76ers make call to Collins' agent

On Wednesday, 76ers president and general manager Ed Stefanski contacted the agent of Doug Collins to gauge Collins' interest in the Sixers' coaching vacancy, an NBA source confirmed.

John Langel, Collins' agent, could not be reached for comment.

On April 15, Stefanski fired coach Eddie Jordan after Jordan finished his first season 27-55, a disastrous result that also left Stefanski's job in jeopardy.

Comcast-Spectacor, which owns the Sixers, still has not publicly guaranteed Stefanski's position.

In the weeks since Jordan's firing, the team's coaching search has been quiet. But earlier this week, Stefanski said he likely would reach out to potential candidates this week.

Collins appears to be the first candidate officially contacted by Stefanski; he will likely receive a formal interview.

The 58-year-old Collins has coached three NBA teams - the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards - and is working as an analyst for TNT. Collins played for the Sixers from 1973 to 1981.

During last season's coaching search, a process that ended with Jordan's hiring, Collins' name initially was tied to the opening. The team, however, never officially contacted Collins.