Source: Sixers begin talks with Collins
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Source: Sixers begin talks with Collins
Bob Cooney
The 76ers have started negotiations today with Doug Collins in hopes of making him the team’s next head coach, a league source told the Daily News.
Collins hasn’t coached in the NBA since 2003 and since has been an NBA analyst for TNT. He is currently working the Western Conference finals between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers for the network.
During his eight seasons as coach with the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards, the 58-year-old Collins compiled a 332-287 record. A four-time All-Star as a player, Collins was selected with the first overall pick by the Sixers in 1973 and played all eight of his injury-plagued NBA career in Philadelphia.
On Tuesday at the NBA Draft Lottery in Secaucus, N.J., president and general manager Ed Stefanski said that there could be a second round of interviews among the top three candidates – Collins, Avery Johnson and Sam Mitchell. “If there’s a second round (of interviews), it will be quicker, it will be in a timely fashion,” Stefanski said.
He then said: “There are two options: Bring some people back for a second interview or just go towards the candidate we feel most comfortable with.”
It appears they have chosen the latter. Stefanski met with chairman Ed Snider and chief operating officer Peter Luukko today and the decision was made to start the negotiations with Collins.
Stefanski will spend tomorrow and Friday in Chicago for the NBA Draft Combine.
Avery Johnson would have been a better pick. Collins can't get control of these knuckleheads. You need someone younger to get in these guys faces.— jockojohnson- If Doug had sense at all...he would turn and run.— PhillyInVa
Comment removed.- I first started watching the Sixers as a kid when Doug Collins was our star 2 guard. I would love for him to come back to the Sixers. I wish one day the Sixers and Julius Erving would make up and have a place in this organization for him, as well as Bobby Jones.— Wise_Owl
- Comment removed.
- mistake mistake mistake....— PhillyPhilly
- what has doug collins ever done? Bad choice. Bring in Avery Johnson.— ArtieLange
- I appreciate the decisiveness. Sign a coach and lets get going on reshaping the roster.— CouchKing
- My vote would be for another formaer player, "coach" Chocolate Thunder.— Jake711
- I think they're already itching for another lottery pick next year.— brianveitz
- If there's even a remote possibility Avery Johnson won't go to New Orleans, I'd put the full-court press on him. Collins burned out in Detroit and Washington
- Should have been Avery Johnson (194-70 record w/ a finals appearance) over Doug Collins (332-287 w/ 15-23 playoff record). Stefanski will regret this when they're both fired 2 years from now.— dmanns
- Hire Collins, draft the kid from Ohio St, then maybe trade Dummybert, Lou Will for the Pf from Utah.— Ruiz the Great
- Doug Collins will become the Matt Millen of the NBA.— Leron
- Good move here. Should have been the choice last spring instead of that brace-faced moron they brought in. Doug Collins is sharp as a tack, has a true passion for the game and a Philly pedigree. He will succeed here.— wondo40
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
