Lou Williams will reportedly sign a multi-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks, according to a tweet on Tuesday afternoon from Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.

Williams took to Twitter on July 6 to let his fans know that he would not be returning to the Philadelphia 76ers, the team that drafted him 45th in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft. Considered to be one of the steals from that draft, Williams spent his entire NBA career up until now in Philadelphia.

He was widely considered to be one of the top candidates for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award last year, which ended up being given to James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 64 games off the bench last season, Williams averaged 14.9 points and 3.5 assists in 26 minutes per game. He made $5.3 million with the Sixers last season.

The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a deal with free agent G Lou Williams, a source told ESPN.com. Story posted soon.—
Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) July 10, 2012

Philly, I appreciate you all. Unfortunately I will not be coming back, as an organization they decided to move in a different direction.—
Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) July 06, 2012

On a busy day for the Philadelphia 76ers, guard Lou Williams, who finished second in voting for the Sixth Man of the Year, said he will not be returning to the team next season.

Philly, I appreciate you all. Unfortunately I will not be coming back, as an organization they decided to move in a different direction.

—
Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) July 06, 2012

Williams opted out of his contract after the season and became a free agent. His exit from Philadelphia appeared likely after the 76ers agreed to a deal with guard Nick Young earlier Friday.

Williams scored 14.9 points per game off the bench this season and has averaged double-digit scoring over the past five seasons. He could bring instant offense off the bench for contender or start for teams in need of increased production at the shooting guard position.

The Philadelphia 76ers will use the amnesty clause to release veteran forward Elton Brand, reports Yahoo! Sports‘ Adrian Wojnaroswki.

The 76ers have decided to use the amnesty clause on Elton Brand and the $18M left on final year of his deal, league sources tell Y! Sports.

—
Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 06, 2012

There will be significant interest with NBA teams to claim Brand off the amnesty wire.

—
Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 06, 2012

Wojnarowski reports that the team can’t officially release Brand until July 11.

The 33-year-old Brand, a former All-Star, averaged a career-low 11 points per game last season.

The 76ers’ signing of Brand in 2008 was stunning. Most believed Brand was headed back to the Los Angeles Clippers, with the Golden State Warriors considered the top competition for the free-agent forward. But Philadelphia came in with a five-year, $82 million deal that lured Brand away from the West Coast.

His time with the 76ers never lived up to expectations, though. Brand’s four seasons in Philadelphia have been, statistically, the worst of his career. His first season with the team ended with shoulder surgery before the All-Star break.

Brand’s best season with Philadelphia came in 2010-11 when he averaged 15 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. The 76ers have made the playoffs the past two seasons, but Brand has been a complementary piece, not a star player as had been expected when he signed.

Brand will likely still be attractive to contenders. He can score with his back to the basket and would provide a strong boost as a role player. But teams currently under the salary cap will have the chance to bid for his services on the amnesty wire, meaning a team like the New Orleans Hornets or Houston Rockets could try to land Brand before teams over the cap — including most of the top teams in the league — have a chance. Other teams currently under the cap include the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers, Wojnarowski reports.

If Brand isn’t claimed on the amnesty wire, he becomes a free agent.

Free agent guard Nick Young has reached an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein on Twitter.

Nick Young is signing with Philadelphia, agent Mark Bartelstein announces. Details to come

—
Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 06, 2012

Finals details still being sorted, but Sixers and Young headed for one-year deal in $6 million range

—
Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 06, 2012

Young spent most of his first five seasons in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, but he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers during last season. His numbers dropped sharply as his playing time fell, but Young played well at times during the postseason.

His best season came in 2010-11 when he averaged 17.4 points per game.

The Clippers agreed to terms with veteran guard Jamal Crawford on Thursday, making Young expendable.

Sixers center Spencer Hawes agrees to a two-year $13 million extension. (Getty Images)

The Philadelphia 76ers and center Spencer Hawes agreed to a two-year extension Wednesday, worth an estimated $13 million, according to Yahoo! Sports.

Hawes just completed his fifth NBA season, averaging 9.6 points and a career-high 7.3 rebounds. He also set career highs in free-throw percentage, field-g0al percentage and blocks last season. Hawes can not sign that extension until July 11. The Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers were also rumored to be interested in Hawes.

Hawes, 24, was traded in 2010 from Sacramento where he was the 10th overall pick in the 2007 Draft.

Free agent center Spencer Hawes has reached agreement on a two-year, $13M-plus extension with Philadelphia, league sources tell Y! Sports.—
Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 04, 2012

Chad Ford of ESPN.com reports that the Brooklyn Nets have bought another second-round pick, No. 54, from the Philadelphia 76ers (the pick originally belonged to the Dallas Mavericks).

Nets just bought the 54th pick from the Mavericks (via Sixers)—
Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 29, 2012

The Sixers used the pick on Tornike Shengelia of Georgia (the former Soviet republic, not the Bulldogs), who we imagine will not play in the NBA for a few years. Shengelia was, however, at the Prudential Center to be greeted by deputy commmissioner Adam Silver.

Perhaps Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has some inside intel on Shengelia.

Earlier, the Nets bought the 41st pick from the Blazers, who selected Tyshawn Taylor.

Once again, Chad Ford of ESPN.com was the first to report a trade: The Philadelphia 76ers agreed to send a second-round pick this year and a future first-round pick to the Miami Heat for the 27th overall pick, which the Heat used on Mississippi State forward Arnett Moultrie.

So in sum, Heat send draft rights of Arnett Moultrie to 76ers for 45th pick and a future first according to sources.—
Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 29, 2012

Given his size and athleticism, Moultrie was thought to be going before pick No. 20. Philly has a lot of developing wing players and could use a young big to complement them, and apparently the price was right for the Sixers to move up for Moultrie.

UPDATE: The 45th pick was used on LSU center Justin Hamilton, and Ford has details on the future first-rounder that the Heat pick up:

76ers will send Heat future first. Lottery protected in 2013, 14, 15. If they don't receive 1st by 15, they get a 2nd in 15 & 16—
Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 29, 2012

The Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves have expressed interested in trading for Jamal Crawford. (Sam Forencich/Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves have shown strong interest in trading for Portland Trail Blazers guard Jamal Crawford, reports CSNNW.com‘s Chris Haynes (via Pro Basketball Talk‘s Kurt Helin).

Crawford averaged 14 points per game off the bench last season, his first with Portland. The 32-year-old Crawford has played 12 seasons in the NBA and won the Sixth Man of the Year award for the 2009-10 season for his play off the bench with Atlanta Hawks.

Boston and Philadelphia, both playoff teams this season, likely want Crawford to add an extra scoring punch to their second units.

Haynes reports that Minnesota was close to acquiring Crawford before the trade deadline. The Timberwolves have also reportedly wanted to add veterans to their young roster. On Tuesday, Minnesota traded the No. 18 pick in the draft to the Houston Rockets for forward Chase Budinger.

Crawford can opt out of his contract until Friday, and if he isn’t traded by then, he is expected to do so and become a free agent.

Lou Williams is the latest addition to the NBA free agent class of 2012. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s John Mitchell reports via Twitter that the guard will opt out of the final year of his deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Lou Williams agent Leon Rose confirms that Williams has opted out of the final year of his deal.—
john mitchell (@JmitchInquirer) June 17, 2012

Though doing so does put Williams on the open market, the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement with the players gives the Sixers the upper hand in negotiations. The team is allowed to offer Williams a new five-year contract, two years more than other teams are allowed. Had Philadelphia extended Williams’ deal, they could only have done so for an additional three years.

Williams is coming off perhaps his best season as a professional, in which he averaged a career-best 14.9 points per game. The Sixers surprised many observers with their strong play in 2011-2012, earning a playoff berth and winning their first round series against the Chicago Bulls before falling to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Charles Barkley has expressed an interest in the Phialdelphia 76′ers general manager position. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Charles Barkley confirmed that he is interested in the general manager position with the Philadelphia 76′ers, the team that drafted him with the fifth pick in the 1984 NBA Draft, according to a report from Spike Eskin of CBS Philly:

94WIP’s Anthony Gargano is reporting that Charles Barkley would be interesting in becoming the new Sixers general manager. Gargano asked Barkley via text message if he’d be interested in being the Sixers GM, and Barkley responded “yes sir.”

Barkley, who spent eight seasons with the team before being traded to the Phoenix Suns, has never held a front office position in the NBA. He is currently an analyst on TNT’s Inside the NBA.

According to Bob Cooney of the Daily News, the process of replacing Rod Thorn, the current general manager and president of the team, could take up to a year. Interviewing did not begin until after the Sixers playoff run ended in the second round in May, but once the right candidate has been identified, Thorn would step down immediately.

Cooney reported that Thorn, who would stay with the team for five years as a part time consultant once he has been replaced, is currently interviewing a list of candidates that includes:

San Antonio vice president of operations Danny Ferry; Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey; Jeff Bower, who was a general manager for the New Orleans Hornets; Oklahoma City assistant GM Troy Weaver; Atlanta GM Rick Sund, whose contract expires at the end of June; and Milwaukee GM John Hammond, who has a year remaining on his deal. Hammond, who was denied permission to talk to Portland last month, was an assistant coach for Doug Collins with Detroit.

Former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry has emerged as a finalist to replace Rod Thorn in the same capacity with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to a tweet from Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski. Philadelphia’s head coach Doug Collins is on board with the idea.

Danny Ferry is the frontrunner to replace Rod Thorn as 76ers GM, league sources told Y! Sports. Doug Collins is pushing Ferry's candidacy.—
Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 12, 2012

Ferry, currently Vice President of Basketball Operations for the San Antonio Spurs, was at the helm of the LeBron James-era Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs made the playoffs in each of Ferry’s five years in charge, including one trip to the NBA Finals and two seasons with the NBA’s best regular season record.

The amnesty clause that was included in the NBA’s most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement may strike again. Multiple sources tell Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com that the Philadelphia 76ers could use the provision on power forward Elton Brand this summer.

The Philadelphia 76ers may amnesty Elton Brand this summer, according to sources. I heard that from several people at the NBA Draft Combine.—
Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 09, 2012

Brand has one year remaining on the five-year, $80 million deal he signed in 2008 as a free agent, but the $18.2 million he is due in 2012-13 apparently is too rich for a 33-year-old who averaged just 11.0 points in 29 minutes last season.

Brand has missed just seven games over the past two years, but age and his previous injuries seemingly have caught up with him, and the Sixers may not be able to get anyone to bite on his expiring contract.

Jason Kidd, the Dallas Mavericks veteran point guard, is reportedly being eyed by the Golden State Warriors for next season. (Fernando Medina/Getty Images)

Jason Kidd, the Dallas Mavericks veteran All-Star point guard, and Andre Iguodala, the Philadelphia 76′ers All-Star small forward, are among a group of players being eyed by the Golden State Warriors this NBA off-season, according to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday:

The Warriors thought they had worked out a trade last summer for Iguodala, but the deal, which would have brought the swingman west in exchange for Monta Ellis, was vetoed while the 76ers were in the process of being sold. Iguodala remains on the Warriors’ wish list and they’ve expressed similar interest in Portland’s Nicolas Batum, Chicago’s Luol Deng, Memphis’ Rudy Gay, Indiana’s Danny Granger and Atlanta’s Josh Smith.

The Warriors think Andre Miller might have played his way over mid-level money with a strong playoff showing, but they believe they have a good chance at landing Jason Kidd. If Deron Williams signs with Dallas, the Warriors can tempt Kidd with the mid-level exception and offer the Bay Area native a front-office job after he retires.

That could work out nicely for both sides, as Kidd said last month that he wants to be involved in building a team after he retires, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld:

“I would like to go upstairs. [I]’d like to be the person who puts all of the pieces together. We’ll see if that works out.”

Kidd is currently a free agent but Iguodala is under contract with the Sixers until the 2013 NBA season, when the team will have a player option worth $15.9 million.

The Philadelphia 76ers likely will extend the contract of coach Doug Collins this offseason. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

The Philadelphia 76ers probably will extend coach Doug Collins’ contract this offseason, the team’s managing owner Josh Harris told the Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Bob Ford.

“We haven’t sat down and had that discussion yet, but we want Doug to be here a long, long time,” Harris said. “We consider Doug a real asset of the organization.”

The 76ers made the playoffs as a No. 8 seed this season and eliminated the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round. Philadelphia then pushed the Boston Celtics to a Game 7 before bowing out in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Collins has been a guiding force for the young team, which has made the playoffs during both of his seasons as coach. The year before he arrived, the team went 27-55.

Ford reports Collins’ current contract lasts one more season, with a club option for the following year.

Sixers owner Josh Harris said he won’t rule out using an amnesty this off-season and Elton Brand seems to be a likely candidate. (Elsa/Getty Images)

The Philadelphia 76′ers have a lot of questions to answer in the off-season. They’ve overachieved, but as coach Doug Collins told Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com on Sunday, “to be a champion you can’t overachieve.”

According to Lynam, Sixers owner Josh Harris said that the team would amnesty a player this offseason if the circumstances called for it. The most likely candidate is the teams starting power forward, Elton Brand, who is owed $18 million next season in the final year of his five-year contract. The 33-year-old Brand is currently the 12th highest paid player in the league but averaged only 11 points and seven rebounds per game last season. In his 13 playoff games this season, Brand scored in double digits on only five occasions, in part because of a shoulder injury that has plagued him for much of his career.

Lynam reported on Sunday that Harris isn’t ruling out any options:

“It is very similar to what I do in my day job, which is what do you get paid for your assets?” 76ers owner Josh Harris said. “What’s the value of your assets? And right now all that is coming into play. Everything has to be on the table to improve the team so we are going to be smart about how we handle it.”

Allen Iverson, pictured here at a recent 76ers game, doesn’t consider himself retired and wants “to play basketball so bad.” (Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)

The Knicks are badly depleted at the guard position going into free agency, but one name they will not turn to is Allen Iverson.

The New York Post reports that the Knicks are not interested in bringing aboard Iverson, citing the risk involved. In an interview with ESPN during Game 6 of the Philadelphia 76ers-Boston Celtics series last Wednesday, he dismissed the notion he was retired and said he wants “to play basketball so bad.”

The Post notes that Knicks head coach Mike Woodson, who signed an extension Friday, coached Iverson for two seasons in Philadelphia under head coach Larry Brown. Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald also said Friday that the team needs to upgrade its backcourt.

Toney Douglas, who for most of the season was the team’s fourth-string point guard, is currently the only guard under contract going into next season. The Knicks are planning to re-sign star point guard Jeremy Lin and shooting guard Landry Fields, who are both restricted free agents, but they still need some backcourt help. Point guard Baron Davis is likely out for the year after a brutal knee injury during the Knicks’ first-round playoff series loss to the Miami Heat. And guard Iman Shumpert will also miss at least a month or two after tearing his ACL against the Heat.

Iverson hasn’t played since the 2009-10 season, when he played in just 28 games splitting time between the 76ers and Memphis Grizzlies.

If they re-sign Lin, some backup free-agent targets that could interest the Knicks include free agents Raymond Felton and Derek Fisher.

Former 76ers star Allen Iverson received a heartfelt ovation when he brought out the game ball before the Celtics-Sixers showdown on Wednesday, but a more revealing moment came during a second-quarter interview with Lisa Salters on ESPN’s telecast.

Asked if he was retired, Iverson told Salters (video below): “I’m not using that word. I wanna play basketball so bad. The way it is right now, I’ve accepted the fact [the NBA] may not happen, but I still want to play basketball. If I can get an opportunity to where it’s gonna make me happy at the end of my career, I’ll take that opportunity.”

Iverson was the first pick in the 1996 draft by the Sixers and spent his first 10-plus seasons in Philadelphia, where he led the league in scoring four times and willed the Sixers to the 2001 Finals. His last two NBA stints were aborted attempts with the Grizzlies in 2009 and with the Sixers later that season. He then spent two months in Turkey at the end of 2010 before returning to the U.S. for a procedure on his leg.

Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley told reporters at the team’s shootaround this morning that he doesn’t expect to play tonight in Game 6 with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to a video taken by ESPN Boston‘s Chris Forsberg.

Bradley missed Game 5 and is battling a left shoulder injury.

A tweet earlier today by the Celtics Twitter account said that coach Doc Rivers didn’t expect Bradley to play.

Doc says he doesn't think Bradley will play but isn't ruling him out completely.

—
Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 23, 2012

After Game 5, Rivers told reporters, “The strength just won’t return right now. It’s pretty bad.” But Bradley traveled with the team to Philadelphia, raising hopes he would be available.

Ray Allen started in Bradley’s place Monday night but scored only five points in 33 minutes.

Bradley started 18 of Boston’s final 19 regular season games and all 10 playoff games before Game 5. “He’s an extraordinary defensive player,’’ Allen said. The Boston Globe reported the Celtics are 35 points better this series when Bradley is on the floor.

The Celtics can close out Philadelphia in Game 6 tonight.

Kevin Garnett called out Philadelphia fans after Monday’s game. (Getty Images)

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett says there is no comparison between his team’s fans and those of the Philadelphia 76ers, according to Gary Dzen of Boston.com.

After Boston’s 101-85 victory over Philadelphia in Game 5 Monday, Garnett was asked to compare Boston’s crowd with the ones he had seen in Philadelphia in Games 3 and 4.

“Not even close,” Garnett told reporters. “You got fans and then you got fair-weather fans. Take that how you want.”

In March, former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, now with the Phillies, took a shot at the Boston faithful for not being as knowledgeable about the game.

“The Philly fans tend to know the game a little better, being in the National League, you know, the way the game is played,”Papelbon said.

The two towns will face off again Wednesday night, when Garnett and the Celtics travel to Philly for Game 6.

Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley has suffered injuries to both his shoulders and will not play tonight in Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers, coach Doc Rivers has announced.

Doc on Bradley: "He's out." Says he hurt other shoulder as well, may be in and out of lineup going forward. Ray Allen will start.

—
Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 21, 2012

In his place, the C’s will start 16-year veteran Ray Allen, who’s been coming off the bench in recent weeks.

“It’s pretty bad,” Rivers said of Bradley’s injury. “He’ll still play games, I think, but this is probably how it’s going to be from this point on — I think he’ll play a game, then miss a couple, then play a game. That’s basically the way it’ll be.”

Bradley was the Celtics’ No. 19 overall pick in the 2010 draft, out of Texas; he broke into the starting five in March and quickly developed a reputation as one of the league’s best perimeter defenders.

Without Bradley, the Celtics look to protect their home floor in a pivotal Game 5 against the Sixers, with the series tied 2-2.

The Chicago Bulls are confident that big man Taj Gibson will play in Game 6 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.

“I’m going to try to keep it moving,” Gibson said. “I’m looking forward to playing, not sitting out. I’ll be OK.”

Gibson sprained his right ankle in the third quarter of the Bulls’ 77-69 win over the Sixers in Game 5 last night. He played anyway in the fourth quarter, logging nearly six more minutes, but needed treatment throughout the day today.

Game 6 is tomorrow night back in Philadelphia.

The Bulls will need all the quality minutes they can get — their corps of big men is already depleted by the near-certain absence of starting center Joakim Noah, who also battles an ankle injury. Omer Asik is expected to start Game 6, with Gibson coming off the bench.

The Chicago Bulls will be playing for their postseason lives tomorrow night against the Philadelphia 76ers, down 3-1, and they’ll most likely be without center Joakim Noah, reports Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times. Noah is “most likely out” with a twisted ankle.

“They’re still working through things,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s coming along well. He’s doing a lot of rehab and feels pretty good. That’s encouraging.”

Noah sprained the ankle badly on Friday night, stepping on the foot of Sixers swingman Andre Iguodala midway through the third quarter of Game 3. He left the game; X-rays came back negative, but Noah left Wells Fargo Center on crutches in an air cast.

In other Bulls injury news, Luol Deng aggravated the torn ligament in his left wrist in the first quarter of yesterday’s Game 4, but he practiced today.

“He’s doing fine,” Thibodeau said of Deng. “He’s been dealing with this all season. It’s not anything new. Some days are better than others. He just needs to keep plugging away.”

Derrick Rose appeared to injure his left knee in the final minutes of the Chicago Bulls’ Game 1 win today over the Philadelphia 76ers, and according to TNT sideline reporter Cheryl Miller, he’s now heading to a local hospital for an MRI.

Cheryl Miller reporting that Derrick Rose is on his way to the hospital for an MRI.

—
NBA Guru (@NBAGuru) April 28, 2012

Rose spun on a drive to the basket and landed awkwardly on his left leg with about 1:18 left in the Bulls’ 103-91 win. He was down for a couple of minutes and unable to leave the court on his own power; he needed multiple assistant coaches to help carry him off the United Center floor.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose was later able to move the leg, but an MRI was needed to determine the severity of the injury.

Unbelievably, this is the sixth different injury Rose has suffered this season — he has battled ailments of the toe, lower back, groin, ankle and foot throughout this year.

Rose played 39 of the Bulls’ 66 games this season, averaging 21.8 points and 7.9 assists per contest.

The Bulls play the Sixers in Game 2 at home on Tuesday night; Rose’s availability is yet unknown.

Lou Williams plans to opt out of the final year of his contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and become an unrestricted free agent, a league source tells John N. Mitchell and Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Williams has been the Sixers’ leading scorer this season with 14.9 points per game, but he’s yet to crack into the starting five, and Philly has collapsed this season with 21 losses in its last 34 games.

“He’s indicated that he’s not going to pick up his option,” the source tells the Inquirer. “All indications are that he’s going to opt out.”

Williams is due $6.4 million next season if he remains with the Sixers.

“He has not said what he will do, but we will react to that when the time comes,” Sixers GM Rod Thorn said.

The NBA coaching carousel has been in rapid motion this season, as three coaches — Flip Saunders, Mike D’Antoni, Nate McMillan — have bitten the dust already, while rumor has it others like Vinny Del Negro and Stan Van Gundy may not be far behind. But now there’s a surprising new name that may soon be on the hot seat — according to Philadelphia 76ers writer Kate Fagan, the Sixers have recently begun tuning out head coach Doug Collins.

“On more than one occasion, players have let Collins know — during a game — that they’re sick of the relentless nitpicking,” Fagan writes. “This incessant nagging (or even the perception of it) leads to fractured relationships. The Sixers have reached the point where, at least some of them, have addressed this issue with Collins. Has it reached the point of tuning him out? At times.”

It’s easy to see why the Sixers have begun the slide downhill this season — they started off 20-9, looking like one of the best teams in the NBA, and they’ve since lost 16 of their last 25. They were at one point arguably the NBA’s best defensive team, with a stranglehold on the Atlantic Division; they’ve since slipped defensively and otherwise, and they’ve slipped to second in the division behind the Boston Celtics.

Despite the difficult stretch the Sixers have endured these last seven weeks, it appears that it’s still to early to make a judgment about Collins’ future in Philadelphia.

“A difficult stretch in the schedule exacerbates everything,” Fagan writes. “The Sixers took some losses, things became strained, and now you’re seeing the effects of all of that behind-the-scenes turmoil. It’s manifesting itself in 20 point losses to bad teams. So that’s the ‘why’ of this last month. The ‘what comes next’ is still up in the air.”

Boston Celtics forward Mickael Pietrus had to be carried off the floor on a stretcher after a scary fall in tonight’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Pietrus attempted to drive to the basket with 5:08 left in the second quarter, flanked by Sixers defenders Lou Williams and Elton Brand. He tripped and spilled to the floor, clutching at either his head or neck as he fell. It’s unclear exactly what Pietrus injured, but he was on the ground for several minutes. Coach Doug Collins and the Sixers said a team prayer while Pietrus lay motionless on the floor.

Pietrus was either vomiting or coughing up blood as he left the floor, according to various reports. No further details on his injury are available at this time.

The Celtics are already without Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox and Jermaine O’Neal for the entire season. Pietrus was starting in place of yet another injured Celtic — Ray Allen is out with a sore left ankle.

The Philadelphia 76ers have acquired forward Sam Young from the Memphis Grizzlies for rights to Ricky Sanchez, who was drafted in 2005 and is currently in Argentina, according to David Aldridge from NBA.com.

Young is in the final year of his three-year rookie deal, making $947,000 this season.  He is expected to be put into the 76ers $2.7 million trade exception.

Young was chosen 36^th overall in the 2009 draft by the Grizzlies.  In his three seasons with Memphis, he has averaged 6.9 points per game.

Stan Hochman of the Philadelphia Daily News told 94WIP that Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner is suffering from an undisclosed mystery problem, according to CBS Sports.

“There’s an explanation for Turner’s inconsistent play. One of these days, the team, with Turner’s permission, will reveal it. And then the criticism will back off,” Hochman said.

Hotchman told the radio that he was given knowledge of the situation with the understanding that he would not reveal exactly what the problem was.

Turner, 23, is averaging 7.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in 38 contests this season. Last year he averaged 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.

The Philadelphia 76ers will be without center Spencer Hawes for at least another two weeks. The big man continues to battle a strained left Achilles tendon, according to the Associated Press.

Hawes was examined over All-Star weekend by Dr. Richard Ferkel of the Southern California Orthopedic Institute, the team announced today. The big man will no longer wear a protective boot on his left foot, but it’s uncertain when he’ll play again.

The Sixers closed the first half with five straight losses, slipping to fourth place in the Eastern Conference at 20-14. They’re now 12-2 with Hawes in the lineup and 8-12 without him.

The Philadelphia 76ers have purchased the actual court Wilt Chamberlain scored his 100 points on, according to the 76ers organization and CEO Adam Aron’s official twitter accounts.

We are bringing the court that Wilt Chamberlain scored the only ever 100-point game in history back to Philly! http://t.co/fWNYvlHu

—
Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) February 13, 2012

AMAZING PURCHASE. 76ers bought the actual basketball court on which Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points. Will mostly be preserved.

—
Adam Aron (@SixersCEOAdam) February 13, 2012

With the 50^th anniversary of Chamberlain’s historic game approaching, the 76ers will likely announce their plans for the historic hardwood court next month on the day the record was set.

Wilt Chamberlain set the NBA single-game scoring record as a Philadelphia Warrior in a 169-147 win against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.  Along with 100 points, Chamberlain had 25 rebounds.  He also holds the NBA record with 55 rebounds in a single game.

The Philadelphia 76ers have inquired about New York Knicks big man Amar’e Stoudemire, according to CSNPhilly.com.

The talks are said to be preliminary at this time, but with the Knicks struggling and Philadelphia a surprising 14-6, the deal could free up some space on the New York payroll. Stoudemire signed a five-year, $100 million contract prior to the 2010-11 season.

In addition, there have been reports stating that Stoudemire and Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony are not co-existing well.

Stoudemire is averaging 17.6 points per game this season, down from 25.3 points last year.

In what appears to be a troubling trend for the young rising star of the Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry has once again been diagnosed with a sprained right ankle.

The Warriors’ 23-year-old point guard severely sprained the ankle three times last season and reinjured it last week in a preseason game against the Kings. He played through the pain in two regular-season games this week, including a dazzling performance against the Bulls. Curry dropped 21 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and six steals in a 99-91 victory over the Eastern Conference heavyweights, but he also rolled the ankle in the fourth quarter. Today’s MRI results confirmed the ankle was sprained, according to CSN Bay Area.

Curry is listed as day-to-day, but it’s unlikely he plays until this weekend. The third-year guard missed today’s practice, and his agent Lance Young told USA Today that his client would sit out tomorrow night’s game against the Knicks. Golden State’s next game after that is Saturday night in Philadelphia.

Curry averaged 18.6 points and 5.8 assists for the Warriors last season. He had surgery at the end of the year to strengthen the ankle, but so far, it hasn’t been enough.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Lou Williams showed his Christmas cheer this weekend by talking down an armed gunman and treating him to McDonalds, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.

Williams told the paper that he was accosted by a man with a gun while in his car on Christmas Eve. The six-year veteran was reportedly able to talk the would-be assailant out of the robbery and diffused the situation. According to Williams, the gunman recognized him.

“A guy tried to rob me but decided not to because of whatever I do in the community,” Williams told the Philadelphia Daily News.

“There’s crime everywhere,” Williams continued. “I was debating whether to pull off or help the guy. The gun was already out. He did all the talking and we came up with a solution before I could really say much. I treated him to McDonald’s.”

Last season in 75 games Williams averaged 13.7 points and 3.4 assists per game as a key reserve for Philadelphia. In the club’s opening game of this season, Williams scored 25 points in 27 minutes of play.