Sixers deny report that owners plan to sell

NEW YORK - The 76ers denied a Forbes Magazine article that stated co-managing partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer want "to flip" the franchise.

The magazine published an article Thursday morning about Harris and Blitzer becoming major investors in the Crystal Palace soccer team in London. Quoting a business partner of Blitzer, Forbes reported that they purchased the team as a way "to get to know the market" in London because their goal is to put an expansion NFL team there, according to the article.

"Those are inaccurate and not true," Sixers spokesman Mike Preston said. "Josh has said in early October that he intends to be involved in the Sixers for many, many years to come. That has not changed."

However, Forbes quoted a source who said: "They're more interested in getting the NFL in London than they are in the NBA. Their No. 1 goal is to get the NFL team in London. They want to flip the Sixers anyway.''

Harris and Blitzer also own the New Jersey Devils. Their ownership group bought the Sixers in 2011 for around $285 million.

Forbes valued the Sixers at $700 million this year. Harris was valued at $2.3 blllion.

As Preston noted, Harris told reporters "there's no plans to sell" the franchise during his training camp news conference.

"I expect to be, and the ownership group expects to be, happily involved with the Philadelphia 76ers for many, many years to come," Harris said.

It didn't take long for coach Brett Brown to develop a solid relationship with Jerry Colangelo after the Sixers introduced Colangelo on Monday as their chairman of basketball operations.

Brown said Thursday he communicates "all the time" with the Hall of Famer.

"I think for me to be able to call upon somebody like him and say, 'What do you think of that?' is a priceless sounding board for me," Brown said. "I love it. I respect his history.

"When answers come out, you immediately respect the history of which that opinion was formed. It's amazing."

Colangelo, 76, was a four-time NBA executive of the year with the Phoenix Suns and is the chairman of the board for USA Basketball.

Colangelo formerly owned the Suns, the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Sandsharks of the Continental Indoor Soccer League, and Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League.

He began his career with the Chicago Bulls, working as marketing director, scout, and assistant to the team president.

He left the Bulls in 1968 with just $200 to become the first general manager of the then-expansion Suns. Colangelo had two stints as Suns coach in the 1970s. In 1987, he put together a group that bought that team. Colangelo also held the posts of chief executive officer, managing general partner, and president before selling the team in 2004.