NBA Free Agency: Philadelphia 76ers from Toronto Raptors?

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Can Bryan Colangelo use his connection in free agency to attract Toronto Raptors to the Philadelphia 76ers?

Bryan Colangelo was once General Manager of the Toronto Raptors, and in the waning time he had remaining, he actually laid the foundation with the team of a roster which is now leading the playoff series with the Miami Heat 2-1. That team is led by DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Jonas Valanciunas, and Terrance Ross, and many more. But many players on that roster arrived thanks to one Bryan Colangelo, the same Bryan Colangelo who is the new President of Basketball Operations for the Philadelphia 76ers.

We have covered the gamut of Colangelo’s personnel moves while with the Raptors: how he traded for Kyle Lowry, how he went against the fan expectation and drafted center Jonas Valanciunas, rather than a point guard, and how he signed Amir Johnson to a five year extension based on what the player WOULD produce for the team in a three part series of Bryan Colangelo’s track record while with the Toronto Raptors.

While this meant that many of the current contributors are part of the Toronto Raptor organization thanks to the efforts of Bryan Colangelo and staff he had hired, it also means that Bryan Colangelo has a unique perspective and opportunity to engage the Raptor free agents with clearer insights than other NBA personnel chiefs. With the Toronto Raptors enjoying some playoff success, you might think that to be a difficult task in prying away players from their team – much like the rumor now of Atlanta Hawk point guard Jeff Teague being obtainable as the team attempts to add pieces to overcome the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs.