It has been a tough year for the Philadelphia 76ers and head coach Doug Collins, who sources say will resign at the end of the season.
The 76ers, who brought in Andrew Bynum and shipped Andre Iguodala, Jason Richardson and Nikola Vucevic, haven't had Bynum in uniform once this year due to recurring knee injuries. Without Bynum, the 76ers once-promising season has devolved into a 33-47 slog that will cost their coach his job.
Collins' agent John Langel had said that Collins would be returning next season hours before news that he was resigning broke. "He's here for another year, at least. He's the coach and we'll see what happens." Hall of Fame former Sixer Julius Erving, affectionately known as Dr. J, said losing Collins would be a tremendous loss for the organization.
The organization can ill-afford to have Doug walk away," Erving said. "You're not going to get a better coach or a better teacher."
While Collins will not be the Sixers coach next year, team president Rod Thorn is stepping down at the end of the year as well, leaving room for Collins to assume a front office position and stay with the team. Collins' record is 109-119 in three seasons as coach; he made the playoffs in the first two seasons and advanced to the conference semifinals last year after defeating the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the opening round. Bulls' point guard Derrick Rose tore his anterior cruciate ligament in Game 1 of that series.
Bynum's future in Philadelphia is uncertain. He said in training camp and several times during the season that he would play, only to shut down his activity in March and undergo season-ending arthroscopic surgery. Bynum will become an unrestricted free agent at season's end.
Before his disastrous injury-riddled 2012-2013, Bynum was a surefire max contract candidate. In 2011-2012, his last healthy season, Bynum averaged 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds a night.
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