According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe, Bryan Colangelo‘s alleged burner accounts on Twitter may have cost him his job as president of basketball operations for the Philadelphia 76ers. The controversy surrounding Colangelo’s potential five separate accounts which he may have anonymously used to discuss basketball operations, trades, former co-workers and his own player’s behaviour was enough to warrant an investigation by the team and even before the investigation reveals any results, it appears the organization is thinking of removing him from his position.
The Ringer’s Ben Detrick reported earlier this week that activity on these five accounts is far too common to be coincidental and that the sensitive information leaked is enough to make the NBA and other sports look at how sports executives are using social media in their everyday operations. The team had already let go of a former executive (Sam Hinkie) for questionable behavior and they are not prepared to wind up with stink on their face in this matter.
What may be more interesting is that early results of the investigation (this one by a fan) are pointing to Colangelo’s wife, Barbara Bottini, who may have been the one controlling the accounts. Her phone number has been linked to three of the accounts. This association alone may be enough to warrant his removal.
ESPN reporting with @ZachLowe_NBA: As internal probe on Twitter activity increasingly focuses on his family, Sixers ownership seriously considering dismissal of Bryan Colangelo. https://t.co/0cdhZbl9nQ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 1, 2018
Related: The Bryan Colangelo Twitter Controversy
Others have said that there are staffers in the organization “bracing for his dismissal” and planning for the next steps. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said ahead of Thursday night’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals between Cleveland and Golden State, via Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post, that he was going to wait for all of the facts to come out. The same was said by players Colangelo was alleged to have insulted.
So far, things are not looking good for the former Toronto Raptors and current 76ers president.
