Stefanski in talks to become Raptors' GM

Philadelphia 76ers executive Ed Stefanski is engaged in advanced talks with the Toronto Raptors to take over as general manager, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Stefanski would move into the franchise's No. 2 basketball executive job under president Bryan Colangelo. Stefanski, who is in the final year of his deal in Philadelphia and has the GM title, knows he probably won’t be retained after his contract expires, sources said. Stefanski lost his spot as the Sixers' top decision maker a year ago to Rod Thorn, and now the franchise is waiting for the NBA to approve the team’s sale to a New York investment group.

The Raptors' list has been whittled to Stefanski and former New Orleans Hornets GM Jeff Bower, sources said.

As the Oregonian reported on Friday, Stefanski has been targeted again as a candidate in the Portland Trail Blazers' GM search. He turned down the job several years ago as a New Jersey Nets executive, and sources said Stefanski hasn’t been interested in the Blazers job this time around unless he can report directly to owner Paul Allen.

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