The Sixer Sense
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Will Philadelphia 76ers Bryan Colangelo Return To Toronto?

By Bret Stuter

Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (R) and President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (M) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (L) during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (R) and President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (M) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (L) during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Philadelphia 76ers Exec Bryan Colangelo is President and General Manager of the team. But he was once the general manager of the Toronto Raptors and was working towards Canadian citizenship. Will the Raptors new opening mean Colangelo returns to Toronto?

It began with Jerry Colangelo’s arrival.  The Philadelphia 76ers sought alternative paths to a championship as 2015 drew to a close.  Jerry Colangelo was availalble, but only if the team hired his son.  And so, the Philadelphia 76ers ownership made a fateful decision to bring in son Bryan.

When the Philadelphia 76ers lured the almost-ready-to retire-from-the-NBA Bryan Colangelo back to the NBA, they had to make concessions.  The owners had to ensure that his authority on the team exceeded that of then President Sam Hinkie. They had to give him full support.  And they had to allow him to choose who stayed, and who didn’t.

While that is a standard package for any incoming president, Bryan Colangelo had to make concessions too.  You see, he was in the midst of navigating the legal hurdles of obtaining Canadian citizenship.  He and his wife Barbara Bottini were making a life for their two children, Mattia and Sophia in the land to the north.

More from The Sixer Sense

No Regrets, Or Are There?

There is no way to tell if the Colangelo family regrets the decision to move south to Philadelphia to assume the helm of the Philadelphia 76ers, but I have a feeling we’ll know soon enough.

So what does this mean?

Well, for right now, nothing.  But it could mean everything.   Right now, the team is attempting to retain Kyle Lowry.  If the Toronto Raptors manage to land Bryan Colangelo in their front office, Lowry will be far more likely to stay. As it stands, the Toronto Raptors stand to lose Lowry in free agency.

Too Rich For Philly’s Blood

So now it comes down to strategy. And family.   Bryan Colangelo was as close to celebrity status as the NBA gets for a front office guy. On one hand, he knows a dozen or so chic Toronto restaurants, and ordered the best meals.  On the other hand, he had Italian tailored shirts flown in.  As a matter of fact, he relished the prestige and accoutrements of the well-to-dos.

He was a creature of habit, and he lived in Toronto, Ontario for a significant portion of his adult life. The Toronto Raptors had good reason to dismiss him when they did. But they now have good reasons to consider his return.  And the lifestyle he thrived within in Toronto will never quite be the same in Philadelphia, where the team is blue-collar, sleeves-rolled-up, fan-based.

Next: What The Future Holds For Richaun Holmes

Toronto may need to move quickly. Kyle Lowry is aiming at free agency, and Bryan Colangelo may be the only man capable of keeping him in Toronto.  But, Toronto has to get Colangelo first.