Colangelo: Brass still studying 76ers players

Jerry Colangelo was back in town Thursday and Friday to meet with 76ers coach Brett Brown and general manager Sam Hinkie.

The team's chairman of basketball operations planned to return to Phoenix on Saturday. Colangelo said the discussions were about getting ready for the draft and free agency. But he realizes the transformation from the NBA's worst team to title contender won't happen overnight.

Colangelo mentioned that the competitiveness and the excitement displayed after Ish Smith was reacquired on Dec. 24 have leveled off.

"So we are a little out of kilter right now, I would think," he said Friday before the home game against the Washington Wizards. "So right now the important thing is, and this is what we're talking about: What can we get out of the last 25 games? Find out as much as we can about what we have before you talk about what we're going to be doing.

"If there are any questions about our present personnel, let's learn a few more things about that, that's all. So that's been a part of the discussion and part of the preparation going forward."

The Sixers headed into Friday ranked second in the NBA in blocked shots with 6.5 per game. Jerami Grant led the team with 87 blocks. Nerlens Noel was second with 80 and Jahlil Okafor followed with 60. The Sixers and Oklahoma City were the league's only teams that had three players with at least 60 blocks.

The Sixers donated 50 tickets for next Friday's home game against the Miami Heat to families in the Casey Cares Foundation. The nonprofit organization provides activities for critically ill children and their families. Some of the children are being treated for cancer, heart abnormalities, and sickle cell disease.