Cheeks to get new contract with Sixers

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The Philadelphia 76ers and Coach Maurice Cheeks have agreed in principle to a contract extension, the NBA team announced Wednesday.

Cheeks, 51, was in the final season of a three-year deal. Terms of the new agreement weren't released. The Sixers are 96-122, including 23-31 this season, under Cheeks.

Even though the team is under .500 this year, the Sixers are in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

"Since my arrival, I have been evaluating every aspect of the organization and I believe that Coach Cheeks deserves a great deal of credit for developing our players, putting them in a position to succeed and showing improvement every day," Philadelphia General Manager Ed Stefanski said in a release.

Before he joined the Sixers, Cheeks was head coach at Portland, building a 162-139 record and two playoff appearances in 3 1/2 seasons. Cheeks played in the NBA for 15 seasons, including 11 with Philadelphia, where he was a member of the 1982-93 NBA championship team.