P.J. Carlesimo to Join Sixers’ Coaching Staff?

According to a report from David Aldridge of NBA.com, the Sixers will hire P.J. Carlesimo as associate head coach. The Sixers will not yet confirm the report.

According to a report from David Aldridge of NBA.com, the Sixers will hire P.J. Carlesimo as associate head coach | Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

According to a report from David Aldridge of NBA.com, the Sixers will hire P.J. Carlesimo as associate head coach | Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

According to David Aldridge of NBA.com, the Philadelphia 76ers will add P.J. Carlesimo to Brett Brown‘s coaching staff. Carlesimo will replace Mike D’Antoni as associate head coach.

A spot on head coach Brett Brown’s staff opened up when the Houston Rockets hired Mike D’Antoni to be their next head coach. D’Antoni was added to Brown’s staff in December.

The hiring may not yet be official, however. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, head coach Brett Brown is still evaluating candidates and does not have a timetable on when that decision will be reached.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer initially reported that Carlesimo was a possibility.

If Carlesimo is ultimately hired, he would add much-needed experience to Brett Brown’s head coaching staff. Carlesimo has spent parts of nine years as a head coach in the NBA, most recently with the Brooklyn Nets in 2012-13, where he compiled a 35-19 record after taking over as interim coach when the team moved on from Avery Johnson. Prior to that, Carlesimo spent parts of two years with the Seattle Supersonics / Oklahoma City Thunder during the early part of their rebuild.

Carlesimo’s greatest success came with the Portland Trailblazers, where he compiled a 137-109 record as head coach, making the playoffs in each of his three seasons with the Blazers despite the team trading Clyde Drexler during Carlesimo’s first season in an effort to speed up their rebuilding efforts.

Carlesimo has ties to both head coach Brett Brown and new president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo. Carlesimo spent five years with Brown in San Antonio, where he was an assistant coach from 2002 through 2007. Carlesimo was also an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors, led by Colangelo, during the 2010-11 season.

Carlesimo also spent time as a broadcaster on The NBA on TNT, and coached the USA select basketball team that scrimmaged against the national team in preparation for the 2007 FIBA tournament and 2008 summer olympics.

Carlesimo has a career 239-315 record as a head coach.

Derek Bodner covers the 76ers for Philadelphia magazine. Follow @DerekBodnerNBA on Twitter.