Observers feel Hinkie's days with 76ers are numbered

The Philadelphia 76ers' sudden hiring of Jerry Colangelo to the newly created position of chairman of basketball operations and special adviser has predictably focused attention on the future of general manager Sam Hinkie.

And it sounds like Hinkie's time in Philadelphia could be running out.

"It's clear (Hinkie) has, for all intents and purposes, been fired," an NBA source told Calkins Media's Tom Moore.

While other league owners have not publicly criticized Hinkie's long-term plan to rebuild the 76ers - known as "The Process" - Colangelo's hiring reportedly came at the behest of a significant portion of the league.

Colangelo is widely respected with 50 years of basketball experience. He helped grow the Phoenix Suns franchise from the ground up and took the reins of USA Basketball after a disappointing performance at the 2004 Olympics.

The same source told Moore that Colangelo's son, Bryan Colangelo, the former GM of the Suns and Toronto Raptors, could also get involved with the 76ers. "I know Bryan," Moore quotes the source as saying. "Bryan's going to be involved."

Hinkie was hired by Sixers owner Josh Harris in 2013 after the disastrous one-season tenure of Tony DiLeo, who traded three players - including Andre Iguodala and Nikola Vucevic - and a draft pick for Andrew Bynum. Hinkie had spent the previous eight years as vice president of the Houston Rockets, working alongside Daryl Morey.