from Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice,

The owners of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers appear to have emerged as the winners in the bidding process to buy the New Jersey Devils.

Howard Eskin of WIP radio in Philadelphia reported today that the group headed by investment banker Joshua Harris, which also owns the 76ers, has “agreed on the money” to buy the Devils from current owner Jeff Vanderbeek and that it was a “done deal.” A source familiar with the ownership process told The Record, however, that “the purchase price has never been an issue” with any of the interested buyers and has been “established for weeks.”

The source added that there are “lots of moving pieces”, but the process could be moving quickly toward its conclusion.

A second source also said was the sale was not “done” yet, but is headed in that direction with Harris’ group winning a bidding battle over a group headed by Philadelphia-area attorney Andrew Barroway.

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