76ers coach Doug Collins spent some time with Andre Iguodala on Thursday afternoon in hopes of easing the young player's concerns.

"I told Andre he's very important to our team," Collins said. "He's a little down right now, playing 6 years with so many different coaches, just going through a season in which the team was 12-29 at home. I told him I want the joy back in his game."

Collins is Iguodala's fifth NBA coach.

"I told him, 'I've got your back. I want you on the floor.' I've always found that the best players are the hardest workers. I said, 'If you work like that, I'll help you in any situation I possibly can.' Then we've got to get other guys on board, showing the same dedication. After a while, the guys who don't do it suddenly stand out. We'll sort through things, see who can be there, who might have to move on.

"I told him he hasn't scratched the surface of the player he can become, but we have to tighten up his game. He can't live on long jump shots. I've coached wing players like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse, Rip Hamilton and Allan Houston, and they've all played well. That's exactly what I want to do with Andre. He can become a first-team All-Defense guy, a very good all-around player. If he plays to his strengths, it can make the game easy for him."

The 76ers may be leaning towards drafting Georgia Tech forward Derrick Favors with the second overall pick.

Philadelphia is expected to at least consider Ohio State's Evan Turner, who could fall down to the Timberwolves with the fourth pick should the 76ers grab Favors.

ESPN's Chad Ford writes that New Jersey likes Turner, but could select Syracuse's Wesley Johnson, allowing Minnesota, who is enamored with Turner, to take him.

Despite reports that his job was in question, 76ers general manager Ed Stefanski received public support from chairman Ed Snider on Monday.

"He's the GM," Snider said of Stefanski. "He's got two more years left on his contract. I've never said anything negative about him. That was somebody's speculation, not mine. I never spoke to Larry Brown."

The 76ers introduced Doug Collins as their newest head coach on Monday.

Collins said during his introductory press conference that he hopes to make Philadelphia, who took him with the first overall pick in 1973, relevant again.

"We're talking about being relevant again," Collins said.

"I want the Sixers to be on people's tongues again. I want the Sixers to be the basketball team that people want to see. This city loves pro basketball. This is one of the signature franchises in the NBA."

The Sixers didn't make the playoffs in 2010.

"We're not ready to be a championship team right now," Collins said.

Before he was hired by the 76ers, Doug Collins feared that the team would find another candidate for their head coaching job.

The New York Daily News writes that Collins was "climbing the walls," waiting to hear from Philadelphia president Ed Stefanski.

He was worried that the 76ers would change their mind and bring back Larry Brown.

"It's always been his greatest strength - and his greatest weakness," said one Eastern Conference official of Collins' passion. "But the bottom line is, he always cares."

Elton Brand is excited about the arrival of new head coach Doug Collins in Philadelphia.

"I'm excited," Brand said Friday. "I don't know much directly about him, but I've followed his career as a coach and as an analyst. I know he knows the game.

"We beat playoff teams [last season], won in Portland and Denver, played some really good games, but our overall body of work wasn't anything to be proud of. But we can't blame the coach this time. This time, it's on us, the players. We need to get it done, and we will."

The Sixers would reportedly trade the second overall pick in this year's draft to a team that is willing to take Elton Brand's contract off their hands.

Brand's deal pays him $51 million over the next three seasons.

The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed on a four-year contract with Doug Collins to make him the team's next head coach.

An official announcement is expected on Friday.

Collins, who had coaching stints with the Bulls, Pistons and Wizards, was drafted No. 1 overall by Philadelphia in 1973.

The 76ers have begun negotiations with TNT analyst Doug Collins to become their head coach, a source told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

Philadelphia president Ed Stefanski interviewed Collins on May 1 and he soon emerged as the leading candidate.

Collins played eight seasons with the 76ers and has coached the Bulls, Wizards and Pistons.

The 76ers could have a new head coach by this time next week.

Philadelphia general manager Ed Stefanski said Tuesday night that the process of hiring Eddie Jordan's replacement should soon be completed.

"We've interviewed seven people and right now we've taken a step back," Stefanski said. "We're reviewing everyone and right now we've narrowed that list down. There are two options: Bring some people back for a second interview or just go towards the candidate we feel most comfortable with. So that's where we're leaning so far."

Stefanski wouldn't name a top candidate, but Doug Collins is believed to be the first man on the list.