Could Twitter cost Bryan Colangelo his job?
There’s certainly a chance; the Philadelphia 76ers are “seriously considering” dismissing Colangelo as their president of basketball operations, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe reported late Thursday night, citing league sources.
The Sixers currently are investigating The Ringer’s eye-opening report suggesting Colangelo may be linked to several Twitter accounts that criticized members of the organization and disclosed confidential information.
There’s been speculation that Colangelo’s wife, Barbara Bottini, operated some of those accounts, and apparently, that speculation isn’t unwarranted. Colangelo actually has spoken to Philly’s ownership about the possibility that his wife may have posted tweets from those “burner accounts,” per Wojnarowski and Lowe, who reported that Philly’s investigation has become “increasingly focused” on Bottini, per Wojnarowski and Lowe.
If Bottini really is the mystery tweeter, Colangelo still may lose his job, as Sixers ownership reportedly seems unwilling to let Colangelo off the hook should it be found that a “family member or close associate” was responsible for the tweets.
The team’s reported concern is understandable, as Colangelo already has brought considerable embarrassment to a franchise that hopes to lure a big-name free agent like LeBron James or Paul George this offseason. Pending Colangelo’s culpability, the best way for the Sixers to save face may be to fire the veteran executive and pitch a fresh start to potential free agents.
