Sixers Trade Hometown Favorite To Golden State

Apr 10, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Sacramento Kings forward

(34) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder center

(12) during the first quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Sixers Trade Hometown Favorite To Golden State

The Philadelphia 76ers are not about planning for “A move”. While the majority of NBA teams plan player transactions one trade at a time, team president and general manager Sam Hinkie sees player moves in three dimensions, not unlike a Bobby Fisher or Boris Spassky would see ten moves into the future on the chess board. He makes a move for a draft pick and a salary dump, but picks up other players who will be used to foster additional draft picks and players in a week, or two.   And so it began when the Boris Spassky of the NBA moved his first pieces.

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It began when Yahoo Sports writer Adrian Wojnarowskie caught the story that the Sacremento Kings, desperate to shed approximately $16M salary cap space, unloaded the contracts of two players: Carl Landry and Jason Thompson, and 2014 number eight draft pick Nik Stauskas to the Sixers.  What did the Sixers give up?  A future second round pick and the rights to some overseas players.  Even to the untrained eye, it seems that the Sixers came out ahead in this deal.  But Hinkie wanted more.   Hinkie likes draft picks, and options to move up in the draft, so he obtained even more:

The Kings wanted to pursue free agents, and were desperate to move salary. And like a good neighbor, Sam Hinkie is there, with a warehouse of open space for salary cap dumps.  But there was an interesting storyline with this move, which perhaps even Hinkie didn’t realize.  But media did.   In fact, the fact that Jason Thompson, who originally hailed from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, was not missed by many who follow the Sixers.  He is a seven year veteran, and was the longest tenured player on the Kings roster.  When you are a multi year player on a team’s roster, you know one of three things will happen.  You either get paid a LOT OF MONEY, you get traded to another team, or you get outright cut.  So Thompson understood that he was being moved, but didn’t know where he would end up.

Next: Thompson Opens Up

Apr 12, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Jason Thompson (34) dunks the ball in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Hometown Thompson Opens Up

The story about the accomplished 6’11” NBA veteran power forward returning to the hometown team desperate for success began the moment the trade was announced. Before two weeks had expired, the staff of CSNPhilly had assembled an interview with Thompson touching on the fact that he was coming home. But can you ever come home again?  That was the question posed to the Rider college alumni.

"“It was bittersweet. One, being on the team, an organization for seven years, being the longest tenured, I had a lot of history there, being the team that drafted me. It was a lot of emotions knowing it was going to happen, you just didn’t know where. And then it being a team you grew up watching as a kid made it that surreal.  So you get the texts of ‘sorry to see you go’ alongside the ‘welcome home!’ , things just went crazy once it (the news) came out.   “A situation like in SAC — definitely didn’t have stability. With the Sixers, they’re a young, upcoming team. I know as a kid those were the glory days with Allen Iverson, and getting to the finals. But those were veteran teams. You’re expected to go through your ups and downs with young teams. When you’re at a certain level, you can only go up, so that’s definitely the positive way. With the direction they’re trying to go, it’s very positive. It gives everybody a chance to make things better. It’s very important (getting back to fundamentals) for any type of success, stability is the key. When you have less distractions, success is definitely going to be the mindset. I talked with Coach Brown, I knew him when he was in San Antonio as well. So he’s been under (George) Popavich and he has those fundamental tendencies that obviously work. It’s all about winning and having fun and seeing success. That seems like the formula that they are trying to do in Philly and I’m happy for the opportunity. ” – Jason Thompson"

When asked about the crowded front court, Thompson added that he has the versatility to stretch the floor, and showed flashes of that in his career. But the question about the crowded front court seemed to put him on the edge of his seat.   Whether or not he had that versatility to shoot from the perimeter will be one of those questions we may never know the answer to.  It was clear that he would have been moved into that versatility role to be a contributor to this team.  And the interview, while positive, left me a little lacking on enthusiasm.   Yes, he deserves to be on a “win now” type of roster, but it seemed to me that his answers showed some frustration of ending up on a roster of a team so few wins.

Next: Thompson Traded

Apr 1, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward

(45) warms up before a game against the Indiana Pacers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Thompson Traded To Golden State

Out with the old, in with the new.  In Philadelphia, it is out with the new, in with the newer.  The Sixers front court was already crowded, and with the trade to the Kings, became even more so.  Hinkie still had the salary cap dump open for business, and the trade deadline usually gives the Sixers several additional opportunities.  It came as no surprise then that the Golden State Warriors, who are beaten up on the luxury tax, called the Sixers about a transaction to relieve them of the NBA luxury tax.  So in less than a month, the Sixers trade hometown favorite to Golden State.  Thompson fills a need for the Warriors, and he had little to offer the young and upcoming Sixers.

As a result of the subsequent move, the Sixers take on another huge salary player who will likely be waived by the team.  Golden State picked up a veteran who still has production and shed salary.  What do the Sixers get for their troubles?

Well, we know there is more to the story than that. As anyone who follows the Sixers or Sam Hinkie, it’s about the picks.

What value does this have for the Sixers? 2016 is the fulcrum. Everything this organization has done comes to a climax in 2016. As it stands, the Sixers will potentially have four first round draft picks in 2016, will welcome Joel Embiid from a two year rehab of his foot injury, will welcome Dario Saric to the team from his European stint, and will have the new training facility.    There are far too many things happening in a positive direction for this team next year, so that even if one or two fall short of expectations, the team will emerge as a powerful NBA force regardless.

And Hinkie continues to stack the deck.   By adding optional upgrades for picks in 2016, he dictates the where and the who the Sixers will select.  Just hold on Philly.  After 2015, the NBA may witness the birth of a dynasty.

Next: Is Joel Embiid Learning When To Shut Up?