The Philadelphia 76ers will take a steady approach in searching for a replacement for Doug Collins as head coach.

"Obviously the sooner the better in terms that there are other teams that want coaches," owner Josh Harris said. "Having said that it's a really important position, so the answer is it's not possible to put a time frame on it.

"Clearly we are sequencing it quickly. We're not waiting around, but there is a lot of work to be done. It's just hard to put a time frame on it. Faster is better but only if you find the right person."

Harris is running the search with general manager Tony DiLeo.

The Philadelphia 76ers will have a D-League franchise based in Newark, Delaware, according to sources.

The affiliate won't be an expansion as it will be the relocation of a dormant franchise.

The 76ers will join the likes of the Thunder, Rockets and Spurs to have a single franchise D-League affiliate.

Golden State Warriors assistant coach Mike Malone is high on the Philadelphia 76ers' list of candidates to replace Doug Collins, according to sources.

Brian Shaw, who is Frank Vogel's lead assistant, is also a top candidate for the 76ers.

While the Philadelphia 76ers have recently begun searching for a new head coach to replace Doug Collins, sources say Mike Brown and Brian Shaw are at the top of their wish list.

Brown was fired by the Los Angeles Lakers in November and has also been linked to a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Shaw is currently an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers and has been close to several head coaching jobs.

Evan Turner believes he'll be back with the Philadephia 76ers next season.

Turner’s name has come up in several trade rumors.

"Not to be arrogant or cocky, but my name comes up, I believe, because of trade value in that situation," Turner said. "Regardless of whether I get heat for certain situations or certain bad nights and stuff, I still think I'm a valuable player in this league."

Turner averaged a career-best 13.3 points this season and was the only Sixer to start all 82 games.

"I'm just tapping the surface," said Turner, who averaged 7.2 points as a rookie and 9.4 last season. "The difference between 14 points and 18 points are a couple of foul calls. So people might agree that I get fouled a lot. So if I get to 18 points, that's all-star numbers."

The Philadelphia 76ers are continuing to consider re-signing Andrew Bynum despite his persistent knee issues.

“A healthy Bynum is a needle mover, a top 15 player,” said Harris one day after the end of a disappointing 34-48 season. “We’re going to weigh the positives and the negatives and try to make a reasoned assessment about what’s appropriate for Andrew. Certainly, we’re open to the prospect of bringing him back.”

The 76ers included Nik Vucevic in the deal for Bynum, who had a promising season with the Orlando Magic.

“If I had to make that decision again, I’d make it again,” said Harris of the Bynum trade.

With the resignation of Doug Collins as Philadelphia 76ers head coach, associate Michael Curry will interview for the franchise’s vacancy while eyeing job openings around the NBA, Curry told RealGM on Thursday afternoon.

Curry discussed the 76ers’ coaching position with general manager Tony DiLeo on Thursday and will continue his duties into the offseason as part of the staff. DiLeo has already begun compiling a list of candidates and Curry is poised to be among them to receive a formal interview.

Collins, now a special consultant to the 76ers, has always been an advocate of Curry, who served as his lead assistant over the past three seasons. Nevertheless, the possibility exists of the 76ers’ ownership clearing out the current staff and bringing in a fresh coach as its first hiring.

After being a finalist for the Orlando Magic's vacancy that went to Jacque Vaughn last offseason, Curry has established himself as a defensive coach who will attract interviews from teams with openings – such as the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers, who fired Byron Scott on Thursday, have made clear their hunt will be predicated on finding a defensive mind with strong schemes. The Milwaukee Bucks could also have an opening this offseason, given Jim Boylan’s seemingly tepid status.

In one season as the Detroit Pistons’ coach in 2009, Curry went 39-43 and reached the playoffs as the eighth seed before being fired. Since then, he has emerged as an influential voice within the 76ers’ staff, and he led more and more huddles in recent years.

“I have grown as a coach since [the Pistons season] and I know that it’s not just about Xs and Os; you also have to be a great communicator, good with your dealings,” Curry said. “I feel I am there now, and I helped a lot of those young players grow in Detroit and now here in Philadelphia.”

Doug Collins has stepped down as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers after a frustrating season in which Andrew Bynum did not play a single game.

Josh Harris, owner of the 76ers, formally announced the move in a press conference on Thursday.

"This is his decision," said Harris. "I want to make that unequivocally clear."

Collins said he made the decision that this would be his final season while spending the holidays in December with family.

Collins also said that he will not return to coaching in the future.

Doug Collins informed Philadelphia 76ers' ownership that he will resign as head coach at season's end, according to league sources.

Collins' possible return to the franchise in another role -- perhaps in the front office -- hasn't been ruled out, a source said.

The 76ers' ownership wanted Collins to return for the final season of his contract, worth $4.5 million, but the coach informed owner Josh Harris of his decision to leave.

The 76ers are 33-47 this season, ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Philadelphia 76ers are not forcing Doug Collins out, according to a source.

The team is supportive of the head coach and if he doesn't return, it will have been his decision.

The story is contrary to a report by the Philadelphia Inquirer, which, citing league sources, claims that the team "privately hopes that [Collins] decides not to return for the 2013-14 season."

Collins is signed through the 2013-14 season after the team picked up the fourth-year option on his contract before this season.