Report: 76ers will add P.J. Carlesimo to replace Mike D'Antoni as lead assistant
Veteran coach P.J. Carlesimo will be the top assistant to Brett Brown in Philadelphia, according to multiple reports
By
Zach Harper
•
1 min read
With Mike D'Antoni taking over the Houston Rockets' sidelines, that means there is a top assistant coaching spot open on Brett Brown's Philadelphia 76ers staff. According to Keith Pompey of the Philly.com and confirmed by David Aldridge of NBA.com, that opening is about to be filled by a veteran coach. They're both reporting the Sixers will hire P.J. Carlesimo to be the new lead assistant under Brown.
This was a role filled by D'Antoni back in December of 2015 during the same week in which Jerry Colangelo became a part of the organization to help Sam Hinkie in his rebuilding process.
Can confirm P.J. Carlesimo to join 76ers staff to replace Mike D'Antoni as top assistant, per source. @PompeyOnSixers on it first.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) May 27, 2016
Carlesimo has been coaching in the NBA since 1994. After 12 years at Seton Hall, Carlesimo took over the coaching spot of the Portland Trail Blazers from 1994-97. As coach of the Blazers, he coached the team to a 137-109 record while making the playoffs all three years but never advancing past the first round. After being fired by Portland, he took over the Golden State Warriors' job. It was there in the 1997-98 season that he was infamously choked by player Latrell Sprewell in a Warriors practice.
Carlesimo didn't last three full seasons in Golden State, where he had a record of 46-113. From 2002-07, Carlesimo served on Gregg Popovich's staff in San Antonio. He took over the Seattle Supersonics for the 2007-08 season and coached Kevin Durant as a rookie. He only lasted the one full season (20-62) before being fired after a 1-12 start the following season. He was also an assistant under Avery Johnson for the Nets from 2011 to 2013, and coached the Nets to a record of 35-19 after Johnson was fired during the 2012-13 season.
