Has Sixers Sam Hinkie Hustled The NBA?
By Bret Stuter
And The Next Pick Of The NBA Draft Is…
2015 has arrived.
And in the meantime, the Sixers found themselves in familiar surroundings: picking third in a three player NBA draft. Once more, the man left on the board was a big man named Jahlil Okafor. But the good news is that for the first time, this center/power forward is healthy and is ready to play.
Once more, the Sixers failed to land the top pick in an NBA draft, despite being one of the worst teams in the league. But 2015 was particularly unkind, as the Sixers had a chance to land three additional first round picks. In the Utopian scenario, the picks optimized would have been:
1. PHI
6. PHI (via LAL)
11. PHI (via MIA)
19. PHI (via OKC)
None of the 2015 conditions were met, so all picks roll over into… 2016. By now, the NBA and eventually staunchly optimistic Philly beat writers have begun to conclude that teams who deal with the Sixers are getting a great deal. Read reports about the Hernangomez trade by the New York Knicks with the Sixers. Read the reports about the Thompson trade with the Golden State Warriors. Notice the theme? Trade with Hinkie and you are scoring plenty of expert approval.
Oh my…. nobody thinks the Sixers have a chance. Now the stakes get raised….
Next: Hinkie doesn't care what experts think...