The Philadelphia 76ers are considering the dismissal of general manager Bryan Colangelo as they continue their investigation into secret Twitter accounts used to criticize players and executives, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe.

ESPN also reports that the investigation – which is being handled by an outside law firm – is becoming increasingly focused on Colangelo’s wife, Barbara Bottini. Colangelo also reportedly discussed the possibility that Bottini may have been connected to the accounts with upper management and ownership. Throughout the investigation, ownership has shown little inclination to separate Colangelo’s potential culpability with that of a close associate or family member. He has surrendered his cellphone to the law firm as part of the investigation.

ESPN notes that many of Colangelo’s staff members with the 76ers are “bracing” for his dismissal, but others are holding out hope the two-time NBA Executive of the Year keeps his job. Ownership is reportedly worried the timing of the incident may hurt the Sixers in their possible pursuit of free agents such as LeBron James and Paul George this summer.

The content of five anonyms Twitter accounts linked to Colangelo – first reported by The Ringer earlier in the week – include the bashing of 76ers’ players and personnel and medical information about former centre Jahlil Okafor. Centre Joel Embiid, guard Markelle Fultz, former president of basketball operations and general manager Sam Hinkie and Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri all drew criticism from the accounts. The accounts also appeared to defend Colangelo on issues ranging from basketball-related decisions to the size of his shirt collars. 

Colangelo denied knowledge of four of the five accounts, saying he did use one to monitor news and updates throughout the industry. This account, unlike the other four, did not actively tweet.

When news of the accounts came out, Colangelo and Embiid reportedly spoke.

"I talked to him, and he said that he didn't say that," Embiid told ESPN Tuesday. "He called me just to deny the story. Gotta believe him until proven otherwise. If true though, that would be really bad."

Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the situation Thursday.

"The notion here was, let's find out what's going on," Silver said. "You have to separate sort of the chatter and sort of what either fans or, frankly, the media are saying from the facts. And the first thing we have to do here is determine what the actual facts are in this circumstance."

The 76ers lost to the Boston Celtics in five games in the second round after finishing the regular season 52-30.