new head of basketball operations, the former NBA guard is viewed as a lock to be promoted to general manager “at worst.”
After Stein reported on May 17 that Nelson was a candidate for an “expanded role” following Morey’s ouster and Jake Fischer confirmed that Nelson has many supporters within the organization, Tony Jones of The Athletic reported last week that Nelson is a legitimate candidate to become the 76ers’ next president of basketball operations.
Stein reiterates in his latest story that Nelson has been “all but assured of a significant role going forward” regardless of whether or not he lands the top job.
There have been rumblings that current GM Elton Brand might be offered a new position within the 76ers once the Bob Myers-led search is complete, Stein adds, but for now he continues to scout ahead of June’s draft. The Sixers control the 22nd pick in the 2026 draft.
League sources tell The Stein Line that the 76ers are optimistic about their chances of retaining VP of player personnel Prosper Karangwa, who has drawn external interest from the Lakers and Mavericks. Los Angeles has been granted permission to speak to Karangwa about an assistant GM opening, Stein reports.
Although the Mavs have not yet issued their own request to speak to Karangwa, they’re expected to do so, according to Stein, who confirms that new president Masai Ujiri is also expected to register interest in hiring away his longtime Raptors colleague Patrick Engelbrecht. Engelbrecht is Toronto’s director of global scouting.
Eastern Notes: Sixers, Nelson, Giannis, Wizards, Nets
After Marc Stein reported that Sixers assistant general manager Jameer Nelson is a candidate for an “expanded role” following Daryl Morey‘s exit and Jake Fischer confirmed that Nelson has many supporters within the organization, Tony Jones of The Athletic hears from multiple league sources that the former NBA point guard is a legitimate candidate to become the next president of basketball operations in Philadelphia.
Nelson is the strongest internal candidate in the Sixers’ front office search, and even if he doesn’t take Morey’s spot atop the basketball operations department, he appears likely to receive a promotion, league sources tell Jones.
Although Nelson was technically third in the 76ers’ front office hierarchy under Morey and GM Elton Brand this past season, he had more responsibilities than a “typical” No. 3, Jones explains, adding that Nelson is viewed as a rising star and is expected to get an opportunity to run a team sooner or later, even if he doesn’t happen this offseason.
Jones also confirms several previously reported details related to the Sixers’ search for Morey’s successor, writing that Mike Gansey, Nick U’Ren, Trent Redden, and Matt Lloyd are considered candidates and noting that Atlanta denied Philadelphia’s request to speak to Hawks GM Onsi Saleh last week.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Appearing earlier this week on The Pat McAfee Show (YouTube link), ESPN’s Shams Charania reiterated that while he hasn’t explicitly requested a trade, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has “believed for a period of months” that a deal sending him to a new team is ultimately in both his and the Bucks’ best interests. “Giannis’s stance has not changed from what I’ve reported over the last several months,” Charania said.
- Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears and Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder were among the prospects in for a pre-draft workout with the Wizards this week, tweets Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. Washington controls two of the last 10 picks in this year’s draft, at No. 51 and No. 60, while Fears currently ranks 67th on ESPN’s big board and Suder comes in at 101st.
- The Nets took point guards with their first two picks in the 2025 draft, but Arkansas’ Darius Acuff could still make sense for Brooklyn with this year’s No. 6 overall pick, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News (subscription required). Neither Egor Demin nor Nolan Traore made an All-Rookie team, and while there are concerns about Acuff’s size and defense, he offers star potential as a scorer.
Latest On Sixers’ Search For New Head Of Basketball Ops
After his colleague Marc Stein reported that Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey and Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren were among the possible targets for the Sixers‘ front office vacancy, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) confirms both are expected to interview with Bob Myers this week regarding the position.
Fischer adds another name to Myers’ planned list of interviewees: Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, who was a finalist for the Bulls’ top basketball operations job, which ultimately went to Bryson Graham.
According to Fischer, Gansey and Lloyd are both considered future top basketball executives. They’re currently second in command with their respective organizations.
Lloyd began his career with the Bulls in 1999 as a media coordinator and worked his way up to the scouting staff and then senior manager of basketball operations. He became assistant GM in Orlando in 2012 before joining Minnesota in 2022 as senior VP of basketball operations. He was promoted to be the Wolves’ GM two years ago.
While Stein mentioned that 76ers consultant Neil Olshey has been linked to the job, Fischer hears from sources that Olshey isn’t pursuing the position, though he could remain with the team in an advisory capacity. Olshey, a longtime Clippers and Trail Blazers executive, was fired by Portland in 2021 following a workplace misconduct investigation.
Fischer also confirms the Hawks aren’t going to grant the Sixers permission to speak to GM Onsi Saleh and reiterates that 76ers assistant GM Jameer Nelson has many supporters in the organization, whether or not he’s part of the search process.
According to Fischer, rival teams have interest in hiring 76ers VP of player personnel Prosper Karangwa following Daryl Morey‘s dismissal last week.
Thunder executive Vince Rozman, Wizards VP of player personnel Travis Schlenk and Clippers GM Trent Redden have also been linked to Philadephia’s search.
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.”
Chris Finch Expected To Remain Timberwolves’ Head Coach
Within a story examining the big-picture implications of the Timberwolves being eliminated from the playoffs following Friday’s lopsided Game 6 loss to San Antonio, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic states that head coach Chris Finch “will be back for his sixth full season” in 2026/27.
Finch has compiled a 258-193 record (.572 win-loss percentage) in parts of six seasons at the helm in Minnesota. The Timberwolves have posted a winning record and made the playoffs in each of his five full years on the job, including back-to-back trips to the Western Conference finals in 2024 and 2025.
The Wolves had another uneven regular season in 2025/26, winning 49 games for the second straight year and entering the playoffs as the sixth seed. Minnesota upset the third-seeded Nuggets in round one before falling to the No. 2 Spurs in the Western semifinals.
Finch was a longtime assistant before he landed the Wolves’ top coaching job in February 2021. The 56-year-old, who has two years left on his contract, Krawczynski notes, suggested after the team was eliminated that some roster tweaks might be necessary to try to catch up to the defending champion Thunder and the rising Spurs.
“You either gotta be a problem or have a solution,” Finch said. “You have to be built in a way that troubles your opponent with something they don’t have or have something to counter what they do have.”
Krawczynski also confirms that owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez are interested in signing president of basketball operations Tim Connelly to a contract extension, and writes that team employees on both the business and basketball sides of the organization were happy Matt Lloyd stayed in his role as general manager. Lloyd was a finalist for the Bulls’ top basketball operations job before they hired Bryson Graham.
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.
Northwest Notes: Connelly, Wolves, Lloyd, Gonzalez, Jazz
The Timberwolves have registered interest in extending the contract of president basketball operations Tim Connelly, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Scotto reported last week that Minnesota was hoping to sign Connelly to a new deal. His current contract will expire in 2027.
Connelly, a longtime Nuggets executive, was hired by the Timberwolves in 2022. Minnesota has made the Western Conference finals each of the past two years and advanced to the second round of this year’s playoffs last week when it eliminated Denver for the second time in three seasons.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch congratulated Bryson Graham — his former colleague in New Orleans — for landing the Bulls‘ head of operations job, but admits he was pulling for Wolves GM Matt Lloyd, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). “Congrats to Bryson Graham,” Finch said. “I worked with Bryson in New Orleans for a number of years. He’s a class act and an outstanding talent evaluator. I’m sure he will be a great pick for the Bulls. … Gunning for Matt. He’s one of the best executives I’ve ever worked with anywhere I’ve been. He’s an absolute rock star when it comes to that, from running processes to connecting with people in the building, to positivity to leadership, to being able to manage up and down. It’s only a matter of time until he gets his chance, I’m convinced of it. These are really hard jobs to get, highly coveted. Lots of things go into them. We’re fortunate to have him here and he’s been a huge part of our success.”
- The Jazz plan to add Ben Gonzalez to their front office, according to Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 (Twitter link). Gonzalez is currently the director of basketball operations at the University of Georgia.
- Regardless of where their pick lands in next week’s draft lottery, Jazz fans have something to look forward to next season, since the team will no longer be prioritizing draft positioning, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News.
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 during the ’24/25 campaign. Graham parted ways with the organization not long after Griffin was fired and replaced by Joe Dumars last April. 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.