The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they exercised the fourth-year option on swingman Evan Turner.

Turner (6-7, 220) was originally the second overall pick by the Sixers in the 2010 NBA draft.  As a junior at Ohio State, he became the first Division I player to average at least 20 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in a single season since Oscar Robertson did so in back-to-back seasons in 1958-59 and 1959-60.

In 143 career games with 34 starts for the Sixers, Turner has averaged 8.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists.  As a starter last season, he averaged 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists.  Turner led all NBA guards in total rebounds in 2011-12.

On Monday, Bynum received a previously scheduled injection of Synvisc-One in both knees. It is a natural substance that lubricates and cushions the joints and is believed to provide up to six months of protection. It is not related to the platelet therapy. Bynum also plans to get another injection at the all-star break.

Bynum agreed with the team that he shouldn’t return until the pain is gone.

“The doctors and team are all cautious,” Bynum said. “We want to avoid any type of setback. I will be evaluated and am being reevaluated, and I will be all right.”

Bynum said his right knee doesn’t hurt when he walks, but it does when he takes part in stressful activity. Still, he is confident his knee will eventually be pain-free.

– Reported by Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum remains sidelined with right knee pain and is a long shot to play in the Oct. 31 opener.

Bynum will continue to be held out of all basketball activity as he recovers from a bone bruise suffered during an offseason workout. The Sixers had pegged Wednesday as his potential return date. Instead, Bynum was on the sidelines while the rest of the Sixers practiced.

– Reported by the Associated Press

Clearly the biggest surprise of the preseason, the Roman Catholic and Villanova product has impressed with his speed and ability to push the ball up the floor with the Sixers’ second unit. In Wednesday’s victory over the Cavaliers, Wayns scored a team-high 19 points, with three three-pointers and four assists.

The downside: five turnovers.

Nevertheless, when Wayns came into the game on Wednesday night, it changed everything, said Collins.

– Reported by John Finger of CSN Philly

Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum will continue with conditioning drills as part of a previously announced precautionary measure related to the Orthokine treatment he received on September 15, 2012.

Bynum will also receive a Synvisc injection in his right knee from Dr. David Altchek of the Hospital of Special Surgery on Monday, October 22, 2012. The injection of Synvisc – a natural substance that lubricates and cushions the joint – has been a routine procedure for Bynum during the previous two seasons and is unrelated to the bone bruise of the medial femoral chondyle of his right knee.

Following the injection, Bynum will be examined by Dr. Jack McPhilemy of Main Line Health.

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have waived forward/center Mikki Moore and guard Xavier Silas.  The Sixers roster now stands at 16

Moore (7-0, 225) has appeared in 564 games with 181 starts across NBA 13 seasons, averaging 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per game.

Silas (6-5, 205) was an undrafted rookie out of Northern Illinois in 2011.  He originally signed with the Sixers in late April and appeared in the final two regular season games.

Doug Collins couldn’t have asked for a more fitting backdrop.

Moments after watching his 76ers play a spirited scrimmage at St. Joseph’s Hagan Arena that required an overtime period to settle, the coach discussed a favorite topic: spacing on the floor for his shooters.

Behind him, newly acquired sharpshooter Jason Richardson launched three-pointers, getting in some extra practice at training camp.

One key to the offense is having a big man capable of commanding a double team, drawing would-be perimeter defenders away from good shooters who are capable of making opponents pay.

In center Andrew Bynum, the Sixers feel they have that covered.

The other component is shooters, something the Sixers were woefully short of last season. They believe they have addressed the issue with the acquisition of players like Richardson, Dorell Wright, and Nick Young.

– Reported by John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that Jordan Cohn has been named Pro Personnel Scout.

“We are committed to improving all facets of our basketball operations department and we are happy to announce the addition of Jordan Cohn to the Sixers,” said Sixers General Manager Tony DiLeo. “Jordan is one of the most talented and respected scouts in the NBA and will be an invaluable resource for the upcoming season.”

Cohn will enter his first season as a scout with the Philadelphia 76ers after spending the past eight seasons as a scout for the New Jersey Nets, covering NBA, D-League and college games for the organization.

Prior to joining the Nets, Cohn served as the Director of Pro Player Personnel for the New York Knicks during the 2003-04 season.  That came after a five-season stint with the Miami HEAT where he worked closely with Pat Riley, the rest of the coaching staff and the front office, on various statistical projects.

Cohn is well known for co-authoring “Rick Barry’s Pro Basketball Bible,” an annual trade paperback released during the 1990’s which contained detailed information on every NBA player and draft pick.  During the time he was writing the book, Cohn also created a scouting service that involved charting tendencies of the opponents for numerous NBA teams.  Now commonplace, it was one of the first scouting services of its kind.

A native of New York, Cohn received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and received his graduate education from USC Law School.  After practicing law for a few years, Cohn became a freelance writer for various publications, including the NBA’s HOOP magazine.

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today they have signed free agent center Mikki Moore in preparation for training camp which begins on Tuesday, October 2 at Saint Joseph’s University’s Hagan Arena.  The Sixers training camp roster now stands at 18.

Moore (7-0, 225) has played 13 seasons in the NBA despite not being selected in the 1998 NBA Draft out of Nebraska.  In 564 games with 181 starts, he has averaged 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per game while shooting 55.1% from the floor.  In 2006-07, Moore led the NBA in field goal percentage (.609).

Center Andrew Bynum had a full share of injury issues during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. Will the trend continue now that he’s on the Philadelphia 76ers?

The 76ers announced today that the team will take precautionary measures with Bynum and will withhold him from basketball activities for the next three weeks in order to maximize the therapeutic effects of the Orthokine therapy he received earlier this month.

Bynum was examined by Dr. Jack McPhilemy of Main Line Health and was diagnosed with a bone bruise of the medial femoral chondyle of his right knee. During the aforementioned time frame, Bynum will continue participate in low impact conditioning drills.

The team will provide additional updates as they are available and appropriate.

Upon becoming an unrestricted free agent last summer, Young admitted Wednesday to being “shocked” at ending up in Philadelphia.

A phone call and subsequent chat with Doug Collins early in the free agency period gave the Sixers the inside track with Young.

Collins sealed the deal by meeting with Young’s parents a few days later.

“He sat down and talked to my dad and mom. Once my mom started raving about him, it was pretty much a wrap right there,” said Young, smiling.

Young officially signed a one-year, $6 million contract July 12.

– Reported by Tom Moore of Philly Burbs

[Doug] Collins has already said - loosely - that the preliminary plan is to move center Spencer Hawes over to power forward, teaming him early on the floor with Andrew Bynum, who will get the majority of the minutes at center and will be spelled by Kwame Brown.

Collins likes the idea of having Hawes at power forward alongside Bynum, because Hawes is skilled at manning the high post offensively and should let the Sixers take advantage of his ability to hit the elbow jumper (which will give Bynum infinitely more room to operate in the post) and use his ball skills to create more opportunities for players cutting off of him.

Hawes, who has never played power forward for extensive minutes, gave two reasons in a phone conversation earlier this week for why he expects the transition to be relatively seamless.

“I don’t think it’s a huge challenge,” Hawes said. “I’ve guarded the four a lot. Offensively, the way we’ve done it, the four and the five are pretty interchangeable. I don’t think the transition will be overwhelming.”

– Reported by John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations Tony DiLeo has been promoted to General Manager.

“We are proud to announce that, effective immediately, we have promoted Tony DiLeo to the role of 76ers General Manager and at this time he will work alongside Rod Thorn, who continues his duties as President of Basketball Operations,” said Sixers Owner Josh Harris. “We are very confident that Tony has the experience and knowledge to flourish in his new role, and we will continue to provide him with the necessary tools and resources - including enhancing our capabilities in analytics - to strengthen our basketball operations department.”

“I am very excited about being named General Manager of this organization and look forward to building upon our recent success,” DiLeo said. “I would like to thank Josh Harris and the ownership group for providing me with this opportunity and I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure we put a team that our fans will be proud to support, both this season and in the future.”

DiLeo, who is entering his 23rd season with the 76ers, becomes the team’s 12th General Manager in franchise history. He was promoted to his current position after serving as the team’s senior vice president of basketball operations since September of 2003, following a four-year run as the team’s director of player personnel from 1999 to 2003.

During the 2008-09 season, DiLeo stepped in as head coach following the Sixers 9-14 start and guided the team to a 32-27 mark the rest of the way. Of the eight teams which changed coaches during that season, the Sixers were the only one to make the playoffs.

During DiLeo’s time as senior vice president of basketball operations, he was actively involved in player procurement, including the recent four-team trade that brought Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia. Additionally, his evaluation of amateur and professional talent and supervision of the team’s draft recently produced the likes of Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams, Thaddeus Young, Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen. In addition, DiLeo was instrumental in drafting Allen Iverson and surrounding the future hall-of-famer with the talented roster which produced 56 wins in 2000-01 and captured the Eastern Conference Championship.

Prior to joining the Sixers in 1990-91, DiLeo built his extensive international experience through 10 years of playing and coaching in West Germany. He coached both men’s and women’s teams during that span, winning nine nationals titles in the country’s top division. DiLeo also served as the West German Federation National Coach from 1981 though 1985 and was named the country’s coach of the year in 1987.

In 1984, DiLeo wrote and published the European Basketball Handbook, a guide designed to help acclimate Americans playing overseas. He also has written a manual on rule differences among international basketball, the NBA and the NCAA.

Julius Erving autobiography coming May 2013

Julius Erving, one of the greatest players in the history of professional basketball, who became known as Dr. J for the way he operated above the rim, has signed to write his autobiography.

It is believed to be a $1 million deal.

The book, tentatively titled “Dr. J,” will be co-written by Sports Illustrated Senior Writer Phil Taylor and is scheduled for publication in May 2013.

HarperCollins Executive Editor David Hirshey acquired worldwide rights to the book from Erving’s business manager, Alan Rubin, and his literary agent, Matthew Guma. (HarperCollins is owned by News Corp., which also owns The Post.)

Erving retired in 1987, and is one of the few players to have numbers retired by two different teams — No. 32 from his days when he led the then Long Island-based New York Nets to two championships while earning two MVP awards in the old American Basketball Association and the No. 6 worn with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he earned MVP honors en route to an NBA championship.

– Reported by Keith J. Kelly of the New York Post

Jrue Holiday will be asked to be a more vocal leader and take ownership of a squad that features eight new faces.

Holiday enters a critical fourth NBA season. He will play the 2012-13 campaign likely on the final year of his original four-year contract. The Sixers can sign him to an extension now, but given that Holiday is seeking a max contract, the more likely scenario is that he will become a restricted free agent next summer, which means the Sixers will have an opportunity to match any offer that comes Holiday’s way.

The 22-year-old point guard has started 198 games over the last three years, including every game the last two seasons. He averaged 13.5 points per game and 4.5 assists last season. Those statistics, when compared with those of other starting point guards in the Eastern Conference, are about middle of the road.

– Reported by Dei Lynam of CSN Philly

For the first time since the days of Moses Malone, the Sixers have a true scoring center in 24-year-old Andrew Bynum.

To be clear, Malone is a Hall of Famer. Bynum has been an All-Star once in his young career. Still, Bynum opens a world of offensive opportunities for a team that struggled to put points on the board a year ago.

The 7-foot center commands a double team in the low post. Since his rookie season, when he shot 40 percent from the field as an 18-year-old, Bynum has never shot below 56 percent.

But Bynum wasn’t the focal point of the offense in Los Angeles. The Lakers were – and still are – Kobe Bryant’s team. That didn’t change when Bynum was selected 10th overall in the 2005 NBA draft.

Last year, when Bynam averaged a career high 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds, he was the team’s second-leading scorer and his 13 field goal attempts per game were third on the team behind Bryant and Pau Gasol.

– Reported by Dei Lynam of CSN Philly

Collins doesn’t seek the subject, but when asked during this weekend’s reunion of the ‘72 team about whether he would like to be the Olympic coach, he showed typical candor while also professing a desire to stay with the Sixers long-term.

“It’s a tremendous honor that somebody would even throw my name out there,” Collins said. “It’s four years down the road and I understand in this business you hope you are an active coach at the time.”

Which means obviously with the Sixers.

“I am hoping that I am still active and I would like to coach four or five years in Philadelphia,” he said.

So much for the assumption that Collins was taking things in Philadelphia on a yearly basis.

“I feel good about our team and I love my staff, what we are doing and where we are headed,” Collins continued. “The ownership, Josh [Harris], has been so good to me, so I feel really good about that.”

– Reported by Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer

In their search for a new general manager to replace Rod Thorn, the 76ers, according to SI.com, have turned their attention to Sam Hinkie, the Houston Rockets’ executive vice president of basketball operations.

Hinkie, who has an MBA from Stanford, is considered a leader in the league’s analytics movement and has been the Rockets’ second-in-command behind general manager Daryl Morey for 5 years.

– Reported by Mark Perner of the Philadelphia Daily News

There will be a grand total of nine Sixers whose contracts will expire within the next two years.

Five of those contracts — Bynum, Jrue Holiday, Nick Young, Dorell Wright and Royal Ivey — are up at the end of next season. Four more — Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, Kwame Brown and Lavoy Allen — expire at the end of the 2013-14 season. For reference, Brown’s is technically for one season with a player option for a second, though his agent has called it a two-year deal.

Starting with the five due to end next summer, the Sixers could very well walk into free agency with roughly $30 million off their books. Of course, should they re-sign Bynum, his max-deal will take up about two-thirds of that space. Then there’s Holiday, to whom the team can extend a qualifying offer for one more year, but Holiday is reportedly seeking a max-contract instead. Go figure.

– Reported by Nick Menta of CSN Philly

The Sixers may have just swung a deal for Andrew Bynum, but they’re still looking for a new general manager.

Boston Celtics assistant GM Mike Zarren has emerged as a candidate for the job, a source confirms to CSNPhilly.com’s John Finger.

Zarren’s involvement was first reported by Sports Illustrated’s Sam Amick, who described Zarren as “an intriguing addition to the field of prospects; a widely-respected purveyor of advanced player statistics in the NBA who is one of the least-known yet most-influential members of the Celtics’ front office group,” and the “right-hand man of [Celtics GM] Danny Ainge.”

– Reported by CSN Philly